The newest Irish flagged merchant ship, Arklow Ranger has made its maiden voyage from The Netherlands to Norway as the newbuild dry-cargo ship arrived this afternoon into the Arctic Circle, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Arklow Ranger departed the Dutch north-east port of Eemshaven having departed last Thursday, 11 January, the day shipbuilder, Royal Bodewes officially delivered the newbuild to Arklow Shipping Ltd. Also that day the newbuild began the maiden voyage, firstly heading through the Wadden Sea and then into the North Sea.

On the Sunday, Afloat continued to track the newbuild when offshore of the Nordic nation’s coast. The inaugural passage was concluded after navigating the 11 nautical mile Glomfjorden to the fjord’s namesake port of Glomfjord with the 105m merchant ship berthing today at around 1500hrs.

Arklow Ranger, is the fourth Eco-Trader 6,800dwat / R class multipurpose newbuild of seven on order from ASL to the Dutch shipbuilders based in Hoogezand, near Groningen, which conducted sea trails in the North Sea based out of Eemshaven.

Currently berthed in the Norwegian port is ASL fleetmate, Arklow Field and their Dutch flagged Arklow Glen.

In addition is a Norwegian based rival, Wilson AS of Bergen, whose cargo ship Wilson Dieppe is berthed ahead of the Arklow trio at the fjord port located in Nordland, a county mid-way located along the country’s rugged and extensive coastline.