While tracking vessels in the north-west today, among them passenger ferry Aran Islands Express, a trio of general cargo ships operated by Wilson ASA have been trading in the Port of Sligo at the weekend, writes Jehan Ashmore

The operator Wilson ASA has the largest short-sea fleet in Europe, with around 130 vessels ranging from 1500 to 8500 deadweight tonnes (dwt), all of similar design. Last month, Arklow Shipping as Afloat reported, sold a cargoship to the Norwegian competitor based in Bergen.

Of the three general cargo ships using the Port of Sligo, all are 2,000 dwt plus cargo ships and engaged in exporting fishmeal. The port  operated by Sligo County Council is where infrastructure work has taken place to increase more business for the regional port.

Sligo is the only working port between Galway and Derry~Londonderry (Foyleport) and has two quays, the Deepwater of 77m and Barytes of 55m, where the port handles cargoes of coal, timber, fish meal, and scrap. Cargo ships of up to 3,500 dwt tonnes can be accommodated.

Berthed this morning was Wilson Lahn, of 2,484 (dwt) with the 2001 built cargo ship alongside the Deepwater Quay. The slightly larger Wilson Mosel (2,676dwt/1993) completed loading last night and set sail at first light this morning for Egersund, Norway.

The 82m length overall (LOA) cargo ship was tracked later, mid-morning off Co. Donegal while Wilson Lahn continues to be loaded today and is scheduled to depart tomorrow morning.

As for the third cargo ship, Wilson Thames (2,439dwt/2000) departed yesterday, and when passing in the channel the Wilson Lahn, while loading took place of the aforementioned Wilson Mosel.

Both Wilson Mosel and Wilson Thames berthed on Friday’s evening tide, while Wilson Lahn was sitting at anchor in Sligo Bay, having the previous day sailed from Kyleakin, Isle of Skye, Scotland.  When at anchorage, the 83m cargo ship was waiting to berth on Saturday’s evening tide following the completion of loading fishmeal of the Wilson Thames and the departure of the 89m cargo ship, which is currently bound for Perth on the east coast of Scotland.

All of the similar long cargo ships are registered in Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados, and have blue hulls with Wilson in white lettering displayed amidships.

One of Arklow Shipping Ltd's oldest cargo ships of the first ‘R’ class, Arklow Rogue with almost 24 years service, has been sold to Norwegian rival Wilson ASA with around 130 ships is Europe's largest short-sea operator, writes Jehan Ashmore.

During a routine review yesterday of the ASL website with its fleet-list of 57 vessels, it was immediately apparent that of the three remaining original 'R' class ordered by ASL, just two are left from an original 16 cargo ships. They formed as the single largest ever newbuild class of ships built for an Irish shipowner since the foundation of the Republic.

Currently, the combined fleet of Irish and Dutch flagged vessels, are all built after 2010, with the exception of the Arklow Rogue dating to 2007 as also is the case with the remaining R class pair, Arklow Raider and Arklow Raven.

An AIS of Arklow Rogue led to the vessel’s location, the Dutch port of Rotterdam, where the 89m cargo ship renamed Wilson Pola is also reflagged to the Norwegian International Ship Register or NIS. On the day before, Monday (18th Feb.) a short-sea passage was made from the northern French port of Dunkirk, where it may suggest the transfer of the cargo ship took place between the shipping companies, given the date appears with the Wilson Pola as listed on the Bergen based operator’s website.

It is not surprising the disposal of the Arklow Rogue, as ASL replaces ageing tonnage while continuing to modernise their fleet among them two newbuilds alone were launched on the same day just last month. This involved Arklow Resolve, of this new generation of 'R' class /6,800dwt Eco-Trader's from the Royal Bodewes shipyard and Arklow Grace, representing the G class of 5,150dwt from Ferus Smit’s Westerbroek yard also in The Netherlands, noting these newbuilds are to serve Arklow Shipping Nederland B.V. based in Rotterdam.

Arklow Rogue joins another former fleetmate, Arklow Rainbow also an old R class as Afloat reported last year was sold to Wilson ASA in a fleet that ranges between 1,500-8,500dwt. Noting their trading area is throughout Europe entirely, from the Barents Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south, through the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Irish Sea, Biscay of Biscay, and the Mediterranean Sea. Though ASL, (unlike Wilson), have the capacity capability of operating deep-sea globally with use of larger vessels, ranging from 16,000dwt to 34,000dwt, the latter category involves twin ‘S’ class bulk-carriers that also fly the Irish tricolor.  

In recent years, Wilson have introduced newbuilds, the ‘Flexible’ Hanse Eco-Trader class featuring cargo hold options (with and without hatch covers) and have 14 newbuilds on order, with the 3,800dwt future-proof cargo ships that focus on environmental benefits.

On arrival yesterday to Rotterdam is where Wilson have an office and the original berth of Wilson Pola had taken place adjacent of the New Waterway, but downriver of the Hoek-van-Holland, Stena Line’s terminal for the North Sea route to Harwich. It was noted today, however that the newly renamed vessel shifted berths further inland to Rozenburg, a district of the giant port which is Europe's largest.

As for the UK east coast port of Harwich, the ferryport was served until recently by ropax Stena Horizon, one of two Rosslare-Cherbourg ferries, which was on the North Sea route providing extended relief-duty. Last Thursday, Stena Horizon was however on the Irish Sea, in freight-only mode having inaugurated Stena Line’s new Dublin-Birkenhead (Liverpool) freight route, though this ship's role is temporary, as Stena is to deploy a permanent freight-ferry and plan to operate with a two-ship service on the central corridor route.

Interestingly, ASL had a role too in operating ferries, albeit on a coastal / domestic basis when the Cork Harbour based Cross River Ferries which almost a year ago celebrated its 30th anniverary, was founded in a joint venture with Marine Transport Services, owned by Doyle Shipping Group (DSG).

The Co. Wicklow shipowner’s stake in the twin-ferry operated service however was bought out by DSG in 2007.

Norwegian shipping operator Wilson ASA, a leading European player in the short-sea market, announced the signing of up to 14 newbuildings.

The Bergen based shipping company's latest chartered in Hanse Eco-Trader as Afloat reported last week, has also signed for a significant newbuilding contract.

This fleet expansion is to involve the construction of six state-of-the-art 3,800 dwt future-proof newbuildings with a focus on environmental benefits, flexibility, and efficiency. 

In addition, Wilson also declared an option for eight more vessels, totalling the order to 14 vessels. This milestone underscores the company's commitment to a sustainable and forward-looking maritime industry.

The contracted newbuildings will reduce environmental impact and enhance efficiency.

Vessels will be designed to meet and surpass environmental standards required in today's maritime industry and it is a step in the right direction to further reduce the shipping carbon footprint.

The vessel will be equipped with energy-efficient machinery, optimized hull design, and systems for optimal resource utilization and fuel savings. In an ever-evolving industry, Wilson believes flexibility is key, and the newbuildings will be designed to adapt to a wide range of fuel and energy types going forward.

With this order, Wilson strengthens its position as a modern and responsible player in the maritime industry. The plan is for the newbuildings to be ready for delivery by early 2025.

It will further strengthen Wilson's commitment to sustainable and efficient maritime transportation and ensuring the company's ability to deliver flexible and efficient services to our clients.

The newbuildings will also contribute to enhanced operational excellence for the operator's fleet.

Europe's largest short-sea cargoship operator, Wilson ASA of Norway which transport annually about 15 million tonnes in dry cargo across the continent, have chartered in the Wilson Flex III, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The 4,282dwt cargo ship built last year is the fourth project vessel which Wilson ASA, the Bergen-based operator have taken on long term charter from Arkon Shipping Shipping GmbH & Co. KG based in Haren-Ems, Germany. 

Wilson ASA have a fleet of around 130 vessels ranging from 1,500-8,500dwt and each year the cargo ships approximately make 10,000 port calls. The Hanse Eco class vessel joins the rest of the class within the large dry-cargo based fleet. 

Wilson Flex III's design allows for transporting cargo with and without hatch covers, making the vessel suitable for transporting both high and heavy project cargo.

The 'open-topped' boxed vessel has a capacity for 192,818 cubic feet (cbft) and today the 88.5m vessel is in the Bay of Biscay having departed St. Nazaire, France.

The Hanse Eco class have the technology to reduce up to 50 % in CO2 emissions when compared to competitor vessels operating in the market today. They are also equipped with an electric motor and a waste gas treatment unit.

Afloat has previously tracked the Hanse Eco series in Irish ports in addition to another Wilson open topped cargoship, Wilson Finnfjord which departed Dublin Port on Sunday.

The 4,275dwt had berthed at the Deep Water Berth otherwise known as the 'Coal' berth located adjacent to the Hammond Lane Metal Company where scrap metal is exported by cargo ships notably to northern Spain.

This morning, Afloat tracked the 194,548 cbft vessel in the English Channel bound for Beverwijk, the Netherlands.

Also berthed ahead in Dublin Port of the Barbados-flagged vessel was another dry-cargo vessel operated by short-sea competitor, Arklow Shipping whose 'F' class Spanish built Arklow Fern of 4,950dwt had sailed from Workington, Cumbria (read more on ASL's related cementing story) in the north-west England port. 

The 89m cargo ship built in 2010, is one of a quartet of the class which remain in service within ASL's fleet of Irish flagged short-sea traders. 

Arklow Fern is scheduled to depart tonight while Wilson Goole in ballast is this morning at anchor in Dublin Bay, having sailed from Le Treport, Normandy, France.

Norwegian based small-bulker shipping giant Wilson ASA of Bergen has turned in a booming second quarter result with its fleet of over 100 owned vessels under 8,500 dwt.

The Oslo-listed owner and operator is keen to use some of the money on fleet renewal in the form of secondhand purchases, but no newbuildings are on the horizon, chief financial officer Stig Vangen.

“Last year was already a very good year and this year we are already almost at the same result level of full-year 2021,” he said to TradeWinds which has more here. 

Afloat adds that on an annual basis, Europe's largest short-sea operator, Wilson ASA transport about 15 million tonnes dry cargo throughout the continent and with approximately 10,000 port calls a year.

As a fully integrated shipping company, they handle in house: chartering and operations, ship management, marine accounting, crewing, purchasing, legal and insurance. This involves employing about 2,000 staff employees with a head office in Bergen and branch offices strategically located in Europe.

Their blue-hulled cargoships ranging from 1,500-8,500dwt commonly trade in Irish waters. Among them Wilson Blyth (3,713dwt) which in 2015 made a most unusual call to Dun Laoghaire Harbour to enable a project cargo bound for the Guinness St. James Gate Brewery in Dublin. 

The Wilson Blyth which recently sailed to Dublin Port from Rouen, France, has departed the capital's port this afternoon bound for El Ferrol, Spain.

Afloat has also identified another example of their extensive fleet operating in Irish waters, the Cork Wilson (4,450dwt) as pictured above aptly at the ship's namesake port city when berthed at the South Quays nearby to the former R&H Hall silo.

The 1998 built cargoship at just shy of 100m length overall, also features on the front cover of the Wilson quarterly report (download in Norwegian), with the vessel seen on the same occasion during the call to the Port of Cork.

Further research reveals that other Irish Ports form the ship names of the following cargoships; Wilson Dunmore, Wilson Dundalk, Wilson Dublin and Wilson Drogheda respectively. In addition they are all of the 3,000dwt plus category.