One of the oldest cargo ships of the Arklow Shipping fleet, nearing its third decade, currently occupies a port on the other side of the Irish Sea on Merseyside, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The 28-year-old short-sea trader berthed at Bromborough is the Arklow Raven, whose namesake bird features on the funnel crest of the Co. Wicklow-based shipowner. The member of the rook family, often appearing on a Viking ship, symbolizes the port town's Norse origins and its Viking foundations.
According to Dublin Port’s arrivals list, the small ship was scheduled to call today, but this no longer applies, as other orders must have been given. However, Dublin did see other ASL arrivals: Arklow Beach from Gijon, Spain, and as of this morning, Arklow Cape in ballast arrived to the capital from Waterford.
At 2,999 gross tonnes, the Arklow Raven and a fleetmate, the Arklow Raider, are just two remaining vessels from the 16 strong ‘R’ or 4,530 deadweight at large (dwat) series. As Afloat also highlighted, they represented the largest same-series order by an Irish shipowner since the foundation of the Republic. Afloat also tracked Arklow Raider, which departed New Ross yesterday and is en route to Rouen, France.
The R series started off with Arklow Rose, built in 2004, and the series concluded in 2007 when both the remaining pair were built along with Arklow Rogue. The latter coaster, as Afloat reported early last year (at 24 years old), was sold to a Norwegian operator and rival Wilson ASA, based in Bergen.
All 16 ships were built by Barkmeijer Stroobos (now Royal T Shipyards; see below) and had the same principle dimensions of length overall (LOA) of 89.99 m, beam of 14 m, and draft between 5.7 and 5.8 m. However, the dwat varied from 4,390 to 4,400 to 4,530, respectively, with the latter being the majority across the 11-knot series.
The R series should not be confused with their more modern and larger fleetmates that also have the ‘R’ nomenclature. Among them is Arklow Rover, the seventh and final Eco-Trader of the 6,800 dwt series built by another Dutch shipbuilder, Royal Bodewes, at Hoogezand near Groningen. The 104.98 m (LOA) newbuild was delivered to ASL a year ago this month. Currently the fleet is 62, including the minority of the Dutch-flagged ships.
As for the alluded shipyard of Royal T-Shipyards, until recent months it was known as Thecla Bodewes Shipyards, which this year celebrated its 100th anniversary as an independent Dutch family-owned shipyard. At an event held at the company’s headquarters in Kampen, a historic milestone was announced as the shipyard now can officially carry the honorary title ‘Royal.’
