The second of seven newbuild cargo ships for Arklow Shipping has been delivered from Dutch shipbuilder Royal Bodewes to the Irish shipowner, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Arklow Rally of the Eco-Trader 6,800 dwat class follows the leadship Arklow Racer which was delivered in February.

The newbuilds were built at Bodewes shipyard in Hoogezand located to the east of Groningen.

The handover of Arklow Rally took place on Monday and the addition of the dry-bulk vessel is part of a continued progression of modern tonnage. At this stage the green-hulled fleet now totals 55 cargo ships.

On Monday evening the newbuild departed on its maiden commercial voyage. This involved a passage across the North Sea to Teesport in north-east England, to where Afloat tracked the arrival of the Irish-flagged newbuild this morning.

Sea trials of the 104m general cargoship had previously taken place in the North Sea with the newbuild based out of Emshaven. The port on the Ems Estuary is also where the Dutch-German border is located.

Arklow Rally has become the second of seven newbuild cargo ships of the 'R' class which was launched this month in the Netherlands, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The newbuild for Arklow Shipping Ltd is of the Eco-Trader 6,800 design from the Royal Bodewes Shipyard which built the cargo ship in Martenshoek, Hoogezand in Groningen. As the design name suggests, this class of dry-bulk vessel is 6,800 (dwt) deadweight tonnes.

The ship is 104.93m length overall (LOA) and has two cargo-holds where there are two portable bulkheads along with pontoon type hatch covers.

Arklow Rally follows the Irish-flagged leadship Arklow Racer which was launched in December.

As Afloat also reported the new cargo ship in February was tracked having recently entered service. This involved a passage depart from a port in north-west Europe to the Iberian Peninsula. Following this was a voyage into the western Mediterranean.

The launch of Arklow Rally (yard no. 822) into the Winschoterdiep Canal had taken place on 6th April. On this same day and time, another newbuild for ASL saw Arklow Gem also take to the waters of the canal.

This leadship of five new 'G' class short-sea traders, had slid off of the stocks at Ferus Smit's Dutch shipyard in Westerbroek.

As for the newest R class cargoship, the newbuild is to undergo shipbuilder's sea trials in the North Sea before delivery to the Co. Wicklow shipowner.