#FifthShip - Corrib Shipping, the Dublin based shipowners and ship management group has added a fifth cargoship to its fleet which is currently at a drydock in the Netherlands, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The new addition is a 7,200dwt cargoship recently renamed Ziltborg and which has an ice-class 1A notation and two-holds. Previously called Vechtdiep and under the Liberian flag, the 118 metre long vessel’s new Dutch owners are Royal Wagenborg who have reflagged the ship to the Netherlands.

Acquisition of Ziltborg last month will be a perfect fit for Wagenborg’s existing fleet of ice-strengthened multipurpose dry-cargo vessels. Ziltborg will offer worldwide trade carrying options such as forest products and (break-)bulk cargoes.

Ziltborg is expected to enter service under Wagenborg colours soon and join the existing Corrib managed fleet of four vessels. The Corrib ships sail as part of the Wagenborg fleet and they in turn act as chartering agents for the Irish based group.

Among the quartet of ships is Cathma which Afloat in August covered with a ‘snapshot’ of her trading work having discharged fertiliser in Foynes from Latvia.

Work on the Ziltborg is taking place in the floating dry-dock of the Royal Niestern Sander shipyard. The facility is located in the north-east of Netherlands with a direct connection to the North Sea via the port of Delfzijl.

The location is also the head office of Wagenborg which has a large fleet of around 170 vessels, mostly box-shaped ice-classed dry-cargoships with a capacity of 23,000dwt.

One of these fleetships, Keizersborg (1996/6,142grt) docked in Dun Laoghaire Harbour in 2013 loaded with Guinness fermentation tanks. The stainless steel cylinders, each weighing 30 tons were craned ashore at Carlisle Pier. Overnight truck conveys took the project cargo to St. James's Gate Brewery, where the plant in central Dublin was undergoing a major €153m upgrade.

The arrival of this large cargoship within the harbour was witnessed by crowds along the East Pier. Coverage of the unloading spectacle was also published in Ships Monthly, June 2013 issue.