August 27 - Danish shipping line DFDS has named the first of two newbuild ro-ro vessels at the Volkswerft Straisund shipyard in Germany.

German federal minister of education and research, Dr Johanna Wanka, named the ro-ro vessel Ark Germania at a ceremony attended by more than 150 guests.
 
In the coming weeks Volkswerft Straisund will continue work on the ro-ro vessel, which is scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of this year.
 
Construction work on the superstructure of a second sistership is almost complete at the Volkswerft yard.
 
DFDS is one of Europe's largest shipping companies and according to its executive vice president Peder Gellert Pedersen: "The Ark Germania is the result of several years of close collaboration between the German and Danish military, and of the military with DFDS. This ship is a good example of the close connections between our two countries.
 
"At the same time it is also an example of what it means when good connections on an operational level in the respective armed forces are supported and developed on a political level. There is much talk about economic collaboration between the public sector and private companies. This ship is a good example of how such collaboration can succeed. And we hope to be able to develop this cooperative venture to the advantage of all the partners involved."

 
Ark Germania measures 195 m long, has a container capacity of 342 teu and a load capacity of 3,000 lane metres on which 185 heavy goods vehicles can be transported. When complete, it will be scheduled on international freight services. In addition, it will be made available to the Danish and German armed forces when required for "secured commercial strategic marine transportation" purposes, says DFDS.
 

 
www.volkswerft.de
www.dfdsseaways.co.uk

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