October 5 - Finnish shipping company Meriaura has received the first of two newbuild VG EcoCoaster vessels from Royal Bodewes in the Netherlands.
The first ship - Eeva VG - arrived at the Finnish Port of Rauma to load a cargo of oats for shipment to Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
The 5,000 dwt ice class 1A vessel measures 103 m long by 13.6 m wide. The VG EcoCoaster is a new ship concept developed by Meriaura in cooperation with Foreship and Aker Arctic Technology.
"Although the vessels are traditional dry cargo bulkers, they represent a new generation because of their environmental friendliness and energy efficiency," said Jussi Mälkia, chairman of Meriaura Group.
The new ships are designed to cause considerably less environmental impact than conventional dry cargo vessels of same type and size, with the hull and machinery optimized to a speed of 10.5 knots in open water conditions. Equipped with a dual-fuel system, the vessels' main engine is suitable for both biofuel and marine gas oil (MGO).
Meriaura explained that the new ships will meet all the maritime environmental regulations coming into force in next few years and are equipped with ballast water treatment systems.
Eeva VG's sister ship, Mirva VG, is expected to be delivered by the end of November 2016. The two new ships will be added to Meriaura's existing fleet of 17 vessels.
Eeva VG.
