Spliethoff has placed an order with Wuhu Shipyard in China for a series of eight multi-purpose vessels with an option for two additional ships.
The new series will be delivered starting the first quarter of 2028. The L-type vessels are specially designed for the transport of various dry cargo types, including paper products, bulk cargo, project cargo and containers.
These Finnish/Swedish 1A Ice-classed vessels will measure 203.25 m in length, 28.25 m in width and a maximum draft of 10.5 m. They will have a total capacity of about 33,700 m3 and a dwt of 28,600 tonnes, making them the largest vessels in the Spliethoff fleet.
The vessels are designed with slender hull lines and will be prepared for the use of future fuels. The vessels, with the bridge located at the front, will be equipped with five lifts (side loaders) and three cranes with a capacity of 150 mt each, combinable to 300 mt SWL.
Michael van den Heuvel, Spliethoff chief commercial officer said: “We are convinced that we will have secured the excellent service to our clients for the future and look forward to welcoming these energy-efficient vessels into our fleet. We are proud of this step forward and believe that the L-type will play an important role in the sustainable future of our company.”
This follows Spliethoff’s recent acquisition of a majority stake in shortsea operator Forestwave.
