Chinese Shipbuilder Takes Bulk Carriers Design from Deltamarin

Deltamarin has signed an agreement with the Chinese Tianjin Xingang Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. for the design of 4 Handymax Bulk Carriers to be built for the French shipowners Louis Dreyfus Armateurs. Deltamarin will take care of the Basic and Detail design of the vessels as well as Technical Procurement handling and will also have a site team to take the design to production. This is the first order for the B.delta37 standard bulk carriers, which have evoked the interest of the market with their improved cubic capacity and especially the extremely low fuel consumption compared to other available designs.

The overall vessel length will be below 180 m and the beam 30 m. The service speed at design draught is 14.0 knots. The deadweight is about 40,000 metric tonnes at scantling draught. The vessels will have 5 cargo holds and can take 50,000 m3 of cargo. Deltamarin has focused on fuel efficiency, sustainability and safety during the concept development process, while simultaneously focusing on the cost efficiency of the concept. E.g. the model tested daily fuel oil consumption at design draft is only 18t including 15% seamargin and annual output of CO2 is estimated to be reduced by 5,000 tonnes compared to existing vessels of same size range. The design of the vessels ordered by Louis Dreyfus Armatreurs group has been customised to fulfill group’s high standards and includes special features for log transportation.

Deltamarin has made a breakthrough in the bulk carrier market within 12 months with 15 newbuildings already signed of Panamax, Lakers and B.delta37 types. All of the vessels have been extensively tested at the HSVA Model basin in Hamburg. Well-known owners are convinced of Deltamarin’s performance based on consistent model test results.

Derivative designs of B.delta series (37 and 64) are currently already being built at Nantong Mingde Heavy Industry (Laker Bulk Carriers and Self Unloaders) and Chengxi Shipyard (Panamax Self Unloaders). There are serious discussions ongoing with several ship owners for continuation of the B.delta37 series as well as for the B.delta64 bulk carriers. The lower fuel and operating costs and added cargo capacity are very much of interest to ship owners, whereas the lower light ship weight resulting in less required steel and the optimized hull form benefit the shipyards.

The value of the contractual design work for the Bulk Carriers is approximately 35 man-years. The work will be carried out at Deltamarin’s offices in Europe and China and utilizing the partner network.

Tianjin Xingang Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co., Ltd.

Tianjin Xingang Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (XGSIC, ne Tianjin Xingang Shipyard) located in the Bohai Sea of the Tianjin Binhai New Area, which was founded in 1940, is one of the largest shipbuilding & shiprepairing state-owned enterprises under China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation(CSIC). Now it mainly specializes in shipbuilding, ship repairing, heavy equipment manufacturing, offshore projects. It has a capability of construct all kinds of vessels under 500,000 DWT, such as Bulk Carriers, Multi-purpose Heavy Lift vessels, Container Vessels, Train Ferries etc.

Louis Dreyfus

For over one century drybulk transportation has constituted and today still remains the main maritime activity of Louis Dreyfus Armateurs. Ever since it was created in 1893, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs has built, owned, managed and operated vessels able to load Drybulk cargoes.

Deltamarin Ltd

Deltamarin Group provides services for shipping, shipbuilding, naval, marine and offshore industry worldwide. The services cover the entire field of engineering from feasibility studies through concept development, FEED and basic design up to complete engineering and contracting packages, including site supervision. Deltamarin employs around 400 designers in its own and partly owned companies in Western Europe, China and Malaysia.

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Source: Deltamarin, April 13, 2011.