China Navigation Orders Four Chief Class Vessels

The China Navigation Company Pte Ltd, the deep sea shipping arm of the Swire group, has announced that it has placed a firm order for four 22,000dwt multipurpose vessels at Zhejiang Ouhua Shipbuilding Co Ltd (Ouhua), Zhoushan, China. The vessels are to be delivered in 2015 and the contract includes options for an additional 2+2 vessels in continuation.

Following the order for 8 x 31,000dwt S31 Class multipurpose vessels due to commence delivery in late March this year, these ships, known as the “Chief Class”, represent another significant investment in Swire Shipping’s liner division. The Chief Class have been specifically designed to meet the unique demands of the trade between Australia and Papua New Guinea.

CNCo vessels first started calling Papua New Guinea in 1939, although the liner service, New Guinea Australia Line, was not formally established until 1952. The Chief Class represents the latest in a long line of “Chief” vessels which have been specifically designed to provide the most efficient freight solutions to meet the exacting demands of the region.

Working closely with Neptun China Ship Design, the Chief Class design also incorporates many of the features of the new S31 Class vessels where the focus has been on cargo handling speed and fuel consumption efficiency. The vessels will feature hydraulic tween decks and hatch covers as well as 60mt electric cranes, which will provide a combined heavy lift capacity of up to 120mt. In addition to meeting the general cargo requirements of the trade, the ships have been designed to offer maximum versatility to carry a wide range of cargo types including breakbulk, overdimensional and heavy lift project cargoes.

“We are delighted to be extending our relationship with Ouhua and we are confident that they are the best partners for this exciting project based on their experience building multipurpose vessels for several respected international owners” said Tim Blackburn, Managing Director of The China Navigation Company.

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China Navigation Company, March 27, 2013