India: Hazira Port Receives First MiniCape Vessel

Gujarat saw berthing of the first MiniCape vessel in India “MV Kamlesh” by Essar Shipping (ESL). On its maiden voyage to Hazira, the vessel is carrying 100000 tonnes of coal from Australia for Essar Steel.

Essar has created this new segment of 1, 05,000 DWT (dead weight tonnage) and MV Kamlesh is the first vessel in a series of six that Essar will acquire in the next 5 months. This is line with the company’s strategy to strengthen its bulk carrier fleet with modern vessels as the world trade is continue to grow with the increased economic activities. These vessels would comfortably carry flexible quantities of coal / iron ore parcels to meet the growing cargo requirements of Power, Steel and other core sector industries in India.

On the occasion of berthing of the vessel, Mr AR Ramakrishnan MD, Essar Shipping Limited said, “We are proud to berth India’s first MiniCape. Such vessels are also ideally suited to Indian Ports as they are uniquely designed with shallow draft and have the capacity to carry more cargo, thus benefiting our clients.”

These double-bottom mini cape vessels are built conforming to the standards of the American Bureau of Shipping. It will incorporate futuristic design and the latest technology. The ships will be environment-friendly and comply with the latest and the most stringent IMO regulations and capable of meeting global trading requirements and will have excellent deployability.

These six state-of-the-art vessels built at STX Shipyard are specially designed shallow draft vessels that will provide substantially higher cargo carrying capacity.

Essar Shipping has an enviable track record of accident free/pollution free transportation. ESL, through its operating track record of over 30 years has significant expertise in sea transportation and supply chain management services to steel industry, cement industry, refining industry fertilizer industry and electricity generating companies.

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World Maritime News Staff, February 21, 2012; Image: Essar