JR Shipping presents next-gen green feeder vessel designs

Dutch shipping company JR Shipping has unveiled its ECO Feeder program, a series of new ship designs in the container feeder vessel segment.

Since 2019, the Dutch company has been working with German ship design partner Technolog GmbH on the future generation of sustainable container feeder vessels.

As a result of this joint effort, JR Shipping Group announces the introduction of a series of ECO Feeders. The new designs are said to offer more capabilities, far less fuel consumption, far less emissions and better economics in the long run. Reduction of fuel consumption could be 40-50%.

“The market needs a new generation of better performing and more sustainable feeder vessels,” Sander Schakelaar, Managing Owner, pointed out.

“We strongly believe in the need for a more integrated approach with our clients in order to achieve their goals.”

As explained, the main goal is to maximize energy efficiency and economic performance and minimize the climate footprint.

The innovation program JR Shipping Group and Technolog started fits in the overall commitment of the international shipping industry to reduce CO2 emissions. In 2018, all 173 nations which are united within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) agreed on the mission to reduce carbon emissions of global shipping by at least 50% in 2050 compared with 2008. With its ECO Feeder series, JR Shipping Group contributes to limit the climate impact of container feeder shipping.

‘We are at the dawn of a new era’

“We are at the dawn of a new era,” Sander Schakelaar said.

“Enabled by growing container volumes and technological advancement and necessitated by increasing environment requirements a new generation of feeder vessels is inevitably knocking on the door.”

He explained that the new ECO vessels will be based on principles such as — hull form optimalisation for actual operational speed profiles, focus on optimizing energy efficiency, extreme reduction of fuel consumption and emissions and focus on reducing operational costs.

Up to 40-50% lower fuel consumption

The ECO vessels will initially be fuelled with ultra-low sulphur fuel oils while applying additional exhaust gas filtering including carbon capture in order to minimize the carbon footprint.

However, the vessels will be prepared to switch to other sustainable fuels at a later stage such as green methanol or synthetic LNG.

Main characteristics are:

• exhaust gas filtering including carbon capture;
• prepared for green methanol or synthetic LNG;
• far less emissions;
• more efficiency – better economic performance;
• up to 40-50% lower fuel consumptions

The series of new designs cover all segments of the European container feeder market.

JR Shipping aims at ‘ECO Flex Feeders’ ranging from 500, 900 and 1,100 TEU with high 45 ft. container capacities and ‘Baltic Max ECO Feeders’ ranging from 1,600 TEU up to 2,100 TEU. All designs will have the highest ice class.

JR Shipping Group is currently discussing its new designs with several clients/charterers with the objective to jointly move forward.

Selected designs will then be customized to the needs of these and any other interested charterers.