Spotted: WWL Gets New HERO

Norwegian company Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) has added another Post-Panamax vessel – the Theben. This RoRo (HERO) class vessel joins its two sisters Thalatta and Thermopylae. However, this is not the last one, says WWF. More RoRos are to follow soon. 

WWL plans to launch eight RoRo vessels, all of them taking advantage of the new vessel size limit based on the third set of Panama Canal locks expected to commence operation in June this year. The first vessel, the Thalatta, was delivered in 2015 and the remaining RoRos are to be delivered until 2017, according to the company.

Built at the Korean shipyard Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries, the Theben features a length of 200 meters and width of 36.5 meters. It has five liftable car decks, allowing for multiple configurations.

The vessel can transport up to 8,000 car equivalent units and, with the new draft, it can call ports with shallower depths.

The Theben has a specially designed hull shape, rudder and bow to reduce drag and wave resistance, thus improving fuel efficiency. It is also fitted with an exhaust gas cleaning system that reduces sulphur emissions to below 0.1 percent in compliance with ECA regulations and removes 70 percent of particulate matter, significantly reducing NOx emissions.

The ship will be employed in the Asia-Europe trade on its maiden voyage. Its loading started on April 18 in Japan.

Image Courtesy: Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics