FESCO takes delivery of new 22,700-dwt container carrier
FESCO Transport Group has taken delivery of a new container carrier. According to the company’s press center, on August 23, a name-giving ceremony took place at Stocznia Szczecinska Nowa (Poland). The new container carrier series B170-V/1 FESCO VITIM with deadweight of 22,750 tonnes is capable of carrying 1730 TEU. The vessel’s length is 184.1 m, breadth – 25.3 m, draft – 9.85 m, speed – 19.7 knots.
FESCO VITIM is of the same type as m\v Captain Afanasyev, Vladivostok and Captain Maslov built at Szczecin shipyard in 1998. Unlike Captain Afanasyev FESCO VITIM has three 45-tonne cargo cranes, ice-class Е3 (according to Germanischer Lloyd classification) and increased number of sockets (200 against planned 150) for refrigerated containers. The vessel has been initially designed for operation in the Baltic Basin.
FESCO VITIM is the third vessel of FESCO fleet bearing the same name. The first one was a steamer built in 1893 in England (operated by Dobroflot from 1917 till 1919). In 1967-1971 the company operated a cargo carrier Vitim built in 1966 in Germany.
Sea trials of FESCO VITIM proved the vessel’s perfect qualities. On August 28, FESCO VITIM will start its first voyage to Hamburg and then will operate at St. Petersburg – North Europe ports service thus reinforcing the position of Russian companies at the market of Baltic Sea transportation.
All in all, Stocznia Szczecinska Nowa is to build 7 container carriers for FESCO till 2010. In 1970-1986, the shipyard built 15 vessels including dry cargo carriers, passenger vessels and specialized icebreaking transport vessels. 6 more vessels were built in 90-ies: in 1994-1995 – container carriers type Б-183 Cpatain Byankin, Yuri Ostrovski and Captain Konev, in 1998 – container carriers type Б-170 Captain Afanasyev, Vladivostok and Captain Maslov.