'The Kaiji Press reports that the Rickmers Group is in talks with a Chinese shipyard for the construction of eight 24,000 dwt multipurpose cargo vessels 'Mumbaimax', with four options attached, for the Rickmers Linie, the group's multipurpose vessel operator. the negotiations will be concluded within two weeks, and the first ship is planned for completion in 2009.
It said that the multipurpose ship market has been very firm since 2003, and 36% of the world's multipurpose vessel fleet is older than 25 years, it will become increasingly difficult to secure capacities in 2009 or 2010. Rickmers Linie has ordered four 24,000-dwt multipurpose ships from an Iranian shipyard through Rickmers Reederei. The ships were originally scheduled for delivery in July 2007, but the delivery is delayed for one and a half year due to a political change in Iran.
The 'Mumbaimax', with a width of 26.46 meters, has been designed as the largest vessel capable of entering the [conventional] port of Mumbai. Two of four cranes have a hoisting capacity of 350 tons each, enabling to lift 700 tons in tandem. Rickmers Linie is studying various possibilities for Mumbaimaxes, such as the assignment for westward round-the-world voyages and southward voyages in tie-ups with other operators.
It said that the multipurpose ship market has been very firm since 2003, and 36% of the world's multipurpose vessel fleet is older than 25 years, it will become increasingly difficult to secure capacities in 2009 or 2010. Rickmers Linie has ordered four 24,000-dwt multipurpose ships from an Iranian shipyard through Rickmers Reederei. The ships were originally scheduled for delivery in July 2007, but the delivery is delayed for one and a half year due to a political change in Iran.
The 'Mumbaimax', with a width of 26.46 meters, has been designed as the largest vessel capable of entering the [conventional] port of Mumbai. Two of four cranes have a hoisting capacity of 350 tons each, enabling to lift 700 tons in tandem. Rickmers Linie is studying various possibilities for Mumbaimaxes, such as the assignment for westward round-the-world voyages and southward voyages in tie-ups with other operators.