On Tuesday 2 May 2023, Associated British Ports (ABP’s) Port of Ipswich, the UK’s leading grain export port, welcomed the maiden call of the MV Vertom Cyta, a brand-new hybrid-electric shortsea General Cargo Ship, according to ABP's release.
The Vertom Cyta is the second in a series of four new Vertom vessels fitted with a diesel-electric propulsion system, which provides a more sustainable option for shipping operations with increased efficiency and reduced emissions.
The ship was officially launched with a ceremony at the Thecla Bodewes Shipyards facility in Kampen, Netherlands, on 23 February 2023. Following final fittings, the vessel departed the Port of Harlingen in the Netherlands on Monday 1 May, and sailed under ballast to the Port of Ipswich.
Whilst at the Port of Ipswich, Clarkson’s Port Services loaded the vessel’s very first cargo, 7,000 tonnes of wheat, which is due to be shipped to Portugal for her first delivery of commercial cargo.