Friday & Co. Shipbrokers announced the successful brokerage of a significant chartering deal between Dutch offshore engineering giant Boskalis and a Chinese charterer to transport the car carrier Floor (formerly Fremantle Highway) from the Netherlands to China. This project entails transporting the vessel—famously damaged by fire last year—aboard Boskalis' semi-submersible heavy lift flagship, the BOKA Vanguard, for necessary repairs and modifications in Asia, according to the company's release.
The Fremantle Highway, en route from Bremerhaven to Singapore in 2023, encountered a fire in the North Sea but was ultimately saved and docked in Rotterdam. Following this, insurers deemed the vessel a Constructive Total Loss (CTL), and it was acquired for a nominal sum. The vessel then underwent extensive modifications in Rotterdam, where all damaged and burned-out decks were cut out making it viable for transportation to China where it will be refitted for use.
Now renamed Floor, the car carrier is set for an extensive restoration in China, after which it will re-enter service under new ownership by mid-2025, offering a swift return to the global fleet amid a pressing demand for Pure Car and Truck Carrier (PCTC) vessels.
This is a first-of-a-kind project for S&P shipbrokers, Friday & Co. Shipbrokers. Justin Archard, Friday & Co.’s newest broker, has brought two decades of heavy-lift chartering experience to the team and played a key role in orchestrating the complex logistics and negotiations required to secure the ideal transport vessel for Floor.
Despite significant fire damage, only the car decks of the vessel were compromised. All structural elements below the main deck remained intact, allowing for a cost-effective rebuild in lieu of a lengthy newbuild process.
The journey from Rotterdam to China has already begun and is expected to take approximately 55 days. Once in China, the vessel will undergo renovations to bring it back into service, addressing a high demand for car carriers in the Asian market.
Friday & Co. Shipbrokers collaborated with Hamburg Chartering Services, Boskalis, Koole Contractors, ABL warranty surveyors, Oudkerk Agencies, and Boluda Towage to successfully execute this operation.
Although the name Friday & Co. Shipbrokers is relatively new, the company itself is not. Amel Shipbrokers was established in 1994 by its predecessors. It was here that Rod Schlick commenced his shipbroking career, eventually taking over the rebranded ARAS Shipbrokers in 2004. Friday & Co. was officially born at the end of 2017 when Dutch ARAS Shipbrokers and Latvian Smilgas Shipping came together. With offices in Rotterdam and Riga, their activities are primarily in Europe but when an assignment demands it, they have no problem finding their way around the world.
Friday & Co. specialises in brokering ships within niche markets, facilitating the buying and selling of dry cargo ships, heavy cargo ships, coasters, and tankers. Their services include market analysis, ship valuation, advisory services, and—above all—providing comprehensive support to shipowners through successful transactions.