The Finnish chartering and operations company Meriaura Oy Ltd will add into its fleet a new type of multipurpose deck cargo vessels ordered from a Polish shipyard, Remontowa S.A. The vessels are designed for especially heavy project cargoes on deck, and will be built according to the Finnish-Swedish ice class I A.

AURA (yard no. B 602/1), a new type of multipurpose deck cargo vessel, was launched on July 14, 2007 at Northern Shipyard, a member of Remontowa Group.

The main characteristics of the vessel are: length o.a. 101 m, beam 18.8 m, height 6.55 m and deadweight of 4600 tons. The operating speed is about 13 knots. The vessel is designed to carry heavy cargoes on deck and its main cargo will be to transport steel ship blocks for Aker Yards. Aker Yards and Meriaura Oy Ltd have signed a long-term transportation contract for transportation of the ship blocks.

In the design of the vessel concept special attention is paid to the overall safety and efficiency of the cargo transportation, the sea keeping performance and ice-going capabilities of the vessel. Transportation of ship blocks with this new type of vessel will considerably reduce the schedule risks due to weather and ice conditions. The capacity and flexibility of the new vessel concept will be much higher than with conventional barge transportations, and at the same time the transportation will be more economical. The sea fastening and securing of the ship blocks onto the deck will be carried out with specially designed equipment. The vessel concept includes several innovative and patented solutions.

The order holds a possibility of several additional vessels. The first vessel will be delivered in summer 2007 for Oy Gaiamare Ab, a part of the Meriaura Group. The investment budget is about 14 million Euros per vessel.

New type of multi-purpose vessel âEUR” the result of research, development and co-operation

The objective of Meriaura Oy Ltd is to become one of the leading transporters of heavy project cargoes around the Baltic Sea. Modern year-round tonnage for project cargo transports at the Baltic Sea and especially within the icy Finnish coast has never existed. With the development of this concept, the possibilities of transporting different kinds of specialised project cargoes around the Baltic Sea will be considerably increased.

The concept development has been made in co-operation with Aker Yards and with a network of Finnish maritime designers and suppliers. Among others Länsiviivain Oy, Foreship Oy, Wärtsilä Diesel, Rolls-Royce Aqua master and Bureau Veritas have been closely involved. The project has obtained R&D support from TEKES (the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation).
Design of the vessel enables a very flexible platform for different types of project cargoes, as well as conventional deck cargoes, e.g. timber or rock minerals. The deck of the vessel is strengthened for heavy cargoes. The concept offers also a version for oil recovery operations.

source: Meriaura Oy

Tags : heavy lift, Meriaura,Remontowa