03/12/2013
The Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards “SHIP of the YEAR” for 2013, sponsored by vetting agency RIGHTSHIP.
At 36,000 DWT the ARDENNES is the lead vessel in a multi-ship series currently under construction at Jinling Shipyard, for the account of John Xylas led ARISTON and their clients and is the first “ECO-TYPE” handy size bulk-carrier to join the Greek-owned fleet.
The SEA STALLION 36K design incorporates bespoke innovations focusing on energy efficiency – boasting an EEDI of 5.43g/DW-nm which puts the vessel at the top 3% of its class, while also complying with EEDI / IMO requirements up to 2024 – as well as operational reliability, loading flexibility and maintenance friendliness, which ensure a “through-life- cost” reduction to its owner and a competitive advantage in the transportation of goods.
It is the result of the collaborative input and experience of such industry stalwarts as GRONTMIJMarine Design and SCHMIDT Maritime ApS, THETA MARINE plan approval, A.B.S. & LRS, ARISTON NAVIGATION project management, charterers and major commodity traders feedback, and was supervised by a permanently entrenched team from MARINE TECHNICAL BUREAU, at JINLING SHIPYARD in Nanjing, one of China’s leading shipyards.
The initiative owes much to the support of traditional shipping bank ROYAL BANK of SCOTLAND who from the outset recognized the value of “building ships and not buying slots” and stood by their client during the market’s downturn by honouring their financing commitments despite the serious lending constraints faced globally.
M/V Ardennes has already entered the SEA STALLION POOL, a commercial joint venture with Aug. Bolten of Hamburg, where it will be operated along with other sister vessels of its class and type as a means to better serve major charterers’ needs promptly and flexible.