Colombo Dockyard lays keel for Misje’s 5th eco bulker

Sri Lanka-based shipbuilder Colombo Dockyard PLC hosted a keel laying ceremony yesterday for the fifth 5,000 dwt eco bulker being built for Norwegian shipowner Misje Eco Bulk (Misje) AS.

Colombo Dockyard has already delivered two vessels from the series. The vessels form part of an order of up to ten vessels Misje Eco Bulk AS, a subsidiary of Norway’s ship-owning group Kåre Misje & Co., placed with Sri Lanka’s Colombo Dockyard back in 2020. The agreement included six firm orders with an option for an additional four vessels.

The vessels, measuring 89.95 meters in length, have been specifically designed to accommodate a cargo capacity of 5,000 deadweight tons (dwt). They will be utilized for the transportation of various types of cargo, including bulk cargo, grain, timber, unit loads, and containers.

In terms of propulsion, each vessel will be equipped with a four-stroke diesel engine that incorporates an electric hybrid system, providing additional power through a battery system. This configuration aims to enhance the vessel’s efficiency and reduce emissions, aligning with Misje’s commitment to eco-friendly operations. The conceptualization and initial design of these eco-bulk carriers were undertaken by Wartsila Ship Design Norway AS, while the detailed design will be handled by CDPLC.

The Finnish technology group Wärtsilä was contracted back in 2020 to deliver its hybrid solution for three 5,000 dwt bulk carriers from the series with an option for three additional ones.

The fully integrated hybrid solution will enable the vessels to sail in and out of port, and to perform cargo operations, completely emissions-free.

The vessels are designed to be converted to full zero-emissions operation as the technology develops.

The shipyard delivered the first vessel from the series, Misje Vita, in September 2022 and the second vessel followed in April 2023. The second vessel, Misje Verde is DNV-classed.

Production of the remaining vessels from the series is gaining pace as well, and the company marked a keel-laying ceremony for the fourth vessel from the batch back on November 2022.

Colombo Dockyard said on several occasions that the delivery schedule for the vessels was met despite many disruptions in both the international and domestic markets caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Misje Eco Bulk AS is CDPLC’s first European client as the shipyard aspires to bolster its reputation in the European market with the brand ‘ Built in Sri Lanka blending Sri Lankan technology with Japanese quality’.

Namely, Colombo Dockyard is collaborating with Japanese shipbuilder Onomichi Dockyard Company Limited, which owns a stake of 51% at Colombo Dockyard PLC while Sri Lankan Government institutions have a 35% shareholding at the yard.