Carisbrooke Shipping orders eco dry cargo ship from Thecla Bodewes

UK shipowner Carisbrooke Shipping has signed a shipbuilding contract with Dutch shipbuilder Thecla Bodewes Shipyards for the construction of a Labrax 7,280 dwt diesel-electric multipurpose dry cargo vessel.

The ship will be fitted with a diesel-electric propulsion system in combination with the advanced power-management system which aims to minimize energy losses, and reduce overall fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Thecla Bodewes Shipyard said that the desired result has already been proven in the performance of the first three newbuild vessels, MV Vertom Patty, MV Vertom Cyta, and MV Vertom Tomma.

In addition, the installed propulsion power on board the Labrax vessels is considerably lower compared to ships of equal cargo capacity and with conventional propulsion. The vessel series boasta a length of 118.60m, a width of 14.30m, and a full-box cargo hold of 329,700 cuft.

The order of Carisbrooke Shipping brings the Labrax dry cargo series to a total of eleven vessels built by the shipyard, ten of which are built for Vertom Group in Rhoon, the Netherlands.

The Labrax vessel for Carisbrooke Shipping, hull number eleven, is planned to be delivered in 2026.

Carisbrooke Shipping’s investment in the Labrax 7,280 dwt multipurpose dry cargo vessel represents a significant move in the renewal of its fleet as it eyes enhancing its global shipping operations.

The company has been working on several decarbonization fronts over the recent period.

In July 2023, the UK shipowner signed a letter of intent with Anglesey and Manchester-based Grafmarine to install solar cells on its vessels to manage and store renewable energy following successful trials in Equatorial waters.

Carisbrooke has also partnered with London-based tech startup Carnot Ltd whose consortium has been awarded £2.3M to develop a zero-emission hydrogen auxiliary engine demonstrator.