Damen to build four hybrid-ready combi freighters for German shipping company

In an effort to ‘enhance’ the sustainability and efficiency of its fleet, Germany’s family-owned shipping company Reederei Bernd Sibum has commissioned four hybrid-ready combi freighter (CF) 3850s from the Netherlands’ Damen Shipyards Group.

As disclosed, set to be built at Damen Yichang shipyard in China, the 3,800 dwt vessels will undergo a design and engineering process in Drachten, the Netherlands. Slated for delivery in early 2026, the vessels boast a length of 89.7 meters, a beam of 12.5 meters and a draught of 5.48 meters.

According to Damen, the newbuild quartet features an ‘improved’ design platform, offering what is expected to be a 30% uptick in fuel efficiency. Aside from being hybrid-ready, the freighters will reportedly be capable of running fully on biofuels, with an additional option of having them fitted with wind-propulsion technology.

In addition to these, the units will be equipped with batteries for the bow thruster to rely on for peak shaving and port operations, the company revealed. The ships are also said to have been prepped for a battery-powered propulsion system and shore power connection with the aim of further reducing their emissions.

As understood, these adaptations can be made without the need for major conversions or significant downtime.

Reflecting on the recent development, Bernd Sibum, who is the Managing Director of Reederei Bernd Sibum, highlighted that working together with Damen Shipyards represents a ‘big’ step toward the company’s – and wider – decarbonization efforts, but that the road to climate neutrality requires further and broader effort.

“We now also urge ports and the broader shipping industry to develop and implement the necessary shore-based infrastructure. We are confident these vessels will set a new market standard, both now and in the years to come,” Sibum remarked.

As per Damen, the CF 3850 is compliant with the latest IMO regulations and port state requirements. Upon delivery, the combi freighters will reportedly serve in the northwest European short-sea shipping market, where fleet renewal is believed to be ‘essential’ to meet the varying operational demands.

Aside from the orders placed by Reederei Bernd Sibum, there are four more 3,900 dwt ships the yard is set to construct, two of which will go to Germany’s HS Schiffahrt shipping company with the remaining two planned to join the fleet of a yet-undisclosed organization, according to information from London-based maritime data provider VesselsValue.

Last year, Damen Shipyards signed a deal with Belgian shipping company Fast Lines Belgium for the construction and delivery of two CF 3850s, which will be fitted with Damen’s Triton Remote monitoring system, to deliver real-time fuel usage and carbon emissions data.