Seatruck Precision launched at FSG
SHIPPING: Seatruck Precision, the final vessel in Seatruck’s series of four new ro-ro freight vessels, was launched at FSG Flensburg Yard, Germany, on Friday. Seatruck is part of Clipper Group.
In June, Seatruck Precision will join her three sisters on Seatruck’s unaccompanied freight routes across the Irish Sea. The first newbuilding, Seatruck Progress, now operates on the busy Liverpool – Dublin route. The second, Seatruck Power, joined this route last month (February). The third newbuilding, Seatruck Performance, was launched in January and will begin operating the Irish Sea route in April.
Seatruck now has 70 sailings weekly on four routes: Liverpool – Dublin, Heysham – Dublin, Heysham – Warrenpoint and Heysham – Larne. The popularity of Seatruck’s unaccompanied trailer services continues to grow. Its Irish Sea volume rose by 58 per cent last year, to over 300,000 units.
Alistair Eagles is Seatruck’s Managing Director, Irish Sea. He says:
“Seatruck Progress and Seatruck Power have had a huge impact on our popular Liverpool - Dublin route. The extra capacity is already utilised on many sailings, as more operators come to appreciate their opportunity to reduce mileage, by using Liverpool rather than transiting through Wales”.
One of Seatruck’s new FSG vessels recently received the Hansa Ship of the Year Award 2011. In making this award, Hansa Magazine recognised the unique design qualities of these ferries, naming Seatruck Progress as the most innovative vessel built in Germany in 2011. Seatruck Progress was described as the first of a quartet of very compact and energy-efficient vessels, each with a capacity of up to 151 trailers. Fuel economy is a major feature of the new ships, with fuel consumption as much as 30 per cent lower than that of other designs.
“Our new FSG vessels are the key to Seatruck’s continued progress in the Irish Sea. Our unaccompanied trailer model continues to gain ground. With some months of operational experience with the new vessels now in hand, I can say that we are extremely pleased with them”, Alistair Eagles syas.
The new FSG vessels have a length of 142 m, breadth of 25 m and a deadweight of 5,300 tonnes. They each have a capacity of 151 units - 35 more than the earlier “P Class” ships.
Source: Seatruck / maritimedanmark.dk
