The bulk shipping company Minship has christened the first of four new bulkers in Japan. All four ships will be chartered on a long-term basis for six to nine years.
The “Birgit” was the first newbuilding to be christened at the Shin Kurushima shipyard in Kochi. The godmother was Birgit Hiltl, wife of Minship Managing Director Markus Hiltl. [ds_preview]
With a cargo capacity of almost 40,000 tons, it is reportedly one of the most efficient bulk carriers of its size. Another three ships from the Bavarian shipping company’s newbuilding program will follow in April, August and September of next year.
The future areas of operation will be the Atlantic, Mediterranean, North Sea and Baltic Sea. Cargoes such as kaolin, grain, fertilizers and other bulk goods will be transported.
Minship and Auerbach with a combined fleet
In August last year, Minship and Lucius Bunk’s Hamburg-based heavy lift shipping company Auerbach Schiffahrt united their fleets of 26 bulk and MPP vessels under a joint technical management. The two companies also moved closer together in terms of personnel. However, chartering, operations and ship projects remained the responsibility of the respective partners.
The two shipping companies were already indirectly linked beforehand. Matthias Ruttmann, CEO of the MST Group, is a shareholder and member of the advisory board at Auerbach Schifffahrt.
A few weeks ago, it was announced that the shipping companies Krey Schiffahrt (Leer) and Auerbach (Hamburg) had each ordered two units with a deadweight tonnage of 12,500 dwt and a lifting capacity of 500 t from Taizhou Sanfu in China for delivery from 2025. The unit prices are expected to be just under 30 million dollars. The propulsion system is said to be “methanol ready”.
