Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) on Tuesday delivered the MS Maria to HS Schiffahrts UG (haftungsbeschränkt) & Co. KG, a Germany-based shipping company.
This multi-purpose vessel (MPV) is the second in its eight-vessel deal for HS EcoFreighter ships.
Designed by Netherlands-based Groot Ship Design, the MPV was constructed at CSL in accordance with the classification rules of the Det Norske Veritas (DNV), an international expert body which sets standards for ships and offshore structures, the Kerala-based shipbuilder said in a statement.
What we know about the 'MS Maria'
This ice-class HS Eco Freighter MPV is a 7,000 dwt vessel capable of carrying heavy cargo, steel coils, containers, timber, paper, dry bulk cargo such as coal and grain—as well as dangerous goods—for worldwide trading.
Ice-class vessels are those that have reinforced hulls, powerful engines, protected propellers, and other such features to navigate ice-covered waters at sea. In that regard, the MS Maria features a raked stem with the 'Groot Cross-Bow' design, optimised for enhanced speed performance and fuel efficiency, along with a transom stern.
This bow and forecastle configuration, based on the wave piercing principle, reduces the minimum propulsion required, fuel consumption, and the likelihood of cargo damage.
The ship also comes with a single large cargo hold fitted with six movable panels, enabling flexible cargo configurations, which includes grain bulkheads at multiple positions and a tween deck arrangement, the CSL statement added.
It is powered by a medium-speed four-stroke diesel engine driving a controllable pitch propeller (CPP) through a reduction gearbox.
This marks an important push into the international shipbuilding market for CSL, which has already built a number of vessels in line with DNV specifications. The most recent example of such a vessel was the Machilipatnam (BY 529), built for the Indian Navy.
This is the seventh of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) built by Cochin Shipyard, and was delivered on July 29 this year.
