21 November 2014

Article from Reefer Trends

…..Under the circumstances now is perhaps the right time to consider an updated and realistic alternative to reefer Armageddon. After listening to stakeholder comments after the presentation of Reefer RoRo mk I, Stena RoRo, Naval architects KNUD E. HANSEN and patent holder Reefer Intel went back to the drawing board and have emerged with mk II.

In particular they found that there is a large potential of RoRo back haul cargo, especially cars, trucks and general project cargo to the ports in Central America – the vessel is designed for a banana and pineapple headhaul trade from Central America to Europe with a capacity of 12,500 all high cube pallets, equivalent to 675,000 boxes and it is prepared for plastic crates. As a result the height of the four inside decks was increased to 4.5m. On the backhaul, the vessel is designed to be used as an ordinary RoRo with a capacity of 900-1,000 vehicles.

The Reefer RoRo mk II can load containers onto the weather deck simultaneously with the loading of the cassettes. The ship has four inside decks connected by ramps, which in all can load 385 cassettes each taking 20 high cube pallets. The capacity of loaded refrigerated FFE containers on the weather deck is 285.

Loading in two ports in Central America and discharging in Antwerp plus one port, and backhaul to Central America, the ship burns an average of 42 tons HFO per day based on a speed of 15 knots, which is achievable because the Reefer RoRo spends so much less time at point of loading and discharge.

The box rate is calculated to US$2.50 per banana box on a long-term charter. So strongly does Stena RoRo AB believe in the concept that it is reportedly ready to part or fully finance these ships, which would suit an independent liner service or banana major in equal measure.

Read more about Stena RoRo.

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