TRANSPORTER (WITH NOBLE HANS DEUL)

The last ship of this year is the Transporter (IMO: 8918930, Ex. Name: Front Sunda, Port of Registry: Willemstad, Dutch Antilles), a heavy lift vessel which is the first of a series of 6 vessels to be converted from single hull tankers into heavy lift vessels. The heavy transport vessel is designed to transport high-value and complex cargoes and has a cargo carrying capacity in excess of 35.000 tonnes. With an unobstructed deck area of 44.5 x 130 meter, the vessel is well suited to carry semi-submersible and jack-up drilling units as well as offshore structures (source: Dockwise). She is 217 meters long, 45 meters wide, has a maximum draught of 23 meters when submerged and a deadweight of over 54,000 tons. The vessel is propelled by one SPLIT MAN B&W 6S 70MC engine delivering 13,365 kW.

The Transporter will arrive this morning at the Calandkanaal, Rotterdam Europoort carrying the new-built drilling rig Noble Hans Deul which was built this year at Dalian Shipyard, China. She will be operating in the North Sea for Shell soon.

Looking back at this year we have seen a lot of great ships in the port of Rotterdam. Let me recall a few remarkable ships in Rotterdam this year:

• the Zhen Hua 10, which stranded for about 4 days on the beach at Rotterdam
• the Queen Elizabeth II on her last voyage before turned into a floating hotel at Dubai
• and of course the SS Rotterdam which has returned to her hometown after a lifetime all around the globe.

I'd like to thank all the shipping enthousiastics for reading my posts and wish you all a very prosperous and healthy 2009! I will do my best to serve you as well as possible in the next year.

XIN SHANGHAI

The Xin Shanghai (IMO: 9307231, Port of Registry: Hong Kong) is one of the largest containervessels currently sailing with her length of 336.7 metres, width of 45.6 metres and a maximum draught of 15 metres. She can carry a maximum of 18 rows of containers by eight tiers on the weather deck and 16 rows by 10 tiers in the holds which gives the vessel a total capacity of 9,600 teu. The ship is propelled by an MAN B&W 12K98MC-C Mk6 engine, with a power of 68,520 kW. During sea trials the ship achieved a ballast service speed of 25.4 knots. The CSCL Pusan and Xin Los Angeles are her sistervessels.

The Xin Shanghai arrived this morning at the port of Rotterdam with the last port of call at Le Havre. She is currently berthed at the ECT Delta terminal, Rotterdam and will depart with destination Hamburg within 36 to 48 hours. She will return to Rotterdam within two months.

YM UNITY

Today's Ship of the Day is the 8,200 TEU containervessel YM Unity (IMO: 9302619, Port of Registry: Monrovia, Liberia). The YM Unity is 335 metres long, almost 43 metres wide and has a deadweight of 101,411 tonnes. She was built in 2006 at Hyundai Heavy Industries, Korea and is propelled by a 68,666 KW HHI-MAN B&W 12K98MC Mk6 Engine. The vessel is operated by Yang Ming Line, China.

The YM Unity is scheduled to arrive this evening at the ECT Delta Terminal, Rotterdam with a last port of call at Singapore. She is scheduled to depart tomorrow afternoon with destination Hamburg, Germany.

PENELOP

The Penelop (IMO: 9325908, Port of Registry: Nassau, Bahama's) is a crude oil tanker of 253 metres long, 44 metres wide and a draught of almost 15 metres. She has a gross tonnage of 63,448 and a deadweight tonnage of 114,500. The Penelop is managed by Lundqvist Rederierna, Finland and was built in 2006 by Daewoo Shipbuilding, Korea. The vessel is mainly deployed between the Baltic area and Rotterdam.

The Penelop is expected to arrive this evening at the MET terminal with the last port of call at Hamble, UK.

MAERSK STEPNICA

The Maersk Stepnica (IMO: 9352004, Port of Registry: Rotterdam) is one of the latest newbuildings managed by the Dutch based Maersk Ship management. Maersk Stepnica is the first in a series of five 8400 TEU container vessels delivered and built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. in South Korea. The South-Korean shipbuilder also delivered another new building, Maersk Inverness (3364 TEU), in January this year. Maersk Stepnica, as Maersk Inverness, will be sailing under the Dutch flag and be mainly manned by Dutch officers. (source: Maersk Ship Management). The vessel has a teu capacity of 8,400, is 334 metres long and 43 metres wide. These dimensions give the vessel a deadweight tonnage of 101,500.

The Maersk Stepnica is scheduled to arrive later this evening at the APM terminal, Rotterdam. The Maersk Stepnica is currently deployed on Maersk's AE-1 loop. She is scheduled to return to Rotterdam in about 7 weeks.

MSC PINA

The MSC Pina (IMO: 9339272, Port of Registry: Panama) is one of the most recent containervessels in the MSC fleet. This 9580 TEU, 107,849 GT ship was built in 2007 by Samsung Shipbuilding as the first of a batch of thirteen ships. The MSC Pina is 336 meters long and 45.6 meters wide. She was originally deployed on MSC's Dragon service, linking the Far East and the Mediterranean, but has recently changed her route to the Silk Express connecting the Far East and North-Western Europe.

The MSC Pina is expected to arrive later this evening at the ECT Delta terminal Rotterdam where she will stay for about 36 hours. She will return to Rotterdam in about 7 weeks.

GJERTRUD MAERSK

The Gjertrud Maersk (IMO: 9197894, Port of Registry: Ringkøbing, Denmark) is a 367 meters long, 43 meters wide container vessel, capable of transporting up to 10,000 teu. The Gjertrud Maersk was delivered in December 2005 by Odense Steel Shipyard, Denmark and was then, together with her sisters, Gudrun Maersk, Gerd Maersk, Grete Maersk, Gunvor Maersk and Georg Maersk, the largest container vessel sailing. Nowadays the Emma Maersk, and her sisters, amongst which are the Estelle Maersk and Eleonora Maersk have taken over the leadership.

The Gjertrud Maersk is currently sailing on the Maersk AE-2 loop between China and Europe. She has entered the port of Rotterdam this morning from Bremerhaven. The next destination of the Gjertrud Maersk will be Felixstowe. From there she will set sail for the Suez Canal and South-Eastern Asia. The Gjertrud Maersk is scheduled to return to Rotterdam within two months.

ELEONORA MAERSK

The Eleonora Maersk (IMO: 9321500, Port of Registry: Svendborg, Denmark) is, together with her sisters (amongst others) 'Emma Maersk', 'Estelle Maersk', 'Evelyn Maersk' and 'Ebba Maersk', the largest containership ever with a total teu capacity 11,000 teu (of which 1,000 forty foot reefer containers) according to the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group. A total capacity of 13,500 teu is also possible when containers are not fully loaded. This capacity is possible by stacking the containers in 22 rows wide. Maersk calculates the teu capacity with loaded containers. The vessel is 397 meters long, 56 meters wide, has a depth of 30 meters and a deadweight of 156,907 tons. Amazingly, all this size and capacity requires a crew of only 13. The specially designed Wärtsilä diesel engine delivers 80,000 kW. A waste heat recovery system is installed to optimize the use of the energy produced, so that the engine can deliver up to 90,000 kW. The vessels in this series will also establish new standards for safety and environmental responsibility. Environmentally-safe silicone paint, for example, is used on the hull, below the water line, reducing water resistance, and thereby fuel consumption, by 1,200 tons per year. The ship was built by Odense Steel Shipyard Ltd in 2006.

The Eleonora Maersk arrived this morning at the APM terminal, Rotterdam from Algeciras. Tomorrow, the vessel will set sail for Bremerhaven. She will return within two months to Rotterdam.

The Eleonora Maersk seen arriving at Rotterdam at January 24, 2007. Many thanks to Rene Nicolaes of Sea-Ships.com for the photo!

URAN

Today we have the tug Uran (IMO: 8727408, Port of Registry: St. Petersburg, Russia) featuring as the Ship of the Day. The Uran was built in 1987 in former Yugoslavia and is currently owned by the port of St. Petersburg. She is 36 metres long, 10 metres wide and has a maximum speed of 13.5 knots delivered by her two 927 kW Sulzer engines.

The Uran arrived last night at Techno Marine Service, Rotterdam towing a newbuilt inland cargo vessel.

MAREN MAERSK

The Maren Maersk (IMO: 9359026, Port of Registry: Ringkobing, Denmark) is the third ship in a series of six 7,600 teu container ships. The ship is designed and built to meet the highest demands for safe, precise, environmentally friendly and economic transportation of goods all over the globe. Among other things, a waste heat recovery system is installed to optimize the use of the energy produced. ‘Maren Maersk’ is a highly-automated ship, thoroughly monitored by advanced computer systems to ensure an optimal and efficient operation. To minimize the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions the twelve-cylinder Wärtsilä RT-flex diesel engine has been optimized for a more efficient and economical service speed. The propulsion machinery on ‘Maren Maersk’ develops 62,640kW. The Maren Maersk is 367 meters long, 43 meters wide and has a maximum draught of 15.3 meters. She was built in 2008 by Odense Steel Shipyard. Amongst the sister ships of the Maren Maersk are the Marchen Maersk, Margrethe Maersk and Mette Maersk.

The Maersk arrived last night at the APM Terminal, Rotterdam with the last port of call at Bremerhaven. She is scheduled to depart tomorrow with destination Felixstowe on Maersk's AE-2 loop.

COSCO NINGBO

Today's Ship of the Day is the Cosco Ningbo (IMO: 9305582, Port of Registry: Piraeus, Greece) which was one of the largest container vessels in gross tonnage about two years ago, together with her sisters: Cosco Hellas, Cosco Beijing and Cosco Yantian. Currently she is just one of the larger containervessels sailing. This post-panamax container vessel is 350 metres long, almost 43 metres wide, has a deadweight tonnage of 107,000 and a teu capacity of 9,500. She is currently sailing on the AE1-loop which connects Asia and Europe.

The Cosco Ningbo is scheduled to arrive later this evening at the ECT Delta Terminal, Rotterdam, with the last port of call at Singapore. She will leave the Port of Rotterdam within 36 hours.

EBBA MAERSK

The Ebba Maersk (IMO: 9321524, Port of Registry: Copenhagen, Denmark) is already the fifth in line of Maersk's PS-class. Together with her sisters (amongst which are the 'Emma Maersk' and 'Evelyn Maersk') she is the largest containership ever with a total teu capacity 11,000 teu (of which 1,000 forty foot reefer containers) according to the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group. A total capacity of 13,500 teu is also possible when containers are not fully loaded. This capacity is possible by stacking the containers in 22 rows wide. Maersk calculates the teu capacity with loaded containers. The vessel is 397 meters long, 56 meters wide, has a depth of 30 meters and a deadweight of 156,907 tons. Amazingly, all this size and capacity requires a crew of only 13. The specially designed Wärtsilä diesel engine delivers 80,000 kW. A waste heat recovery system is installed to optimise the use of the energy produced, so that the engine can deliver up to 90,000 kW. The vessels in this series have also established new standards for safety and environmental responsibility. Environmentally-safe silicone paint, for example, is used on the hull, below the water line, reducing water resistance, and thereby fuel consumption, by 1,200 tons per year. The ship was launched at Odense Steel Shipyard Ltd in May 2007.

The Ebba Maersk arrived this morning at the APM terminal, Rotterdam from Algeciras. Tomorrow, the vessel will set sail for Bremerhaven on the APM AE1 line. She will return within about 7 weeks to Rotterdam.

EMMA MAERSK

The Emma Maersk is the largest containership of all times with a total teu capacity 11,000 teu (of which 1,000 forty foot reefer containers) according to the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group . Rumours are that a total capacity of 13,500 teu is also possible. This capacity is possible by stacking the containers in 22 rows wide. The vessel is 397 meters long, 56 meters wide, has a depth of 30 meters and a deadweigth of 156,907 tons. The specially designed Wärtsilä diesel engine delivers 80,000 kW. A waste heat recovery system is installed to optimise the use of the energy produced, so that the engine can deliver up to 90,000 kW. The ship was built this year by Odense Steel Shipyard Ltd. The Emma's sister vessels are (amongst others): Estelle Maersk and Eleonora Maersk.

The Emma Maersk arrived this morning at the APM terminal, Rotterdam from Algeciras where she will stay for about 36 hours. The vessel will then set sail for Bremerhaven on the APM AE1 line. She will return within about two months to Rotterdam.

MERCURY GLORY

The Mercury Glory (IMO: 9203289, Port of Registry: Panama) is a modern double-hull Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), having a total capacity of 298,990 dwt. Measuring 332 m in length, 58 m in width and with a maximum draught of 22 meters, the Mercury Glory was built in 2001 by the well known Daewoo shipyard in Korea, which specialises in the construction of large tankers. The Mercury Glory is propelled by a 7RTA84T-B Wartsila engine and managed by Northern Marine Management, Hamburg, Germany.

The Mercury Glory is arrived this morning at the TEAM Terminal, Rotterdam.

CMA CGM DON CARLOS

The CMA CGM Don Carlos (IMO: 9305491, flag: Liberia) is a 8,204 teu capable vessel, delivered in June 2007 by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. Her sister ship is the CMA CGM Parsifal which was SotD earlier this year. The ship is 334 meters long, almost 43 meters wide and has a deadweight tonnage of 100,800. It is currently sailing on CMA-CGM's French Asia Line (FAL) which services a line between China and Europe.

The CMA CGM Don Carlos will enter Rotterdam later this evening from Hamburg and will depart within 36 hours for Zeebrugge. Afterwards the vessel will visit Le Havre, Malta and will then set sail to China. The ship will visit Rotterdam again within two months.

WATERMAN N

The Waterman N (IMO: 8404147, port of registry: Panama) is a bulk carrier with a deadweight tonnage of almost 260,000 tons and a maximum draught of almost 20 meters. The vessel is 328 meters long, 54 meters wide and was built in 1985 as the Hyundai Giant at Hyundai Heavy Industries, Korea. She is operated by Neu Seeschiffahrt Gmbh, Germany. The ship has 9 holds and the same number of hatches for the bulk transport of iron ore and coal and is propelled by a Man B&W 5L70MCE Diesel Engine.

The Waterman N will arrive later this evening at the EMO Terminal Rotterdam carrying a load of iron ore from Tubarao, Brasil.

BREMEN EXPRESS

The Bremen Express (IMO: 9343728, Port of Registry: Hamburg) is one of the newest containervessels of Hapag-Lloyd's Colombo Express class. She was delivered this year at Hyundai Heavy Industries, Korea. The Bremen Express is propelled by a 68,530 kW Hyundai Heavy 12 cylinder engine which gives the vessel a maximum speed of 25 knots. The vessel is 335 metres long, 43 metres wide and has a gross tonnage of 93,750. She is capable of transporting up to 8,749 containers.

The Bremen Express is scheduled to arrive this evening at the ECT Delta Terminal, Rotterdam with the last port of call at Jeddah, Saudi-Arabia.

RAMBIZ

The Rambiz(IMO: 9136199, Port of registry: Bruges, Belgium) is a crane vessel equipped with two cranes that can both reach to a lift height of 90 meters. The vessel is suitable for platform installation and removal, wreckage removal and other special heavy lifting tasks and is fully certified for ocean passage with the cranes fully erected. The cranes can be loaded independent or simultaneous with a maximum load capacity of 3300 tons.
The platform of the vessel is 85 meters long, 44 meters wide, is propelled by 4 units of a total of 2200 kW and can accomodate up to 28 persons. The ship is owned by the Belgium based consortium of Herbosch-Kiere, Decloedt NV and Jan de Nul NV, and managed by Scaldis Salvage & Marine Contractors. The vessel was one of the cranes used in salvaging the Tricolor in 2004. For more details see: http://www.tricolorsalvage.com/.

The Rambiz has entered the port of Rotterdam this morning accompanied by the tug Eide Fighter (IMO: 7412020, Flag: Bahama's). She has berthed at the Waalhaven.

COSCO ASIA

Today we have the containership Cosco Asia (IMO: 9345403, Port of Registry: Panama) featuring as the Ship of the Day. The Cosco Asia is a 349 metres long, 45 metres wide ship with a maximum teu capacity of 10,000 and a deadweight tonnage of 110,000. She was christened on July 26, 2007 in South Korea and made her maiden voyage on August 9, 2007 from China to Europe. The vessel was the first of six identical ships being built for COSCO by Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard. Her sister vessels are: Cosco Europe, Cosco Africa, Cosco America, Cosco Oceania and Cosco Pacific. The vessel realized a high-level of automation and is very environmentally friendly. It was classed by Lloyd's Register to stringent environmental standards, reflecting COSCO's commitment to its UN Global Compact responsibilities.

The Cosco Asia is scheduled to arrive later this evening at the ECT Delta Terminal, Rotterdam with her last port of call at Singapore.

AXEL MAERSK

Today's SOTD is the Axel Maersk (IMO:9260419, Port of Registry: Bagenkop, Denmark). This 'Series S' container vessel was built in 2003 by Lindo Shipyards, Denmark and can carry a total number of containers of 9000. She is powered by a HDS Sulzer 12RTA96C 76,200 BHP engine. The Axel Maersk is 352 meters long, 43 meters wide, has a deadweight tonnage of 109.000 and is currently sailing on Maersk's AE-1 (Far East to Europe) route. From March 2009 she will start sailing in the AE-10 route, which will serve the Far east, Mediterranean and Western Europe.

The Axel Maersk has arrived this morning at the APM Terminal, Rotterdam with a last port of call at Suez Canal zone terminal. She will depart tomorrow with destination Southampton.

EVELYN MAERSK

The Evelyn Maersk (IMO: 9321512, Port of Registry: Copanhagen, Denmark) is, together with her sisters (amongst which are the 'Emma Maersk' and 'Eleonora Maersk'), the largest containership ever with a total teu capacity 11,000 teu (of which 1,000 forty foot reefer containers) according to the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group. Rumours are that a total capacity of 13,500 teu is also possible. This capacity is possible by stacking the containers in 22 rows wide. The vessel is 397 meters long, 56 meters wide, has a depth of 30 meters and a deadweight of 156,907 tons. Amazingly, all this size and capacity requires a crew of only 13. The specially designed Wärtsilä diesel engine delivers 80,000 kW. A waste heat recovery system is installed to optimise the use of the energy produced, so that the engine can deliver up to 90,000 kW. The vessels in this series will also establish new standards for safety and environmental responsibility. Environmentally-safe silicone paint, for example, is used on the hull, below the water line, reducing water resistance, and thereby fuel consumption, by 1,200 tons per year. The ship was launched at Odense Steel Shipyard Ltd on March 3rd 2007.

The Evelyn Maersk arrived this morning at the APM terminal, Rotterdam from the port of Algeciras. She will stay in port for about 36 hours. The vessel will then set sail for Bremerhaven on the APM AE1 line. She will return within about 7 weeks to Rotterdam.

GSF GALAXY III

Today's SotD is the jack-up drilling rig GSF Galaxy III (IMO: 8764119, Port of Registry: Port Vila, Vanuatu). This 74 meter long, 76 meter wide rig is capable of working in a water depth up to 400 meter and can obtain a maximum drilling depth of 30,000 meter. She provides accomodation to a crew of 120. The rig is powered by four Wartsila 12V200 diesel engines driving four ABB 3,000 kva generators.

The GSF Galaxy III is expected to arrive later this evening, accompanied by the Belgium tug President Hubert.

BEAUFORT EXPLORER

The Beaufort Explorer (IMO: 8112500, Ex. Name: CGG Laurentian, Port of Registry: Nassau, Bahama's) is a specialized seismic vessel equipped for 3D/4D surveys. With a length of 85 m for a width of 17 m, six streamer winches and two back decks, the vessel is easily modulated for various type of surveys: undershoots, 2D, 3D, 4D and OBC surveys and specific exploration surveys. The ship is 85 meters long, 17 meters wide and has a gross tonnage of 3,375. The vessel is propelled by four Wartsila WASA 8 R22 engines which gives the vessel a cruising speed of 11 knots. She was built in 1983 by Brattvaag, Norway and was redesigned is 2005 to her current form. The Beaufort Explorer can provide accomodation to a crew of 50. The vessel is currently owned by Arrow Seismic Invest IV, UK and managed by GC Rieber Shipping, UK.

The Beaufort Explorer is scheduled to arrive later tonight at the Waalhaven, Rotterdam.

EVA N

Today's SotD is the Eva N (IMO: 9127150, Ex. Name: Berge Nord, Port of Registry: Monrovia, Liberia) . She is currently owned by Neu Seeschiffahrt, Germany. The Eva N has a deadweight tonnage of 218,000, a draught of almost 19 meters and has seven holds and hatches. The ship was built in 1997 by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Korea. This 305 meters long, 53 meters wide bulk carrier is the biggest ship to enter the Arctic sea. Other vessels owned by Neu Seeschiffahrt and visiting Rotterdam regularly are: Faith N, Alfred N and Waterman N.

The Eva N arrived this morning at the EECV bulk terminal, Rotterdam from Seven Islands, Canada carrying iron ore. From Rotterdam the iron ore is transported in barges to the steel mills of ThyssenKrupp and Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann in Germany.

ELLY MAERSK

The Elly Maersk (IMO: 9321536, Port of Registry: Svendborg, Denmark) is, together with her sisters (amongst which are the 'Emma Maersk' and 'Evelyn Maersk'), the largest containership ever with a total teu capacity 11,000 teu (of which 1,000 forty foot reefer containers) according to the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group. Rumours are that a total capacity of 13,500 teu is also possible. This capacity is possible by stacking the containers in 22 rows wide. The vessel is 397 meters long, 56 meters wide, has a depth of 30 meters and a deadweight of 156,907 tons. Amazingly, all this size and capacity requires a crew of only 13. The specially designed Wärtsilä diesel engine delivers 80,000 kW. A waste heat recovery system is installed to optimise the use of the energy produced, so that the engine can deliver up to 90,000 kW. The vessels in this series will also establish new standards for safety and environmental responsibility. Environmentally-safe silicone paint, for example, is used on the hull, below the water line, reducing water resistance, and thereby fuel consumption, by 1,200 tons per year. The ship was already the sixth in line of Maersk PS-class vessels. Currently there are eight PS-class vessels of which the most recent is the 'Eugen Maersk'

The Elly Maersk arrived this morning at the APM terminal, Rotterdam from the port of Algeciras. She will stay there for about 36 hours. The vessel will then set sail for Bremerhaven on the APM AE1 line. She will return within about 7 weeks to Rotterdam.

MSC MARIA ELENA

The MSC Maria Elena (IMO: 9304423, Port of Registry: Panama) was built in 2006 by Samsung Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries and is with its teu capacity of 9,200 one of the largest container vessels sailing and the biggest vessel of the Mediterranean Shipping Company. The ship is 336 meters long, 43 meters wide and has a deadweight tonnage of 110,000. The Maria Elena is currently sailing on the MSC's 'Silk Express', the Far East/China - Northwestern Europe route.

The MSC Maria Elena will enter Rotterdam later tonight and will visit the ECT Delta Terminal. The vessel's last port of call was Felixstowe.

MAERSK ANTARES

The Maersk Antares (IMO: 9342504, Port of Registry: Singapore) is one of the most recent vessels in Maersk's fleet. She was delivered at December 5, 2007 from Samsung Heavy Industries, Korea. The 108,393 GRT, 9,200 TEU Container vessel is the second in the series of A-Type container vessels delivered to her owner A.P. Moller Singapore. The vessel is propelled by a Wärtsila NSD 12RT-FLEX96C engine with a capacity of 68,640 KW taking the vessel on speeds upto 25.5 Knots. The Maersk Antares is 337 metres long, 45.6 metres wide and has a deadweight tonnage of 110,000. Her sister vessels are: Maersk Algol, Maersk Alfirk and Maersk Altair. The Maersk Antares arrived this morning at the APM terminal, Rotterdam from the port of Algeciras. She will stay in port for about 36 hours. The vessel will then set sail for Bremerhaven on the APM AE2 line. She will return within about 7 weeks to Rotterdam.

Source: Shipspotting.com Photo by: Derek Sands

XIN SHANGHAI

The Xin Shanghai (IMO: 9307231, Port of Registry: Hong Kong) is one of the largest containervessels currently sailing with her length of 336.7 metres, width of 45.6 metres and a maximum draught of 15 metres. She can carry a maximum of 18 rows of containers by eight tiers on the weather deck and 16 rows by 10 tiers in the holds which gives the vessel a total capacity of 9,600 teu. The ship is propelled by an MAN B&W 12K98MC-C Mk6 engine, with a power of 68,520 kW. During sea trials the ship achieved a ballast service speed of 25.4 knots. The CSCL Pusan and Xin Los Angeles are her sistervessels.

The Xin Shanghai is scheduled to enter the port of Rotterdam from Le Havre this afternoon. She will berth at the ECT terminal, Rotterdam and depart with destination Hamburg within 36 to 48 hours. She will return to Rotterdam within two months.

ZHEN HUA 16

The Zhen Hua 16 (IMO: 8014667, Port of Registry: Kingstown, Saint Vincent and Grenadines) is a bridge crane and heavy equipment carrier operated by Shanghai Zhenhua Shipping Co., China. She was built in 1982 as the George Anson by Nippon Kokan K.k. Shipyard, Yokohama. The vessel is 241 metres long, 42 metres wide, has a maximum draught of 12.2 metres and a deadweight tonnage of about 45,000. The Zhen Hua 16 is one of the last Zhen Hua vessels to deliver a total of 76 cranes at the new-built automatic Euromax Terminal at Rotterdam. Today, the Zhen Hua 16 will deliver two 70 ton cranes. The ship arrived this morning at the Yangtzehaven, Rotterdam.

XIN HONG KONG

The Xin Hong Kong (IMO: 9314222, Port of Registry: Hong Kong) is one of the largest containervessels currently sailing with her length of 336.7 metres, width of 45.6 metres and a maximum draught of 15 metres. She can carry a maximum of 18 rows of containers by eight tiers on the weather deck and 16 rows by 10 tiers in the holds which gives the vessel a total capacity of 9,600 teu. The ship is propelled by an MAN B&W 12K98MC-C Mk6 engine, with a power of 68,520 kW. During sea trials the ship achieved a ballast service speed of 25.4 knots. The CSCL Pusan, Xin Shanghai and Xin Los Angeles are her sistervessels.

The Xin Hong Kong is scheduled to enter the port of Rotterdam from Hamburg later this evening. She will berth at the ECT terminal, Rotterdam and depart with destination Felixstowe tomorrow on China Shipping's AEX-8 loop. She will return to Rotterdam within two months.

COSCO GUANGZHOU

Today's Ship of the Day is the Cosco Guangzhou (IMO: 9305570, Port of Registry: Piraeus, Greece) which was one of the largest container vessels in gross tonnage about two years ago, together with her sisters: Cosco Hellas, Cosco Ningbo, Cosco Beijing and Cosco Yantian. Currently she is just one of the larger containervessels sailing. This post-panamax container vessel is 350 metres long, almost 43 metres wide, has a deadweight tonnage of 107,000 and a teu capacity of 9,500. She is currently sailing on the AE1-loop which connects Asia and Europe.

The Cosco Guangzhou is scheduled to arrive later this evening at the ECT Delta Terminal, Rotterdam, with the last port of call at Singapore. She will leave the Port of Rotterdam within 36 hours.

KAZIMAH III

The Kazimah III (IMO: 9329693, Port of Registry: Safat, Kuwait) is a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) with a length of 333 metres, width of 60 metres, draught of 22 metres and a deadweight tonnage of 317,000. She was the first tanker of this type within the fleet renewal program of its owner Kuwait Oil Tanker Co. At present, KOTC operates about 25 vessels of which 8 VLCC's. The Kazimah III was built in 2006 by Hyundai Heavy Industries, Korea.

Since the Suez Canal can currently only accommodate ships with draughts of up to 17.5 metres, the Kazimah III has to discharge some oil at the Ain Sukhna terminal on the Gulf of Suez. From there oil is transported by pipeline to Sidi Kerir Terminal on the Mediterranean, where the vessel loads it again for further transport. The Egyptian government plans to widen and deepen the Suez Canal, so that by 2010 it can accommodate VLCCs and ULCCs. In 2001, the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) launched a 5-year program to reduce tanker transit times (from 14 hours to 11 hours) through the Canal. The SCA is also moving ahead with a project to widen and deepened the Canal to allow for transit of larger ships than the 200,000-dead-weight-ton maximum now.

The Kazimah III has entered the Port of Rotterdam this morning for discharging crude oil at the MOT Terminal Rotterdam.

OBAN B

Today we have the semi-submersible drilling rig Oban B (Port of Registry: Nassau, Bahama's) entering the port of Rotterdam. The Oban B was built at Sevmash Shipyard this year and will be outfitted at Keppel Verolme Shipyard, Rotterdam. The rig is capable of operating in water depths of up to 3,048 meters and can obtain a drilling depth up to 9,144 meters. She is 118,6 metres long, 72,7 meters wide and provides accomodation to a total of 192 persons. The Oban B is equipped with a National Oilwell 209' x 45' x 45' derrick with a capacity of 2,000,000 lbs and four 2,200 HP mud pumps. Just recently, her owner Seadragon Offshore, Cayman Islands, secured the first charter with a long-term contract with Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX).

The Oban B will arrive this afternoon at Keppel Verolme Shipyard, Rotterdam accompanied by the tug Magnus, owned by Harms Offshore, Germany.

THEODORA

The Theodora (IMO: 9005338, Port of Registry: Rotterdam) is a bitumen tanker, operated by Theodora Shipping, The Netherlands which operates the most modern and sophisticated fleet of high-heat tankers with cargo capacities ranging from 3.600 to 8.000 tdw and services customers throughout Europe, Mediterranean, Black Sea, West Africa and the Caribbean. The vessel is 110 meters long, 17 meters wide. The ship's Wärtsila 8R 32E, 3,000 kW engine deliver a service speed of approximately 14 knots. The Theodora was built in 1991 at Merwede Shipyard, The Netherlands. She is equipped with 6 wing tanks and 3 centre tanks with a total capacity of 5,156 m3, which can be heated up to a maximum cargo temperature of 250 ^o and three Bornemann screw cargo pumps with a capacity of 375 m3/h.

The Theodora will arrive later this evening at Gebr. van der Lee Tankterminal, Dordrecht with the last port of call at Antwerp.

EASTERN BAY

The Eastern Bay (IMO: 9143752, Port of Registry: Monrovia, Liberia) is a refrigerated cargo ship of 143 meters long, 22 meters wide and a deadweight tonnage of 9,638. The vessel was built in 1997 at Kitanihon Shipbuilding, Japan and is currently operated by Triton Schiffahrts GmbH, Germany and owned by MPC Munchmeyer & Petersen S.S. GmbH. The Eastern Bay is equipped with a 40 tonne crane and eight 6 tonne derricks. She is propelled by a 9,628 kW seven cylinder Mitsubishi engine built by Akasaka Diesels, Japan.

The Eastern Bay arrived last night at the Fruit Terminal Rotterdam with the last of call at Hamburg. She is currently transporting refrigerated cargo from Cartagena, Colombia.

COSCO BEIJING

The Cosco Beijing (IMO: 9308508, Port of Registry: Piraeus) is still one of the largest container vessels measuring in gross tonnage nowadays, together with her sisters: Cosco Hellas, Cosco Ningbo, Cosco Yantian and Cosco Guangzhou. However since the launch in 2006 and 2007 of Maersk PS-class vessels (amongst which are the Emma Maersk, Estelle Maersk and Eleonora Maersk) and Cosco's own 10,000 teu vessels Cosco Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and America the Cosco Beijing's position on the list of largest containerships is declining.

The Beijing is 350 metres long, almost 43 metres wide, has a deadweight tonnage of 107,000 and a teu capacity of 9,450. She is currently sailing on the AE1-loop which connects Asia and Europe.

The Cosco Beijing is scheduled to arrive later this evening at the ECT Terminal, Rotterdam, with the last port of call at Singapore. The vessel will leave in about 36 hours for Felixstowe, Hamburg and Antwerp before returning to the Far East.

TOISA PEGASUS

Source: Merwede Shipyard

Today we have the offshore support vessel Toisa Pegasus (IMO: 9392509, Port of Registry: London) featuring as the Ship of the Day. The Toisa Pegasus was built this year at Merwede Shipyard, The Netherlands and is especially designed for diving operations as well as subsea construction, installation and maintenance on the North Sea and world wide. With a fully integrated saturation diving system, which has a capacity for 18 divers, and a 400 tonne offshore crane, this vessel can support a wide variety of subsea operations worldwide. The Toisa Pegasus is 131.7 metres long, 22 metres wide and has a maximum speed of 13 knots at the design draught of 6.25 metres. She is propelled by a 2970 kW engine and is equipped with two azimuth aft thrusters of 3000 kW each, two forward tunnel thrusters of 1335 kW each and one forward retractable azimuth thruster of 1200 kW. The Toisa Pegasus is currently performing sea trials for a few days and is therefor regularly leaving and entering the port of Rotterdam.

EUGEN MAERSK

The Eugen Maersk (IMO: 9321550, Port of Registry: Randers, Denmark) is, together with her sisters (amongst others) 'Emma Maersk', 'Estelle Maersk', 'Evelyn Maersk' and 'Ebba Maersk', the largest containership ever with a total teu capacity 11,000 teu (of which 1,000 forty foot reefer containers) according to the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group. A total capacity of 13,500 teu is also possible when containers are not fully loaded. This capacity is possible by stacking the containers in 22 rows wide. Maersk calculates the teu capacity with loaded containers. The vessel is 397 meters long, 56 meters wide, has a depth of 30 meters and a deadweigth of 156,907 tons. Amazingly, all this size and capacity requires a crew of only 13. The specially designed Wärtsilä diesel engine delivers 80,000 kW. A waste heat recovery system is installed to optimize the use of the energy produced, so that the engine can deliver up to 90,000 kW. The vessels in this series will also establish new standards for safety and environmental responsibility. Environmentally-safe silicone paint, for example, is used on the hull, below the water line, reducing water resistance, and thereby fuel consumption, by 1,200 tons per year. The ship was delivered by Odense Steel Shipyard Ltd in 2008 as the seventh and last ship in Maersk's PS-class.

The Eugen Maersk arrived this morning at the APM terminal, Rotterdam from Algeciras. Tomorrow, the vessel will set sail for Bremerhaven. She will return within two months to Rotterdam.

COSCO CHINA

Today's Ship of the Day is the Cosco China (IMO: 9305465, Port of Registry: Monrovia, Liberia), which is a container vessel of 335 meters long, 43 meters wide, and a teu capacity of 8,200. These dimensions give the vessel a deadweight tonnage of 100,800. She is currently sailing for E.R. Schiffahrt Germany on the China - Europe loop.

The Cosco China arrived last night at the ECT Delta Terminal, Rotterdam from Singapore. She is expected to depart tomorrow evening with destination Felixstowe and is scheduled to return to Rotterdam within two months.

BERGE STAHL

The Berge Stahl seen moored at Ponta da Madeira, Brasil.

Today's SOTD is the Berge Stahl (IMO:8420804, Port of registry: Stavanger, Norway) which is the largest bulk carrier currently sailing with her deadweight of 364,767 tons. The vessel is owned by Bergesen Worldwide Shipping, was built in 1992 by Hyundai Heavy Ind. Co. Ltd. Ulsan, Korea, is 343 meters long, 65 meters wide, has a draught of 23 meters and has 7 holds and hatches. She transports iron ore from the 'Companhia Vale do Rio Doce' mines in the eastern part of the Amazone, Brasil to Rotterdam about 9 or 10 times a year. From Rotterdam the iron ore is transported in barges to the steel mills of ThyssenKrupp and Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann in Germany. The Berge Stahl arrived last night at the EECV terminal, Rotterdam from Ponta da Madeira, Brasil. Rotterdam and Ponta da Madeira are the only two ports in the world which are deep enough to receive the vessel.

ALEXANDRA

Today we have a 'golden oldie' as the SOTD. It is the, in 1963 built, tug Alexandra (IMO: 5418630, flag: United Kingdom). The Alexandra is with its gross tonnage of 164 only small amongst all the large ships on this page, but since it's 43 years old, it is worth mentioning that she will arrive this morning in Dordrecht. The tug is still in service, owned by Niarcos Shipping, Rochester, UK and managed by G.P.S. Marine Contractors. She is 28 meters long, 7.6 meters wide and has a maximum BHP of 1066. The following towing gear is available:

• Auto winch hydraulic single drum towing winch
• 500M x 32MM wire with spelter sockets
• 2 x 220M x 64MM Nutech polyprop ropes
• 2 x 20M 20 ton tested wire bridles
• 2 x 10M 20 ton tested wire bridles

The Alexandra sails in the extended European area IE North Cape, Full Baltic/Gulf of Bothnia in season, full Mediterranean and the Black Sea. She has entered the Port of Rotterdam this morning towing the pontoon E-3504 to the 8th Petroleumhaven, Rotterdam originating from Chatham.

ELEONORA MAERSK

The Eleonora Maersk (IMO: 9321500, Port of Registry: Svendborg, Denmark) is, together with her sisters (amongst others) 'Emma Maersk', 'Estelle Maersk', 'Evelyn Maersk' and 'Ebba Maersk', the largest containership ever with a total teu capacity 11,000 teu (of which 1,000 forty foot reefer containers) according to the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group. A total capacity of 13,500 teu is also possible when containers are not fully loaded. This capacity is possible by stacking the containers in 22 rows wide. Maersk calculates the teu capacity with loaded containers. The vessel is 397 meters long, 56 meters wide, has a depth of 30 meters and a deadweight of 156,907 tons. Amazingly, all this size and capacity requires a crew of only 13. The specially designed Wärtsilä diesel engine delivers 80,000 kW. A waste heat recovery system is installed to optimize the use of the energy produced, so that the engine can deliver up to 90,000 kW. The vessels in this series will also establish new standards for safety and environmental responsibility. Environmentally-safe silicone paint, for example, is used on the hull, below the water line, reducing water resistance, and thereby fuel consumption, by 1,200 tons per year. The ship was built by Odense Steel Shipyard Ltd in 2006.

The Eleonora Maersk arrived this morning at the APM terminal, Rotterdam from Algeciras. Tomorrow, the vessel will set sail for Bremerhaven. She will return within two months to Rotterdam.

The Eleonora Maersk seen arriving at Rotterdam at January 24, 2007. Many thanks to Rene Nicolaes of Sea-Ships.com for the photo!

AL JABRIYAH II

Today's Ship of the Day is the Suez-Max tanker Al Jabriyah II (IMO: 9329708, Port of Registry: Kuwait). The Al Jabriyah II is 333 metres long and 60 metres wide and has a maximum draught of 22.5 metres. These dimensions give the vessel a deadweight tonnage of over 317,500. The vessel was delivered in 2007 by Hyundai Heavy Industries and is owned by the Kuwait Oil Tanker Co. She is propelled by a 6S90MC-C HHI MAN B&W engine. The Al Jabriyah II's sister vessel is the Kazimah III which featured as Ship of the Day in May 2008. The Al Jabriyah II arrived this morning at the MOT Terminal Rotterdam with the last port of call at Mina Al Ahmadi, Kuwait. For some more pictures (exterior and interior) take a look at Auke Visser's Supertankers website

Photo by: Fred Vloo

OTINA

The Otina (IMO:9196644, flag:Isle of Man) is an, in 2002 built by Hitachi Zosen Corp., very large crude carrier (VLCC). The vessel is 333 meters long, 60 meters wide, has a maximum draugth of 21 meters and a deadweight of over 298,000 tons. The ship is owned by Hitachi Hull 4983 Ltd., managed by Stasco Ship Management, London and propelled by a MAN B&W 7S80MC engine. The vessel was previously named Hakata and Front Hakata.

The Otina arrived this morning at the Vopak terminal, Rotterdam after spending a few days anchored at sea. The vessel is currently loading and will depart within a few days.

OOSTERSCHELDE

The three-masted topsail schooner 'Oosterschelde' (IMO: 5347221, Port of Registry: Rotterdam) is the last remaining representative of the large fleet of schooners that sailed under the Dutch flag at the beginning of the 20th century. As the largest restored Dutch sailing ship the 'Oosterschelde' is a monument for Dutch shipbuilding and maritime navigation under sail. The vessel was built in the Netherlands in 1918 at the order of the Rotterdam shipping company H.A.A.S. As a freighter the ship could carry some hundred tons of cargo. The vessel was restored between 1990 and 1992 and since then it has made a voyage around the world and several other long voyages. Next to these voyages the vessel is also available for chartering. The vessel is 50 metres long, 7.5 meters wide and has a mast heigth from the keel of 36 metres. She has a sail area of 891 square metres and is also equipped with a 6 cylinder Deutz, 360 pk engine.

Photo by: Pieter Nijdeken

The Oosterschelde has a maximum capacity of 120 passengers for daytrips (at sea: 36) and 24 on longer voyages. The accomodation exists of 8 two-person cabins and 2 four-person cabins. One board are 5 toilets and two showers. The Oosterschelde arrived this morning at the Veerhaven, Rotterdam returning after a long season in the Svalbard region. She will do some daytrips in Rotterdam and do spend some time in the shipyard before leaving again towards the islands of Cape Verde at the end of November. More information can be found at: www.oosterschelde.nl

NEFTEGAZ-57

The Neftegaz-57 (IMO: 8418473, Port of Registry: Murmansk, Russia) is a 81 metres long, 16 metres wide supply ship. The vessel was built in 1987 in Szczecin, Poland and had a major renovation in 2007. She is propelled by two 2650 kW Sulzer engines which give the ship a maximum speed of 15.3 knots and a bollard pull of 80 tons. She is fitted with a crane capable of lifting up to 12,5 tons. The Neftegaz-57 is operated by Workships Contractors, The Netherlands and can be chartered for all kinds of jobs.

The Neftegaz-57 is expected to arrive later this morning at the Waalhaven, Rotterdam towing a pontoon loaded with newbuilt barges.

MAERSK STEPNICA

The Maersk Stepnica (IMO: 9352004, Port of Registry: Rotterdam) is one of the latest newbuildings, managed by the Dutch based Maersk Ship management. Maersk Stepnica is the first in a series of five 8400 TEU container vessels delivered and built by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. in South Korea. The South-Korean shipbuilder also delivered another new building, Maersk Inverness (3364 TEU), in January this year. Maersk Stepnica, as Maersk Inverness, will be sailing under the Dutch flag and be mainly manned by Dutch officers. (source: Maersk Ship Management). The vessel has a teu capacity of 8,400, is 334 metres long and 43 metres wide. These dimensions give the vessel a deadweight tonnage of 101,500.

The Maersk Stepnica is scheduled arrived this morning at the APM terminal, Rotterdam. The Maersk Stepnica is currently deployed on Maersk's AE-1 loop. She is scheduled to return to Rotterdam in about 7 weeks.