In July 2007, Rickmers had signed contracts for construction of eight 13,000 TEU vessels built at Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in South Korea. All ships are going to enter a ten years timecharter with Maersk Line straight after delivery from the yard. That explains the light blue painting of the ships’ hull. The first batch of four units has been scheduled to join Maersk’s »E-class«-fleet until August, 2010 as »Maersk Edinburgh« (»Pearl Rickmers«), »Maersk Emden« (»Rubi Rickmers«), »Maersk Eindhoven« (»Aqua Rickmers«) and »Maersk Essen« (»Coconee Rickmers).
After delivery from shipyard the ULCS will be phased into Maersk’ new joint service with CMA CGM linking Asia and[ds_preview] North Europe one by one. As Maersk AE8 service, it deploys ten ships of this size, each partner contributing five. Port rotation of the loop is as follows: Ningbo– hanghai– Yantian–Tanjung Pelepas–Port Kelang–Le Havre–Hamburg–Rotterdam–Zeebrugge–Port Kelang–Singapore–Ningbo.
The second batch of the four remaining sister ships is due for delivery to the Rickmers Group in 2011, all of which will also enter a long term employment of ten years timecharter with further options to Maersk Line.
Under the watchful eyes of Bertram R.C. Rickmers, Chairman of Rickmers Holding, and his senior management team, each ship was christened by its individual sponsor: »Pearl Rickmers« by Ms. Nina Ruge, »Ruby Rickmers« by Ms. Cecilia Eckelmann-Battistello, »Aqua Rickmers« by Ms. Vigga Schneider; and »Coconee Rickmers« by Ms. Marita Seidt.
On the day’s event – a unique occasion even for a company like HHI – Mr. Rickmers commented the reflection of growing confidence in the container market: »With volumes out of Asia again starting to rise and rates holding, container lines’ confidence is growing. Given this scenario, the timing of the delivery of these Rickmers Group ships is looking much better than it might have done six to twelve months ago.
With two more sister ships coming in January and February 2011, a seventh at the end of May and the eighth and final ship in the series due for delivery in July 2011, we need the global economy to continue this positive trend. We wish our charterers Maersk Line well in their efforts to maintain a stable market. Too often we have seen container rates tumble despite strong volumes. No one needs this to happen again, even the shippers who provide the cargo. The eight vessels are ideally suited for the current market, which is demanding the largest possible ships in order to reduce the cost per container carried. Although built to operate at over 24 knots, the ships are equally capable of slow steaming. This is an important requirement today and in the months and years to come. These ships will also be capable of transiting the Panama Canal following completion of ongoing expansion work. Larger locks and dredging will open up an important additional trade lane for so-called New Panamax (NPX) container ships from Asia to the US East Coast. If it would be possible to load all 13,100 TEU on one train, is would be approximately 100 km long. In other words, the locomotive would arrive in Kiel on the Baltic coast of Germany before the last railcar had left the shipping company’s home city of Hamburg«.
Management
The ships will be managed by Rickmers Shipmanagement (Singapore) Pte Ltd (RSS), the Rickmers Group’s shipmanagement unit set up in Singapore to manage the fleets of shipping trust Rickmers Maritime and Rickmers Group shipowner Polaris Shipmanagement Company as well as third party vessels. Including the latest four 13,100 TEU ships, RSS manages a young – average age two years – fleet of 27, mainly Panamax container vessels and Rickmers Group’s two new PCTCs delivered earlier this year. With the four 13,100 TEU vessels, the total fleet of Rickmers Group counts 107 vessels, 78 of which are being managed by Rickmers Reederei in Hamburg.
The crews, with long-serving Rickmers’ Masters and Chief Engineers and experienced post-panamax officers in command, are provided through first-class crew managers, among them Rickmers Group’s own Global Management Ltd.
The senior deck officers have been well prepared for their new challenge in big-ship simulator courses at MTC Marine Training Center Hamburg GmbH, of which Rickmers-Reederei is a major shareholder; the engineers have attended engine makers’ flex-engine courses in Switzerland. The programme has been complemented by first-hand insight into the operation of ULCS by joining Maersk’s own E-Class vessels for a coastal voyage.
Design
All eight ships have been designed and are being built by Hyundai Heavy Industries, Ulsan shipyard. The ships are assembled from 330 individual blocks, each block weighs between 60 and 200 t. In November and December 2009 the yard produced 300 blocks per month. The large number of blocks results from the fact that four ships are being built almost simultaneously. The total weight of the steel used per each vessel is around 32,100 t.
Containers are carried 17-wide below deck and 19-wide on the hatch covers. The maximum capacity of each ship is 7,074 TEU on deck and 6,018 TEU below deck, making 13,092 TEU in total. Based on a homogeneous container weight of 14 t per TEU, the maximum capacity is approximately 9,080 TEU. Reefer plugs are available for 800 x 40 ft containers.
Each ship is powered by a single Hyundai-Wärtsilä 12RT-flex96C main engine weighing over 2,000 t and developing 68,640 kW (MCR) at 102 rpm and 61,776 kW (NCR) at 98.5 rpm. Five 2,700 kw diesel generators are installed.
Although designed for a service speed of 24.3 kn, the flex-engines still achieve 21.5 kn at 60 % of the engine’s normal output but can also slow steam as required under charterers’ current service patterns, generating substantial fuel savings. By having this substantial speed reserve, the ships can increase speed when necessary to maintain schedule integrity, an important factor in a service industry.
Accomodation
The accommodation block consists of ten decks providing air-conditioned living space for 27 crew members. Access enabling the crew to move for and aft is by means of underdeck side passage ways directly from the accommodation. Consequently they can reach the bosun store forward and the engine room aft, including the steering gear. with »dry feet«. Moving onto the lower decks, crew can relax in two recreation rooms equipped with modern entertainment systems, sit in the bar or exercise in the gymnasium or indoor swimming pool. Meals are prepared in a modern galley and served in two mess rooms.
The height of the accommodation block, including the mast, is about 66 m above the keel. For comparison, the pyramid of Giza is about 73 m high. Not surprisingly give this height, the accommodation features an elevator, above the engine room is a engine casing (funnel) which includes the exhaust pipe but no elevator.
To ensure compliance with Annex IV of the Marpol regulations, a vacuum toilet system is installed with a Hamworthy sewage treatment unit meeting the latest requirements. Should anyone want to test it, the manufacturer says that the water once treated is drinkable.
Bridge & wheelhouse
The wheelhouse includes the most up-to-date navigation aids supplied by Furuno, the market leader in the navigation equipment sector. This includes a full (double) ECDIS system, AIS, LRIT, a double echo sounder, Fleet Band, satcom communication, etc.
Equipement on the bridge:
• echo sounder FE-700 (fore 50 KHz/aft 200KHZ
• Doppler sonar DS-30
• 25KW anti-collision Radar FAR-2827
• 30KW anti collision Radar FAR-2837S
• ECDIS FEA-2807
• Conning display MU-201-C
• DGPS GP-150
• Weather facsimile receiver FAX-410
• AIS FA-150
Cargo
The ten cargo holds can accommodate 6,018 TEU in ten tiers and 17 rows. They are equipped with container cell guides for easy and fast loading as well as for voyage stowage. All ten holds are ventilated and prepared to carry dangerous goods in those categories deemed safe for underdeck stowage. Access is provided from transversal hatch coamings at the top of the holds. Each hatch opening measures 12.64 m x 43.40 m – this compares with a tennis court’s 10.97 m x 23.78 m – and is closed by four non weathertight panels weighing 40 t each. A further 7,074 TEU can be loaded on deck, ten tiers high and 19 rows across. Container securing is simplified through the use of lashing bridges. 800 reefer containers can be loaded on deck in three tiers on deck and these are monitored by a state-of-the-art Refcon system supplied by York Refrigeration, Marine & Controls. The containers fittings are supplied by German Lashing leading company on the market.
Location of accommodation and engine room
As stated above, locating the engine room 180m aft of the accommodation is of benefit for the crew but there are other arguably stronger reasons for selecting this layout. The fore mounted wheelhouse provided the bridge team with a much improved sightline over the container deck load and higher stacking aft of the bridge. The location of the engine room can also be optimised to provide an ideal shaft length consistent with reducing propeller vibration. Finally, the twin deck structures create a more rigid hull structure.
Propulsion
A Wärtsilä 12RT flex 96C-B main engine provides 68,640 KW at 102 rpm with FO consumption of about 250 t/day. Four FO storage tanks provide 10,000 cbm allowing for a navigation range of 26,900 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 24.3 kn. The engine is delta tuned to meet the present market requirement for slow steaming and fuel saving and is equipped with a waste gas gate for full load operation.
The hull lines have been optimized during model tank test in HHI Ulsan Korea, where different bulbous bow, hull shape, rudders and propellers have been tested to meet the owner’s demands.
The fixed six blade high skew propeller combined with a Becker rudder system was selected to provide the best possible manoeuverability and propulsion effects. The rudder is controlled by a powerful four cylinder ram type steering gear system from Hatlapa.
The hull is equipped with 2 x 1,800 KW Hyundai bow thrusters located forward.
The vessel is prepared to take and use different fuels from HFO, low sulphur HFO, MDO to low sulphur MGO to meet all requirements from various ports around the world. Two high efficiency steam boilers are installed, one oil fired and the other using the exhaust gas from the main engine. One burns oil and the other is driven by exhaust gas.
To ensure the best performance of the main engine, a control and diagnostic system was supplied by Maridis GmbH.
Electrical power
Electrical power is provided by five Hyundai HIMSEN 6H32/40 diesel generators each of 2,700 kW and voltage of 6.6 kV. Using medium voltage rather than 440 V on the vessel allowed a big saving on electric cabling. The main electric power is distributed via 6,6k V cables to local step-down transformers and then converted to 440 V and 220V. The ship is designed to take 6.6 kV shore power supply, all necessary cable trays, switchboard and connection points having been provided.
Further particulars
• Painting: The hull is coated with a paint system suitable for 7.5 year dry docking periods ( supplied by KCC Korea).
• Stern tube seal: An oil free pollution shaft seal has been supplied by Wärtsilä.
• Ballast water management: Designated space and connections in the engine room have been provided for future installation of ballast water treatment unit.
• Computer network: A LAN cable network is provided on the vessel with access to internet and email via the satellite communication system.
• Onboard communication: UHF communication with amplifier system to ensure good communication with all places on board
• Cargo computer: Modern system has been selected supplied by EASECON with following functions
Condition Selection
– 90+ conditions or more with input of POL, POD, Voyage no., date
– ship planner initials
– Automatic backup of conditions in case of e.g. power failure
– Access to backup/restore and archive facilities (ZIP)
Container Planning
– Zoom function
– Loading/unloading of containers by bay, stack, tier and/or individually
– Discharge by POD or operator specified code.
– Printing of Loading and Discharging Plans
– Printing of Bay Plans as designed by operator
– Checking and warning of stack weights (incl. »per end«, when 40’ on 20’), stack heights and reefer support connections.
– Checking of flyers, double stowing and duplicate ID nos.
– Tracking and sorting of containers according to operator specified code, with corresponding print facilities.
– Export/Import of container data in BAPLIE 1.5 or 2.0 (ZIP) formats.
– IMDG Segregation module with automated checking and issuing of adequate warnings.
– Link to Storck Verlag SSG database
– Fully integrated lashing module with automated calculations based on the
– Container Securing Manual, and with options for manual adding and removing of individual lashing equipment (twist locks and lashing bars).
Views
– Deadweight summary; listing of all weight and moment particulars
– Trim and Heel indicator; ship seen floating at actual draughts
– Draughts, stability and strength information
– Stability calculation with GZ curve, intact and dynamic stability in accordance with IMO A749 (18) and MSC 194 (80).
– Strength and load curves
Deadload / Constant Estimate
– Deadload / Displacement calculation based on measured draughts and vice versa
Tank Planning
– Quick filling and emptying of individual tanks
– Anti heeling
– Free surface correction in each tank
– Weight, volume and COG for each tank calculated at actual filling level
– Interface to tank monitoring system
• Pilot doors: Due to the very high freeboard of about 20 m, pilot doors are provided at each side of the vessel for easy and safe access on board for pilots.
• Anchor: Two anchors of 18,375 kg are provided. To reach the water line from the anchors’ stow position, one shackle (~27.5 m) of anchor chain has to be paid out. Rickmers Group/GF
