The arrival of the Chinese-built, German-owned Palembang at Dunedin this week, is bound to attract attention. This vessel, which comes direct from Xingang with wind turbine components, is also the first of its design to call here.
The machinery-aft vessel has its bridge and accommodation located forward. But dominating its profile are the two electric, hydraulic cranes mounted on its port side, the largest of their type to be seen.
Each has a lifting capacity of 450 tonnes at a radius of 17.5m, 250 tonnes at 30m, and are capable of a combined lift of 900 tonnes.
Described as an ice-strengthened, multipurpose, dry cargo ship with container capacity, Palembang is a 11,473gt vessel having a deadweight capacity of only 10,041 tonnes. It has an overall length of 134m, a breadth of 23m, a loaded draught of 7.8m and a service speed of 16.5 knots.
Registered at St Johns under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, the vessel is owned by PIT Pacific Investment and GmbH and Co K.G. This is a company that is part of Harren and Partner Ship Management of Bremen, which has a fleet of more than 50 vessels.
The vessel is one of a dozen or so operated by K/S Combi Lift of Denmark. This is a joint venture company formed in 2000 by J. Poulsen Shipping A/S of Korsor, Denmark, and Harren and Partner.
Palembang was laid down on December 17, 2008, launched on February 2, 2010, and delivered on May 25. It was also the third of four sisters to be completed for the Bremen company. Lead ship Palmerton was handed over in November 2009, Palabora last January and Palau is due for delivery next month.
The quartet was ordered from the Taizhou Kouan Shipbuilding Company Ltd at Taizhou. Maple Fortitude, due later this week to discharge at Ravensbourne, then load at Dunedin, comes from another yard in the area, the Taizhou Maple Leaf concern.
This 20,867gt vessel entered service this year, on March 10.
It is owned by Maple Fort-itude Maritime Ltd and is registered at Hong Kong.
Also registered there was the 19,993gt Jin Xing Ling which sailed last week after loading logs for Inchon. Completed in June, 2010, it was built by the Guangzhou Huangpu shipyard. Slightly older sister Jin Guang Ling was here for logs in May. Both are operated by the COSCO Far-Reaching Shipping Company of Guangzhou.
And two newcomers to Dunedin yesterday afternoon also commenced their careers last year. The 28,725gt, 45,994dwt tanker Orient Star was delivered by the Shin Kurushima yard on September 1, to OMC Shipping Pte Ltd of Singapore.
The lpg carrier Astrid has been in service a little longer, since May 20, 2010. This 4310gt vessel, built by the Kanrei shipyard and registered at Panama, is owned by Geogas Maritime SAS and managed by Oceangas Services Australia, of Sydney.
