The keel-laying of the multipurpose deck cargo vessel, built for Oy Gaiamare Ab, was held at STX Turku Shipyard on Wednesday 4 January 2012.
The NB 1379 is 105.4 metres long and 18.8 metres wide. The environmentally friendly vessel is to be delivered to the client in spring 2012 will provide work for about 300 persons.
Representatives of the customer Oy Gaiamare Ab, classification society Bureau Veritas, and STX Finland were present witnessing the keel-laying event.
The highly versatile and modern vessel is designed for transportation of demanding and heavy project cargo, such as offshore wind farm structures. The ship is also very suitable for transporting energy wood in the Baltic Sea region, and she is also designed to operate as a flexible oil spill response vessel. This ice class 1A vessel is the first Double Acting Ship (DASTM) mode vessel on the Baltic Sea and she is also capable of running efficiently astern in ice.
“Construction of the vessel has advanced at the STX Turku shipyard according to plan. Cooperation with the client, the classification society and the network partners has worked very well, ” says Jari Anttila, Director of STX Turku Shipyard . “The ship’s building schedule is extremely tight. The float-out will take place at the beginning of March and the sea trial will be conducted in April, after which the vessel will be finished for delivery,” Anttila continues.
“The ship will be built for worldwide transportation and her versatile user characteristics are a good complement to Meriaura’s present fleet,” says Jussi Mälkiä, President of Meriaura Oy.
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World Maritime News Staff, January 4, 2012; Image: STX