The first 31,200 DWT Equinox Class Gearless Bulk Carrier, named Algoma Equinox and built by Mingde Heavy Industry for Algoma Central Corporation, set sail for sea trials on September 3rd 2013.
The Algoma Equinox is expected to commence operations in Canada during the 2013 navigation season. It will be followed by the delivery of the other seven Equinox Class vessels at approximately three-month intervals through the remainder of 2013 and in 2014.
The Equinox Class represents the next generation of Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Waterway bulk cargo vessels. The ships have been specially designed to optimize fuel efficiency and operating performance thus minimizing environmental impact. A 45% improvement in energy efficiency over Algoma’s current fleet average is predicted with the use of a modern Tier II compliant engine and a fully integrated IMO approved exhaust gas scrubber that will remove 97% of all sulphur oxides from shipboard emissions. The use of exhaust gas scrubbers represents the first application of an IMO approved integrated scrubber on a Great Lakes – St. Lawrence vessel class.
The vessel has a length of 225.55m, breadth moulded of 23.77m, depth moulded of 14.7m, scantling draught moulded of 9.5m, and has five cargo tanks with 31,200DWT cargo capacity. The classification is provided by the Lloyd’s Register.
Algoma ordered in total eight new bulk carriers from Nantong Mingde, four of which are self-unloading bulk carriers.
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World Maritime News, September 5, 2013