Luxembourg-based short sea specialist Compagnie Luxembourgeoise d’Navigation (CLdN) RoRo SA has ordered an additional two 5,400 lane meter vessels from South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), with options for a further four of the same class.
Previously, the company placed orders for four ships, of which the first two 8,000 lane meter vessels will be delivered this year. The RoRo ships will be placed on the Zeebrugge / UK route, which will “facilitate a large expansion of the Rotterdam and Zeebrugge / London service,” according to CLdN.
To complement these orders and prepare for expansion, a new 59 Hectare Port facility at Albert II Dock, Zeebrugge will be opened in the second quarter 2017, CLdN said.
The order is part of the company’s expansion program which includes up to 12 newbuildings, of which six have been confirmed until now. In March 2016, the firm ordered two RoRo vessels from Croatian shipbuilder Uljanik, with an option for further four.
“These additions, coupled with the massive expansion of our Zeebrugge Port facilities, will allow CLdN to replicate the hub and spoke concept developed in the recently expanded Rotterdam facility. We will, with immediate effect, have our Iberian services, from Rotterdam to Santander and Leixoes, call twice weekly into Zeebrugge also,” a spokesperson from CLdN said.
“In addition, we will also direct new builds to serve the Scandinavian corridor, where the present vessels are not optimum for this trade. We will start ramping up for their arrival immediately, in preparation for their deployment during 2018,” the spokesperson added.
CLdN operates 24 RoRo vessels, offering sailings between the ports of Zeebrugge, Rotterdam, London, Killingholme, Dublin, Gothenburg, Esbjerg, Hirtshals, Santander and Porto.