Copenhagen-headquartered shipping and logistics company DFDS has held a naming and launching ceremony for the first of its two RoRo freight vessels currently under construction at Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft in Flensburg.
The 210-metre vessel, named Gardenia Seaways, was launched on 17 February, DFDS said.
Gardenia Seaways will now be completed alongside the quay in Flensburg where the superstructure will be added. The superstructure has arrived on a barge from Poland and will be finished with fittings, pipework, electrics/electronics, furnishing etc.
Once delivered in May 2017, Gardenia Seaways will be added to the Rotterdam – Immingham route.
The second vessel in the series is expected to be delivered in September 2017. The freight capacity of each ship is 4,076 lane meters, equal to around 262 trailers.
DFDS entered into 5-year bareboat charter agreements for the two vessels with the Siem Group in May 2016. The Danish company also has an option to buy the two vessels.
The ships will add around 20 percent more capacity compared to the ships they are expected to replace, according to DFDS.
Images and video: DFDS Group