AtoB@C Shipping AB, a Swedish subsidiary of Finland-based shipping company ESL Shipping, part of the Aspo Group, has decided to order a series of six energy-efficient electric hybrid vessels.
The 5,350 dwt coasters will be built at Chowgule and Company Private Limited shipyard in India and are scheduled to enter service starting from the third quarter of 2023.
AtoB@C Shipping has the option to expand the order with several ships.
The total value of the six ships is approximately €70 million ($82.1 million).
According to ESL Shipping, the new 1A ice class vessels will feature a length of 90 meters, a breadth of 16 meters and a draft of 6 meters.
The greenhouse gas emissions, including CO2, of new vessels per cargo unit transported, will decrease by almost 50% compared to the existing ships, making the vessels the most efficient in the world in their size class, ESL Shipping said.
The vessels’ battery packs, shore-side electricity solution and electric hybrid use enable completely emission-free and noise-free port calls. Ships can also arrive and leave the port with only electric power.
The design work of the ships and comprehensive model tests have been carried out together with the Dutch-based SMB Naval Architects.
“We are very pleased to be able to invest in new, energy-efficient vessels. Together with the shipbuilder Chowgule and AtoB@C Shipping, we will make shipping even more environmentally friendly,” Mikki Koskinen , Managing Director of ESL Shipping and Chairman of the Board of AtoB@C Shipping, commented.
In connection with the vessel order, the possibilities of using various ship ownership and financing solutions to accelerate business growth and expand the service will be explored. This may include, for example, ship ownership and financing solutions commonly used in the international shipping business which have not previously been used by ESL Shipping.
AtoB@C Shipping ‘s fleet comprises 35 vessels with a size of 3,000 to 6,000 tonnes. ESL Shipping controls a fleet of 16 units in the size range of 9,000-56,000 dwt.