Norway-based sustainable animal feed manufacturer Skretting has entered into a fifteen-year agreement with compatriot maritime transportation company Strand Shipping and Dutch shortsea shipping player Vertom Group for the lease of four diesel-electric vessels.
As informed, the collaboration’s overarching goal is to ‘streamline’ the import of raw materials and ‘significantly’ minimize the environmental impact of Skretting’s supply chains.
According to Vertom, the project, on which the three partners said they worked for the past year, encapsulates the construction of a quartet of diesel-electric energy-efficient vessels with a multi-fuel propulsion system .
Owing to these specifications, the units are anticipated to reduce both fuel consumption and harmful pollutant emissions by roughly 30% compared to conventional options.
Vertom—the ships’ owner-to-be—will reportedly oversee the building process. As disclosed, most of the vessels are slated for a handover in 2026, upon which their day-to-day operations would be managed by Strand Shipping.
In regards to the technology set to be fitted onto the quartet, representatives from Vertom have highlighted that each unit would boast solutions aimed at slashing emissions and improving energy efficiency.
These include, but are not necessarily limited to, biofuel capabilities for cleaner operations as well as shore power connections that would enable the ships to reduce emissions while at port. What is more, the Dutch shipping player revealed that wind-assisted propulsion (WAPS) would also be integrated where feasible.
Based in Rhoon, the Netherlands, Vertom Group currently operates a fleet of around 100 vessels. With the maritime industry sailing closer and closer to its decarbonization target(s), the company has been focused on building a sustainability-oriented fleet. In February 2024, for instance, Vertom booked twelve diesel-electric ships at Chowgule in India.
It is understood that the twelve 6,000 dwt vessels are shorter versions of Vertom’s 7,280 dwt ships constructed in the Netherlands. The first one of this series, christened MV Vertom Rita, was delivered in December 2024, followed by MV Vertom Rian, which was launched in March 2025. Its formal handover date is slated for May this year.
At the moment, Vertom also has a quartet of pink 10,700 dwt geared multipurpose vessels on order at Chowgule shipyard. Slated for delivery in 2027 and 2028, the units will also possess a diesel-electric propulsion system.
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