Hamburg-based Leonhardt & Blumberg with a fleet of container feeder vessels and medium-range product tankers, has joined forces with Netherlands Boomsma Shipping to order a series of up to eight low-emission shortsea dry cargo vessels at Chowgule Shipbuilding in India.
The two owners jointly ordered a series of four plus four vessels, due for delivery from autumn 2025 onwards.
Chowgule will build the 8.500 dwt vessels, at their new shipyard in Mangalore, which will start production spring 2024 once the yard facility has been modernized.
From autumn 2025 onwards the vessels will be delivered either to Boomsma Shipping or Leonhardt & Blumberg. Once in service, the vessels will all be commercially operated in a pool by NewTide Chartering in Rotterdam, part of the Boomsma group.
The newbuilds will come with optimised diesel-electric propulsion, ready for lifetime expansion and future fuels. They will require 50%–60% less propulsion energy compared to existing tonnage and be prepared for wind-assisted propulsion, carbon capture and emission-free operation on batteries.
As Leonhardt & Blumberg claims the ships will have 50% – 90% lower CO₂ emissions, whilst they will be extremely efficient in terms of cargo carrying capacity per energy unit.
“The Boomsma group was selected as strategic partner on the basis of its long year standing in the market, its knowhow, excellent track record and on the basis of the two companies sharing the same visions and values for the future,” noted the company.
The business Boomsma Shipping, with a 9-strong fleet, with the cooperation of the design company Conoship International, developed a next generation, low-emissions short sea dry cargo vessel type of 8.500 tons.
At an early stage of the project development, Leonhardt & Blumberg became a project partner.
Known for their strong position in the container feeder vessel market and the product tanker market Leonhardt & Blumberg, has decided to diversify into the short sea dry cargo vessel market as well.
JR Shipbrokers & Consultants, part of JR Shipping Group, acted as matchmaker and newbuilding broker.
