Rolled steel laden Neva-Leader 2 sets out on her maiden voyage (photo)
North-Western Shipping Company has started operation of its new dry bulk carrier of Project RSD49. On November 21 the M/V Neva-Leader 2 was loaded with a cargo of rolled steel at Sea Port Saint-Petersburg and set sail for Poland, the shipping company press release said.
Until the end of year the ship is planned to be engaged in shipping of general and bulk cargoes in the Baltic Sea.
The Volga-Don Max vessels of mixed river-sea sailing are designed for transportation of general and bulk cargoes, including steel, grain, timber, coal, oversized and heavy-lift and dangerous cargoes of classes 1.4S, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.1, 8, 9 by IC IMDG and Annex B of the BC Code in the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Baltic, White and North seas, including sailings around Europe and in the Irish Sea during winter season.
The series vessel (in contrast to other Volga-Don max class ships created by Marine Engineering Bureau) features a 52-m-long middle cargo hold for shipping oversized project cargo on direct Europe - Caspian Sea lane. This should make the vessel operation cost-effective.
The project was designed to CM Ice2 R2 AUT1-C of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping and meets all the requirements of international conventions, effective as of the vessel’s keel-laying.
Overall, the NWSCo placed orders for 12 vessels of RSD49 project with two Russian shipbuilding companies. Ten serial bulkers will be constructed at Nevsky Shipyard, two ships - at Astrakhan-based Lotos Shipyard. Currently, the RSD49 vessels (like its prototype RSD19) are by far the largest of dry cargo ships that satisfy the dimensions of Volga-Don Shipping Canal.
Ship’s main characteristics: sea / river draft – 4.70m / 3.60m, sea / river DWT – 7150t / 4520t; length overall - 139.95 m, breadth overall - 16.70 m, depth - 6.00 m; cargo holds capacity - 10,920 cbm.
About North-Western Shipping
North-Western Shipping Company is the largest carrier in Russia’s water transport system, specializing in shipping import / export general cargo, bulk, suction and grab bulk cargoes, oversized cargo and vessels. The company’s fleet comprises about 105 cargo ships of total DWT 350,000 tons, including 83 mixed-sailing "river-sea” vessels, 8 barges, 8 tugs and 6 auxiliary ships. The NWS Company transports 6 million tons of different cargo a year. The Company is member of VBTH, a shipping division of UCL Holding, majority-owned by VBTH), consolidating a number of Russian rail, stevedoring and logistics assets. The division also includes Volga and Western Company, several cruise and shipbuilding companies.
