FEBRUARY 6, 212 — Damen Shipyards Group member Damen Shipyards Bergum has delivered the Damen Combi Freighter 3850 Hoogvliet to a business alliance in which the main participants are Hartel Shipping and Hudig & Veder. The Combi Freighter carrier for oversized cargo is the fourth in a series of four carriers ordered by a limited partnership whose participants include a leading stevedore and a shipper.It is to be deployed in parcel service to carry smaller volume project cargo.

Hoogvliet, which follows the Geervliet, the Heenvliet and the Haringvliet, has a DWT of 3,800 tonnes, 8.43 metres hull height and a tweendeck at half height.

Hudig & Veder MD and owner Lex Fontein says that the added value of the limited partnership approach construction is the input of knowhow and knowledge from the participants.

That market savvy has led the participants to opt for relatively lower tonnage vessels.

"Costs of those are many times lower than of deploying 10,000 tonnes carriers calling ports," says Hartel Shipping MD John Brobbel. "It is obvious that smaller vessels can call at smaller ports, although those of ours also call the ports of Antwerp, Hamburg and ports in the Baltic, starting from Rotterdam."

The needs of the niche market they serve is reflected in the customization of the design of the vessels. This includes the fitting of the tweendeck, to achieve maximum efficiency, maximum fuel capacity, a larger bow thruster for improved maneuverability and larger crew accommodations.