Up to February, Sweden’s TTS Ships Equipment AB, part of Norway’s TTS Group, has won two new contracts to supply cargo access equipment for ships to be built in Japan and Egypt.
In the first deal, the Gothenburg-based company will provide cargo access equipment for two pure car and truck carriers (PCTC) to be built at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ (MHI) Nagasaki shipyard. The vessels, contracted by Norway’s Wilh Wilhelmsen, are sister ships to two others for which Gothenburg-based TTS has already supplied cargo access equipment to the Nagasaki yard. The four vessels, designed by Barber Marine Consultants, part of the Wilh Wilhelmsen group, will have capacity for 6,400 units. The second pair of vessels, originally optional contracts now confirmed by the Norwegian shipowner, have hull numbers S2208 and S2213. They follow on from the first duo, hull numbers S2196 and S2197. The vessels, built to comply with Det norske Veritas’ latest car carrier class rules, are 200m in length, longer than previous PCTCs ordered by Wilh Wilhelmsen. The 6,400 unit figure is calculated using the “RT43” dimensional standard, which allows for an overall storage area of 8.5 m2/car and is based on vehicle dimensions of 4.125m x 1.550m. Vehicles will be loaded and discharged via a stern quarter ramp or a side ramp, with entry on to Deck 5. Moveable ramps allow internal access for vehicles to all twelve decks. The equipment, to be delivered to MHI during February 2005 and February 2006, comprises the stern quarter and side ramps, and the internal ramps together with the accompanying hydraulic and electrical systems. The specification requires capacity of 170 tonnes (heavy load wagon type Samson) on the quarter ramp, and a maximum of 22 tonnes on the side ramp. Each set of cargo access equipment will weigh approximately 635 tonnes. TTS Ships Equipment will also supervise installation aboard the vessels which are due for delivery in June 2005 and June 2006 respectively. They will be operated by Barber Ship Management, another company within the Wilh Wilhelmsen group, which has a fleet of 41 car carriers owned and under management. Meanwhile, TTS Ships Equipment has confirmed another contract for cargo access equipment from German trading house Munchmeyer Petersen Marine (MPM) which is providing technical assistance in an Egyptian navy support craft expansion programme. A full set of cargo access equipment is to be installed on board a 6,000 dwt ro/ro vessel (hull no N28) under construction at Egypt’s Alexandria Shipyard. She is a sister ship to a similar ro/ro (Hull No. N27) which was delivered in 2003. The second ship is due for delivery by the end of 2006. The equipment, which will be delivered during the second half of this year, will comprise a slewing stern ramp, a stern door, two cargo lifts, a lift cover and hoistable car decks, all weighing some 450 tonnes. The contract also provides for the delivery of design, fittings, hydraulic and electrical parts and supervision of the fabrication and installation of all items with the exception of the stern door and car decks. For more details contact: Lennart Svensson Tel: + 46 31 7257900 Email: lennart.svensson@tts-se.se
