Rickmers: The Market Demands Large Fuel-Efficient Ships to Sustainably Lower Slot Costs

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Friday April 3, 2015

Shipowner Rickmers Reederei (Rickmers) Wednesday announced it is investing in three newbuild energy efficient box ships.

"Our newbuilds stand out thanks not only to their significantly decreased fuel consumption, which amounts to more than 70 percent of ship operating costs, but also through radically lower emission values, especially of carbon dioxide, sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides," said Holger Strack, CEO for Rickmers' Maritime Assets segment.

Rickmers said it is investing a total of $260 million in the ships in conjunction with an unnamed "renowned bank and an international financial investor."

It is understood that the new ships are already earmarked for CMA CGM under a contract worth $200 million in charter revenues.

"The market demands large fuel-efficient ships to sustainably lower slot costs, that is costs per transported container unit, to a competitive level," said Rickmers Group CEO Ignace Van Meenen.

Two of the ships are due for delivery within six months with the third due by February 2016.

The ships are understood to be under construction by STX Offshire and Shipbuilding in South Korea.

"In our view, pressure to modernize technology in the shipping industry is structural and broad-based," said Mark-Ken Erdmann, Rickmers CFO.

"As a company we intend to participate in this development for the long-term and are aligning our investment strategy accordingly."

This week, CMA CGM posted a 43 percent rise in full year net profit after an "extremely robust" performance in 2014.

Ship & Bunker News Team
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