WALLENIUS Wilhelmsen is bringing nine vessels out of cold lay-up after putting 16 into cold lay-up in response to “the challenging market conditions brought on by COVID-19 last year”.
WW said while the pandemic is still part of our reality, reduced capacity and rising rates in the charter market have led to the decision to bring the nine vessels back into service.
The company plans to reactivate the vessels during the first quarter of 2021 to replace capacity currently sourced through short-term charters.
“Flexibility in the fleet has been a core strategic choice since the inception of Wallenius Wilhelmsen, ensuring our ability to adjust the fleet to our needs and shifting market demand,” WW CEO Craig Jasienski said.
WW also said it expects to add the fourth and final newbuild in the Hero series to its fleet. The company said the vessels are a hybrid between a ro-ro vessel and a pure car and truck carrier, “offering all the flexibility of a ro-ro carrier combined with the lightness of a PCTC”.
The Hero vessels are wider than previously designed vessels, which has increased their cargo capacity without adding to vessel length.
The latest in the Hero series was the MV Tannhauser, which was delivered late last year. The vessel has a capacity equivalent to 7700 cars. The other two Hero vessels in operation are Titus and Traviata.
