THIS week Wallenius Wilhelmsen celebrated the naming ceremony of the ro-ro vessel MV Nabucco at the Port of Gothenburg.
The ceremony was live-streamed from Gothenburg, with a select group attending due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases. MV Nabucco is the last in a line of four HERO class sister ships.
To signify the vessel’s sustainable features, a bottle-shaped ice sculpture was smashed against the hull. The godparents, sustainable battery company and Wallenius Wilhemsen customer, Northvolt, presented Captain Fredrik Krysén with a battery to keep onboard as a reminder that both companies are committed to a decarbonised world.
In his speech, Wallenius Wilhelmsen acting CEO Torbjørn Wist said, “This vessel is at the forefront when it comes to minimizing carbon emissions, ship recycling and fuel efficiency. She is our last vessel based on conventional fuel technology and we now look towards the next generation of energy solutions.”
Wallenius Wilhelmsen says Nabucco and its sister ships are among the most sustainable ro-ro vessels in the global fleet. The HERO class reduces energy consumption by dramatically improving the cargo to ballast ratio. As the increased beam (36.5 metres) provides better stability, there is less need for ballast water.
In addition, an optimised hull diminishes drag and wave resistance, improving fuel efficiency, while the engine has been tuned for low-load operation to reduce fuel consumption.
The cargo hold on the Nabucco has been arranged with electrically hoistable deck panels, allowing for fast, safe and flexible operations to cater for variations in the cargo mix and enabling it to carry large and heavy (out-of-gauge) cargo.
The vessel was delivered by Tianjin Xingang Shipbuilding. She is now on her way to Zeebrugge for loading and will sail to the US, Asia and back to Europe.
Nabucco has a carrying capacity for 7700 vehicles and it is 200 metres in length. The vessel was delivered earlier this month.
