Laying of the keel
The first milestone in the construction of SeaRoad’s new ship took place on 29 February 2016 with the laying of the keel at the Flensburger shipyard.
Laying the keel is the formal recognition of the start of a ship’s construction. Modern ships are now largely built in a series of prefabricated, complete hull sections rather than being built around a single keel. The modern day keel laying ceremony is the first joining of these modular components, and is the ceremonial beginning of the ship’s life, although the modules were started approximately six months prior to the ceremony.
Keel-related traditions, from the times of wooden ships, are said to bring luck to the ship during construction and to the captain and crew during her later life. The Coin Ceremony, which took place at the keel laying is recorded in the video clip link. SeaRoad’s Chairman, Chas Kelly, together with Dale Emmerton, National Manager, Marine & Terminals and Graeme Coster, Ship Project Manager, are shown below placing newly minted coins under the keel block to bless the ship and as a symbol of good fortune.
The ship build project is on schedule with our new vessel to be operating in Bass Strait before the end of 2016.
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About SeaRoad
SeaRoad is an Australian, family-owned business that is Tasmania’s trusted shipping and transport logistics partner, moving goods between Tasmania and mainland Australia.
SeaRoad operates a dedicated freight shipping service six days per week between Devonport and Melbourne with purpose-built RoRo vessels. MV SeaRoad Mersey II, built in 2016, is the first coastal ship in Australia to use LNG fuel and power technology. The modern MV Liekut joined the SeaRoad fleet in April 2021 under a three-year charter agreement. Liekut will be replaced by SeaRoad’s newbuild vessel, SeaRoad I.
In addition to its two Bass Strait shipping vessels, SeaRoad owns and operates a large road transport and container fleet as well as cargo-handling equipment, which the business utilises at its five strategic locations across Tasmania and in Melbourne.
SeaRoad has the capability to provide fully integrated ‘door-to-door’ services, incorporating container transport, packing, unpacking, storage, and re-delivery.