Tasmanian shipping and logistics company SeaRoad has revealed that the name of its new roll-on / roll-off (RoRo) vessel, currently under construction in Germany, will be SeaRoad I.
The announcement coincided with the traditional keel-laying ceremony in Flensburg at the shipbuilding yard Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FSG) on 27 February 2023.
SeaRoad Executive Chairman, Chas Kelly, and SeaRoad Chief Operating Officer, Patrick Guarino, attended the ceremony along with Managing Director of FSG-Nobiskrug Holding, Philipp Maracke.
Mr Kelly said the keel laying is the next milestone in SeaRoad I’s journey, marking the start of the block assembly of the vessel.
“SeaRoad looks forward to progressing the building process in partnership with FSG and seeing our newest vessel take shape on the slipway,” Mr Kelly said.
The first module of the newbuild, weighing more than 154 tonnes, was lowered by crane onto the blocks at the ceremony and in accordance with maritime custom, a coin was placed under the keel for good fortune.
SeaRoad Technical Marine Manager, Tony Johnson, was also in attendance and has been on the ground in Germany since the project began, overseeing the construction of SeaRoad I.
At over 43,000 tonnes gross, SeaRoad I will be the largest vessel in the company’s history. The new210-metre-long vessel will join SeaRoad Mersey II and replace SeaRoad’s charter vessel, MV Liekut, to operate between Melbourne and Devonport from the second quarter of 2024.
Mr Kelly said, “By increasing capacity, SeaRoad will again be able to better serve Tasmanian businesses as we continue to be the only Bass Strait shipping service providing for the direct route between Melbourne and Devonport.”
With a width of 29.30 metres, SeaRoad I will have capability to transport heavy cargo with a unit weight of up to 100 tonnes and feature the latest technology, including LNG power, as part of SeaRoad’s commitment to sustainable practices.
FSG’s Philipp Maracke said, “This LNG-powered vessel once again underlines FSG's capabilities. Building such a technologically sophisticated vessel requires extensive technological know-how, which we possess. The trust that SeaRoad has placed in FSG with this renewed order for a ship is further proof of this.
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Technical data of the RoRo vessel newbuild for SeaRoad:
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.