Early January saw the delivery and hand over of Hoegh Caribia, a new pure car and truck carrier (PCTC), owned by Gram Car Carriers Pte Ltd. and built at Kyokuyo Ship Yard in Japan.
Built to include the world’s first fully electric liftable decks and ramp, the vessel crossed the Pacific after her final sea trials and headed for the Caribbean, which is to be her working area.
Hoegh Caribia is the second of 4 vessels being built at Kyokuyo, the first was Viking Odessa (pictured), she is managed by OSM Ship Management and one of a series of 12 that they have signed up with Gram to supervise the building of and then fully manage. The other 8 vessels are being built at MINGDE Ship Yard in Nan Tong, China. The vessels will be time chartered out to various large car carrier companies.
Solar Solve Marine, the South Shields based manufacturer of blinds for ships and ship roller screens has been contracted to supply 11 of their SOLASAFE anti glare, heat rejecting screens for installation at the navigation bridge front windows on each of the 12 vessels.
Paul Hopkins, Solar Solve Marine’s Sales and Marketing Executive commented, “The negotiations involved with this contract were through OSM’s Singapore office and quite involved. Whilst we are a well known supplier to OSM world wide and they are impressed with our products and service, we still had to get the price right.”
“As always it was worth the effort. An order for twelve ship-sets is worth fighting for and in particular it reinforces the partnership and good working relationship we have with OSM, one the worlds largest Ship Management Companies. They have the best interests of their personnel at heart and appreciate the improvement to the working environment that Solar Solve products will create.”
