SSG No 10 - Shipgaz

was built to ice class 1B specifications by
B.V. Scheepswerf Damen Bergum in the
Netherlands and delivered in 1998.
Last year’s other new entry in the Prima
Shipping fleet is the 1,280 DWT dry cargo
ship Heron, which was bought by SAL Ship
Oy Ab in Pargas (Parainen) and renamed
the Celia. She sails under Prima Shipping’s
management. The Celia replaced SAL
Ship’s smaller dry cargo carrier the Tower
Julie, which was sold. The Celia continues
in the same traffic as the Tower Julie transporting
gravel, for instance, from Finland to
Estonia. The Finnish merchant fleet already
has two vessels of the same type, Wega Shipping’s
the Josefine and the Nathalie.
The expansion of the fleet of Prima
Shipping has continued also in 2007, when
the new shipping company Gran Ship Oy
Ab bought the Carisma, built in 1985, (ex
Beetpulp Trader) and put her under Prima
Shipping’s management.
Management and chartering
Meriaura in Turku is another interesting
and expanding group of companies. Ship
management is handled by VG-Shipping
while Meriaura provides the transport solutions,
including chartering and operation
of the ships.
Last year the Sabina was added to the
Meriaura fleet. The vessel is owned by
Helmer Lundström Oy Ab, who replaced
the old Sabina with a larger vessel carrying
the same name. The new Sabina has a
deadweight of 2,723 tons and her former
name was the Atula. She was built in Germany
in 1986.
In this year Vidar Shipping Co bought
the 1,901 DWT dry cargo vessel Frida (ex
Scot Pioneer), built in 1985, which also is
operated by Meriaura.
Further, a multipurpose deck cargo vessel
to be named the Aura is being built by
the Polish shipyard Remontowa S.A. The
vessel is designed for carrying heavy project
cargoes on deck, and will also be employed
in shipments of steel sections for the
Finnish shipyards.
New on the wood chip trade
On the Åland islands, Rederi Ab Lillgaard
in Mariehamn has expanded its activities
for several years. Last year the company
bought the Antigua & Barbuda-flagged dry
cargo vessel Christa. Her deadweight is
2,700 tons and she was built in Germany in
1983. She continued trading for Rederi Ab
Lillgaard under her former name.
PÄR-HENRIK SJÖSTRÖM
The company also sold its 1,596 DWT
dry cargo vessel the Lillgaard to Egypt. The
Lillgaard was renamed the Joy 5 by her new
owner. She was replaced by the Christa on
the wood chip run between Åland and Gävle
in Sweden, but the Christa is also deployed
on other trades. The Lillgard was delivered
from Germany in 1973 as the Gabriella and
joined the Lillgaard fleet in 1988.
Another Åland shipping company, Birka
Cargo Ab Ltd, bought in 2006 the ro-ro
vessel Norcliff, which entered the Finnish
merchant fleet after the turn of the year as
the Baltic Excellent. She is on time charter
to Holmen Paper.
Ronja Marin Ltd Ab in Pargas bought its
second vessel in spring 2007. The 1,083
DWT former Triton Elbe was built in 1988
and will be renamed the Riona.
New tugs
Last year the Rauma based company
Kaplaaki Oy bought the tug Sirius from
Estonia. She is now renamed the Priitta.
Kaplaaki also finished a domestic newbuilding
project when the tug Janet
became operational. The tug was built in
Rauma. Both the Janet and the Priitta are
operated by the Rauma-based company
Finnish Sea Service Oy.
The shipping company Rosita Oy in
Kaarina near Turku acquired the Icelandic
645 GT passenger vessel Baldur, now
renamed the Eivor, for the route between
Pärnäs and Utö in the Turku archipelago.
SHIPPING AND SHIP MANAGEMENT
Rederi Ab Lillgaard’s dry cargo vessel the Christa in her home port Mariehamn. The vessel was
bought in 2006 and she was built in Germany in 1983. She is mainly carrying wood chip from
Åland to Sweden.
The traffic is operated on behalf of the
Finnish Maritime Administration.
Two fishing vessels and a barge were also
brought to Finland from abroad during the
year. In addition, the fishing vessel Silva
was delivered to Hellströms Fisk Ab in
Kaskö by Karstensens Skibsværft A/S in
Denmark.
Large newbuildings
The only larger newbuildings to be added
to the Finnish merchant fleet in 2006 were
the sister vessels the Finnstar and the Finnmaid.
They were handed over to Finnlines
by the Italian shipyard Fincantieri and put
into service on the Helsinki–Travemünde
trade. The third new vessel on this route,
the Finnlady, was delivered in 2007.
The Finnstar-class vessels are among the
largest ro-pax vessels in the 4,000-plus lane
metres size. With a service speed of 25
knots they are also among the fastest of
this size. A further two vessels are included
in this class, the Europalink and Nordlink,
both employed by Finnlines’ subsidiary
Nordö-Link between Sweden and Germany
under Swedish flag. The Europalink
has been delivered, while the Nordlink is
due for delivery in July.
Another newbuilding handed over last
year was the tanker Penelop. This ice
strengthened (ice class 1A) Aframax tanker
vessel is owned by the Åland company
Lundqvist Rederierna, but sailing under
the Bahamas flag.
SCANDINAVIAN SHIPPING GAZETTE • MAY 21, 2007 53