Rickmers-Linie Upgrades Indian Service with Addition of New Vessels

Rickmers-Linie, the German liner specialist for project cargoes and heavy lifts in existence for over 175 years, is upgrading its Indian service with the addition of new vessels.

It provides a direct liner service both eastbound and westbound between Europe and India, although calls in Pakistan and the Middle East will be possible on an inducement basis. The base ports served are Hamburg, Antwerp, Genoa, Mumbai, Vizag and Chennai.

Four new vessels were in service. m. v. Linde, Martin, Formation and Fanfare, long-term chartered by the line, while Rickmers Yokohama has just been introduced and called Mumbai on her maiden call last week.

A function was held on board the vessel to mark the occasion, which saw mementoes being presented to Capt. V. Korolkevich, the Master of the vessel. The event was graced by, among others, Mr Shree Kant Singh, Chairman of Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT), Mr Dhruv Kotak, Director of United Liner Agencies (ULA), Rickmers-Linie’s general agent in India, Capt. K. D. Giese, Senior Rickmers-Linie representative in India, Capt. V. Dadachanji, Rickmers-Line India Representative, Mr Percy Bilimoria, COO, ULA, Capt. O. P. Dhondiyal, Vice-President (Operations), ULA, Capt. Karkare, Senior Docks Master, MbPT, Capt. S. Kohli, Deputy Conservator, MbPT, and Mr V. S. Kulkarni, Deputy Docks Manager, MbPT.

Rickmers Tianjin is due to be delivered shortly ex China and will also enter the Europe/India service. Both vessels are constructed keeping in mind the restrictions for length and beam at Indian ports.

Built in 2005 and later, the ships Linde, Martin, Formation and Fanfare are 12,800 DWT vessels equipped with twin 120-tonne capacity cranes that can be twinned to lift 240 tonnes. Rickmers Yokohama and Rickmers Tianjin are 17,000 DWT vessels each equipped with two 150-tonne cranes and an 80-tonne crane. This enables them to lift up to 300 tonnes by twinning the two larger cranes. Rickmers-Linie is exploring engaging two more vessels with lifting capacity of 2 x 400T (combined 800T) to introduce in this sector.

All the ships employed on the revamped Indian service offer greater flexibility to serve ports such as Mumbai and Kolkata—where lock-gates restrict the size of vessels—as well as various other ports on both the West and East Coast, on inducement basis.

Mr Gerhard Janssen, Director, Marketing and Sales, Rickmers-Linie, believes that the timing of this upgrade of the service is ideal. “We are seeing increasing demand for break-bulk space on this route. Eastbound, we expect to be loading steel products as a base load, topping off with manufactured goods ranging from mobile cranes and mining products through to specialist railway and power generation equipment. Westbound, there are more and more non-containerisable shipments as India’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities develop.”

Rickmers-Linie is represented by United Liner Agencies of India (Pvt.) Ltd as its general agents in India since inception in 1994. Rickmers-Linie has a long-standing and very experienced Senior Representative in India in the form of Captain K. D. Giese, and Indian Representative as Capt. V. Dadachanji.

Rickmers-Linie shall be employing six vessels on the Europe India Sector in order to maintain the liner schedule as required by the trade. This will result in a sailing every 7-10 days for the Europe India trade, with newer ships, thus making them competitive in foreign markets. Rickmers-Linie also has an agreement with Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) to carry projects on its behalf on these vessels. A further advantage to Indian business in using newer Rickmers ships will be cost benefits in savings for marine insurance, timely schedules, etc.

(Exim)