€70m Ro-Ro freighter is the first order for yard since insolvency
Flensburger Schiffbaugesellschaft (FSG) has confirmed that it has received its first order since the company was restarted under the direction of Tennor Holding. IVP Ship Invest, a company of Lars Windhorst who also controls FSG, has placed an order for a 210 metre long Ro-Ro freight vessel.
As part of the contract, IVP Ship Invest also has an option for a second vessel at the same price. The combined order value of the two ships is €140m.
“This order is an important building block for the future of the Flensburg shipyard”, says FSG CEO Philipp Maracke. “Construction is scheduled to start in December. With the implementation of the order we are proving FSG’s ability to act. I know how much our 360 employees are looking forward to finally being able to develop and build highly efficient vessels again. Lars Windhorst has thus kept his promise to support the FSG in a difficult situation.”
The ship is understood to be similar in design to eight FSG 4100 vessels previously constructed for the yards previous owner Siem Group, the final of which was LIEKUT. These vessels have since been chartered to a number of operators, such as DFDS and Onorato Group. LIEKUT has yet to find a charterer and so has been idle since delivery in March.
Update 03.12.2020 @ 12:00: Since we published this article, Australia’s Searoad Logistics has announced that they have agreed to charter LIEKUT from March 2021.
Completion of the new ship is contracted for April 2022. The order represents the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the yard which has been building ships from 1872.
In recent years the shipyard has struggled finiancaily, culminating in the late delivery of W.B. YEATS and the cancellation of a number of orders including that for Brittany Ferries HONFLEUR. That ship, now known by her yard name FSG 774, is currently being completed in Norway for new owner Siem. FSG is now under new management having restarted after voluntarily filing for insolvency earlier this year.
Technical Data of the new FSG ship
Length: 210 metres
Width: 26 metres
Gross registered tonnes: 32,770
Main engines output: 2x 9,600 kilowatt
Lane metres: 4,007
35 cabins for 12 drivers and 34 crew
