Fednav Limited, Canada’s largest ocean-going dry-bulk shipowning and chartering group, recently marked the first visit to Canada of the latest addition to its fleet. Port of Trois-Rivières welcomed the Federal Sable, a Trillium-class bulk carrier of 37,200 deadweight tonnes (dwt). This new addition signals a reduction in the environmental impact of the Fednav fleet while entering a period of growth and renewal of the fleet. The Federal Sable arrived on the St. Lawrence with a cargo of 35,000 tonnes of ilmenite from Madagascar for Rio Tinto, Fer et Titane, in Sorel. It loaded 28,000 tonnes of wheat from Les Élévateurs des Trois-Rivières Ltée to Tema, Ghana.
The Federal Sable is the first in a series of 15 new vessels ordered from Japanese and Chinese shipyards. Fednav has ordered eight ice-class vessels (including the Federal Sable) of 37,200 dwt from Ouhua shipyard in China, to be delivered in 2012. Fednav has also ordered four 55,000-dwt bulk carriers from its long-standing Japanese partners, Sumitomo Corporation and Oshima shipyard. These ships were designed to navigate ice in winter in places like the St. Lawrence, and will be delivered between 2012 and 2014. Finally, the company will also acquire three bulk carriers of 35,300 dwt from Oshima that will be in operation in 2012 and 2015. These 15 ships represent an investment of over $400 million.
The welcoming ceremony took place in the presence of Mark L. Pathy, President and Co-CEO of Fednav, Danielle St-Amand, MNA for Trois-Rivières, Yves Lévesque, Mayor of Trois-Rivières, Gaétan Boivin, President and CEO of Trois-Rivières Port Authority, as well as several customers and partners. Following the ceremony, a reception was attended by numerous partners and the maritime community of Trois-Rivières. Mark Pathy stated that “This investment by Fednav demonstrates our confidence in the continued growth of our business, which is the result of listening closely to our customers.”
The design of the Federal Sable provides several environmental benefits: compared to Fednav’s previous class of ships, Trillium-class vessels achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by more than 8 per cent because of lower fuel consumption and greater cargo capacity. The Federal Sable is equipped with a Tier II engine type that significantly reduces nitrogen oxide emissions, a gas that contributes to global warming. Fednav is committed to equipping all its new vessels with this type of engine, two years before international regulations require it for new ships.
The design of the ship allows for the installation of a ballast water treatment system. Space in the engine room is reserved for this purpose and more powerful pumps were installed. Fednav is testing new methods for treating ballast water on one of its ships.
Mark Pathy said: “The environment is one of our priorities when we acquire new ships. It is important to us and to our customers that our ships not only meet but go beyond environmental regulations in Canada and around the world. “