Reederei Gerdes orders second Damen Combi Freighter 3850


Efficient short sea general cargo vessel

German short sea shipping specialist ship owner company Reederei Gerdes signed the order for Damen Cargo Vessels to build a second Combi Freighter 3850, following delivery of the Benabell G in September last year. The new vessel of the same type will be named the Kalli G. This addition to the fleet will increase overall efficiency.

Impressive performance of the Damen CF 3850 that was taken into service end of 2021, convinced Reederei Gerdes to order the next vessel of this type. Now that European short sea shipping is experiencing a period of growing demand, fleet renewal is key to be prepared for future operations. Tightening environmental regulations require fleet upgrades. The CF 3850 performs well within the requirements from IMO and port states, making it a future proof vessel. Additional benefit for the ship operator is of course the low fuel consumption at high deadweight.

“It is important for us to utilise the resources available in a responsible manner,” states Nicole Gerdes, managing partner at the ship owner company. “We focus on longevity and sustainability to retain our competitive advantage in coming years.”

Kalli G can sail at over ten knots carrying full cargo load, with less installed propulsion power. Optimised design of the hull reduces water resistance and enables substantial fuel savings. The 89.70 meter length over all, 12.50 meter beam vessel has a 1104 kW main engine. The relatively small power source is enough to maintain her 11.8 knot design speed even in rough conditions. The vessel carries 3830 tonnes of load. Cargo hold tanktop strength is reinforced to carry 15 tonnes per square meter. The CF 3850 takes 172 containers: 108 in the hold and 64 on deck. 

Gerdes, with its associated chartering company over-C GmbH & Co.  intends to employ the ship in the European coastal trade. Dennis Clavier, Director at over-C states: “The size, in combination with its ‘NAABSA notation’ make the CF3850 a good vessel for calling smaller tidal ports for example in the UK. The movable bulkheads which can be used as partial tween-decks offer flexibility to carry grain, animal feed, fertilizer, steel but also project cargoes from time-to-time.”

Damen Cargo Vessels, located in Drachten, the Netherlands, serves ship owners in the short sea trading with standardised designs for combi freighters, tankers and container feeders, building in stock and where needed to client specification. By 2021, four vessels of the CF 3850 design were available ready built, all of them have been taken into service in the last year and 13 more contracts have been signed for vessels of the same design.