Tropical exercises option for additional containership

The shipping company’s first of six new vessels is expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2017.    Tropical Shipping, a subsidiary of Saltchuk, has extended an order at the Huangpu Wenchong shipyard in Guangzhou, China by declaring an option for a 1,100-TEU containership, Clarkson Research Services said.
   The vessel is due for delivery in 2018 and is the fourth vessel in a series.
   In early June, Tropical said it would invest around $150 million for six new vessels and additional equipment such as containers, chassis and gensets to support the added capacity. The order was for two 1,100-TEU Carib class vessels, with an option for two more 1,100-TEU ships, and two Mini Express class vessels with 300 TEUs of capacity.
   The first ship is expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2017.
   The Carib class vessels are similar to Tropical’s Tropic Carib and Tropic Unity, which entered into service in 2002. The new 1,100-TEU vessels feature a service speed of 20 knots and are equipped with two cranes, 260 reefer plugs, hi-cubes below deck, and bow and stern thrusters that will minimize the need for tugs.
   Tropical said the two new Carib class vessels will replace two chartered vessels, greatly improving service time from Canada and Palm Beach, Fla. to San Juan, Puerto Rico, along with St. Thomas and St. Maarten.
   Last month, Tropical announced plans to move its port operations from the Port of St. John, New Brunswick to Halterm Container Terminal at the Port of Halifax, Nova Scotia with its last sailing from the Port of Saint John on Dec. 27.
   Tropical said the two vessels on option would replace the Tropic Sun and Tropic Tide, currently deployed on the carrier’s St. Thomas Leeward trade, as they are operating at 100 percent capacity. The Tropic Sun and the Tropic Tide would then be redeployed to the carrier’s Nassau and Cayman services.
   The Mini Express class vessels are similar to the Tropic Express, which entered into service in 2011. The two 300-TEU vessels are equipped with two cranes, a ramp for roll-on/roll-off cargo, 60 reefer plugs, and bow and stern thrusters. The Mini Express class vessels are able to serve shallow draft ports such as Providenciales in the northwest Caicos Islands, and will replace two Night class vessels currently deployed on Tropical’s Marsh Harbour–Turks and Caicos–Dominican Republic service.