Intermarine contracts for eight more ships

Intermarine contracts for eight more ships    Intermarine, managing agent of Industrial Maritime Carriers, said it has concluded agreements for the long-term charter of eight new heavy lift-multipurpose ships.
   The company has agreed to charter the ships from Reederei Jungerhans of Hamburg, which will have the ships built at the Portuguese shipyard Estaleiros de Viana do Castelo. Intermarine has similar relationships with the two firms for other ships.
   The first ship is to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2008. The first series of four ships — Industrial Eagle, Industrial Echo, Industrial Edge and Industrial Egret — will have carrying capacities of 10,000 deadweight tons and dual 250-ton cranes combinable for 500-ton lifts. The company's 'C' and 'D' class ships have capacities of 8,000 dwt.
   Four additional ships (as yet unnamed) will be 12,000 dwt with dual 400-ton cranes combinable for 800-ton lifts. These ships are schedule for deliveries starting in 2010.
   'There is a demand for higher capacity cranes as the size of reactors, fractionators, and cracking towers at refineries and chemical plants has grown,' said Andre Grikitis, president of Intermarine. 'These newbuildings will have a slightly greater cargo and lifting capacity than our current ships to better meet these cargo projections while retaining the shallow draft capability that allows us to service smaller ports and undeveloped areas.'
   Intermarine provides regular liner-like project transportation in the Americas and Asia as well as customized services worldwide. Intermarine has at its disposal one of the most modern fleets of multipurpose heavy lift vessels, with about 30 ships in its fleet.
   In April, Intermarine announced the New York private equity firm New Mountain Capital had purchased a large stake in Intermarine.