Westman Islands receives first mobile harbor crane

The mobile harbor crane was moved from Sundahöfn, Iceland, where a different mobile harbor crane was scheduled to go into operation this month.    The Westman Islands were scheduled to receive their first mobile harbor crane yesterday, Icelandic liner carrier Eimskip said.
   Also referred to as Vestmannaeyjar, the Westman Islands are a group of 15-18 islands, depending on how they are classed, located off the south coast of Iceland. The harbor at Westman Islands is an important export gateway for Iceland, Eimskip said.
   The crane was moved from Sundahöfn, Iceland, where a different mobile harbor crane was scheduled to go into operation this month.
   With this change, Eimskip’s intra-Europe Blue Line and Yellow Line loops can operate with gearless vessels, which are considerably less expensive to operate.
   The Blue Line currently operates with two vessels with an average capacity of 1,457 TEUs and a rotation of Reykjavik, Reydarfjordur, Thorshavn, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Aarhus, Thorshavn, Reykjavik and Grundartangi, according to Bluewater Reporting.
   The carrier’s Yellow Line service currently operates with two vessels with an average capacity of 800 TEUs and a rotation of Reykjavik, Vestmannaeyjar, Thorshavn, Immingham, Flushing, Rotterdam, Immingham, Reykjavik and Grundartangi.
   “The Yellow Line has been one of the most important transport routes for fresh seafood from Iceland and the Faroe Islands to markets in the UK and mainland Europe,” Eimskip Senior Manager, Liner Sales Brynjar Viggósson said.
   Eimskip chartered the 880-TEU Bakkafoss, formerly known as the Ceres, to operate on its Yellow Line, replacing the 724-TEU Brúarfoss. This will increase the loop’s average vessel capacity from 800 TEUs to 878 TEUs. According to the carrier’s most recent online service schedules, this change will take effect next week.
   Consequently, the Brúarfoss will move to Eimskip’s transatlantic Green Line, replacing the Selfoss of the same capacity, which is in the process of being sold. Based on Eimskip’s most recent online service schedules, it is not clear when the Brúarfoss will join this loop to replace the Selfoss.
   The Green Line currently operates with three vessels with an average capacity of 711 TEUs and a rotation of Halifax (Nova Scotia), Portland (Maine), Argentina (Newfoundland), Reykjavik, Isafjordur, Akureyri, Immingham, Rotterdam, Reykjavik, Argentina (Newfoundland) and Halifax (Nova Scotia).