HGK Shipping unit adds a new shortsea vessel to its fleet

Amadeus Schiffahrts- und Speditions GmbH, a HGK Shipping company has expanded its shortsea breakbulk fleet with the addition of a new coaster, Amadeus Saffier. Having in mind the high average age of the European shortsea fleet, Amadeus decided to modernise its fleet with a vessel that could respond to the growing requirements for logistics operations triggered by the energy transition.

At the beginning of October 2024, Amadeus Saffier started its first journey from Antwerp to Gijon in Spain, according to HGK Shipping.

The vessel is outfitted with a diesel-electric drive system that is “future-fuel-ready,” allowing it to transition from its current fuel, sulphur-reduced marine gas oil (MGO), to alternative, more sustainable energy sources. Additionally, the new vessel features VentoFoils, a wind-assisted propulsion system (WAPS). When the VentoFoils are combined with the modified hull shape and an optimized propeller, they reduce emissions by up to 50 per cent and are expected to achieve an energy efficiency level that is up to 30 per cent higher compared to the existing international fleet.

“Thanks to welcoming Amadeus Saffier into our fleet, we can offer our customers another important building block to provide a resource-saving supply chain. It enables us to implement a seamless, more environmentally friendly transport solution both out at sea and along rivers. We’re consistently pursuing this development in conjunction with our longstanding partner, De Bock Maritiem B.V.,” says Wolfgang Nowak, the Managing Director of Amadeus Schiffahrts- und Speditions GmbH.

The vessel is owned by the shipping company De Bock Maritiem, and will be operated by Amadeus on a long-term charter.

The vessel, designed by Conoship, has a payload capacity of 3,500 tonnes and operates in European short-sea routes in the North Sea, Baltic Sea, Mediterranean, and Black Sea regions, handling bulk and breakbulk cargo. With a low draught of just 5.00 meters when fully loaded, the vessel can also facilitate the transition between the open sea and the river Rhine, the Albert Canal, and other inland waterways.

“The renewal of the European short-sea fleet is indispensable in order to meet the growing demands on the part of customers for modern transport logistics operations. The Amadeus Saffier is an excellent example of a future-orientated, efficient fleet, which offers persuasive arguments both at sea and along inland waterways,” Steffen Bauer, the CEO of HGK Shipping, said.