DFDS has kindly sent a drone pictures taken during the trials of Jinling Shipyard’s yard number 408 which is expected to be delivered later during 1Q 2019.

The 15,930dwt, five-deck ro-ro freighter started her eight-day sea trials on 10 January. Just to give an idea about the ship’s sheer size: at 55,780 gross tons, the enclosed volume of the hull and superstructure is 70% higher than that of GARDENIA SEAWAYS, a Flower Class ro-ro built by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft in 2017.

With a length of 237.4m and 33.0m beam, the newbuild has an intake of 6,700 lanemetres or 450 trailers. The ship’s AIS signal betrays that she is named GOTHIA SEAWAYS, yet DFDS declined to comment on the ship’s current and possible future name as she will be introduced in the U.N. Ro-Ro/DFDS network linking Istanbul with Trieste.

Designed by KNUD E. HANSEN, the scrubber-equipped GOTHIA SEAWAYS is powered by two MAN B&W 8S50 ME-C main engines each with an output of 11,800kW for a 21-knot service speed. It is the first ship in a series of six ordered at Jinling Shipyard. The second ship – believed to be named BELGIA SEAWAYS – should be delivered this spring and will join her sister in the East Med.

Written by Shippax / Philippe Holthof