A new heavylift company has been created in northern Europe following a tie-up between Rhenus Maritime Services (RMS) and Arkon Shipping & Projects (AKS).

Germany's Rhenus is buying a stake of 60% in its compatriot and forming RMS Projects to run a fleet of 20 multipurpose heavylift cargo vessels.

The new venture was announced days after a merger between Jumbo Shipping of the Netherlands and Germany’s SAL Heavy Lift created a fleet of 30 heavylift and breakbulk ships.

RMS, which ships 4m tonnes of freight annually with 11 of its own coastal vessels, said the move strengthens its project and heavy-lift cargo business.

The rest of RMS Projects is owned by AKS co-founder and managing director Thomas Cord.

The selling shareholder was the other founder and former managing director, shipbroker Torsten Westphal.

Office being moved

AKS' headquarters will be moved from Haren an der Ems to Hamburg. Thomas Ullrich, managing director of RMS, will also be co-managing director of RMS Projects with Cord.

"Rhenus and Arkon Shipping & Projects have already worked together on some projects and we believe there is huge potential in further expanding this partnership in the field of project shipments and bulk charter services," Ullrich said.

Cord added: "We’ll not only be operating for Rhenus in future, but will also act as a broker for a large number of customers and operate a central chartering desk in the project and heavylift segment."

This is not the first time logistics group Rhenus and AKS parent Arkon Shipping, which also owns bulkers and boxships, have teamed up.

2017 buy-in

In 2017, Rhenus bought a 40% stake in Arkon and they set up a joint KG (limited partnership) investment outfit, Rhenus-Arkon-Shipinvest (RHAS), to expand the fleet.

Two years later, RHAS made its first move into shipowning with an order in China, contracting four 4,200-dwt general cargo vessels at Dayang Offshore.

Westphal and shipowners Herm and Stefan Jungerhans and Gerd Wessels each have a 20% shareholding in Arkon in addition to the Rhenus parent group, which had annual revenue of $4.95bn in 2017.

Arkon was established in 1995 by Westphal, Wessels and Heinrich Jungerhans.

Norwegian mini-bulker owner Wilson teamed up with Arkon last year to create a giant in the European coastal dry bulk trade.

The move created the largest shortsea player in Europe, with more than 130 time-chartered and owned mini-bulkers, the companies said.

Bergen-based, Oslo-listed Wilson took over the long-term leases on around 20 small bulkers from Arkon's coastal fleet, including a series of newbuildings for delivery in two years' time.

It also assumed all contracts and commitments performed by Arkon.