German dry bulk operator Oldendorff Carriers has fixed what it claims are the largest bulkers to ever load logs in New Zealand.
The deal for the trip to Tauranga was finalised with charterer South Pacific Shipping (SPS), and brokered by Braemar ACM Shipbroking's Bruce McFarlane, a Mount Maunganui local.
Oldendorff Carriers has concluded two charters that will see the post-panamaxes each load over 30,000 tonnes of logs more than has ever been done before in New Zealand.
The first ship to call will be the 93,000-dwt Clemens Oldendorff (built 2012) at the end of October or early November.
Braemar also negotiated the deal with ISO Stevedoring that delivered the German-made mobile cranes that will allow the first ever post-panamax to load timber in the country.
McFarlane said: "We saw an opportunity to bring together two major players from the logs trade and dry bulk shipping to create new economies of scale through the utilisation of the new mobile shore cranes and larger vessels at Tauranga."
Two firsts for New Zealand
Cameron Mackenzie of SPS added that not only will these be the biggest vessels to carry logs from New Zealand, loading a gearless ship is also a first for the New Zealand log export industry.
"Our objective is to make the supply chain as efficient as possible while maximising port throughput, as well as minimising the environmental footprint from the transportation of logs," he added.
"Plus, as market leaders, we wanted to be the first to participate in something that has not been achieved before."
Oldendorff Carriers has been part of the New Zealand logs trade for decades.
The opportunity for this deal suited the owner's flexibility and diversity, the company said.
With more than 700 vessels in the fleet, ranging from 11,000 dwt to 210,000 dwt, the bulker operator was able to find vessels to quickly adjust to SPS's developing shipping requirements.
Mackenzie explained that a post-panamax will carry twice the volume of a conventional logger under its decks, but will not require any fumigation by methyl bromide as no timber will be carried on deck.
"This deal is also good for the environment," he said.
The logs are sourced from Pacific Forest Products (PFP) and supplied entirely from sustainable plantation forests.
If the post-panamax loading goes to plan, and freight rates remain proportionate to current levels, SPS will look to charter further such ships, Oldendorff said.
