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January 2012 – CaytransBBC, a service managed by Dan-Gulf shipping, announces it is adding a sixth vessel to its fleet. The M/V ‘BBC Anglia’ will join the existing fleet that offers regular service between the US Gulf and the North Coast of South America. The ship will deliver into the service in mid January 2012 in Santa Marta, Colombia.

The ‘BBC Anglia’ is a 4,820dwat multipurpose vessel featuring box-shaped cargo holds, adjustable tween-decks, and 2 x 60mt cranes that can lift up to 120mt combined. The vessel joins a modern fleet that is suitable to carry project, break-bulk and bulk cargoes. Like the other CaytransBBC vessels, the BBC Anglia is timber and grain fitted and can be converted to a single deck carrier upon request.

The fleet extension will allow CaytransBBC to provide more regular sailings. The lines’ vessel load in Houston and Mobile and connect to Cartagena, Santa Marta and Barranquilla in Colombia, Guanta and Maracaibo in Venezuela and to Pt. Lisas in Trinidad. Other load and discharge ports can be called on inducement basis.

CaytransBBC reports it has enjoyed a steady growth in cargo volume over the past year. The lines’ ability to provide superior customer service, timely sailings and competitive freight rates has allowed it to gain significant market share into the North Coast South American and Caribbean market.

“We are pleased to see our services expand to meet the increasing demands from international shippers”, states Mr. Niels Busse, President of Dan-Gulf Shipping and adds: “Our niche expertise on the trade to the North Coast of South America and other Caribbean and Central American destinations is unique and we are prepared to discuss any project opportunities.”

About CaytransBBC - CaytransBBC is a joint venture service of the leading German multipurpose and heavy-lift fleet operator BBC Chartering and New Orleans-based Caytrans Project Services (Americas). The company operates box shaped multipurpose tween-deckers ranging from 3,500to 4,820dwat and offers lifting capacities up to 120mt. On a demand basis, the service can access a fleet of 140 multi-purpose/heavy-lift vessels which is operated by BBC Chartering and offers clients lifting capacities up to 800mt.

Dec 2011 - It was for the second time that a trainee was honored in Berlin as Germany’s class winner in this field of professional education.

It has been after a three year dual training program at BBC Chartering headquarters and at the BBS College in Leer when 24 year old Lars Czimny finished his program with best grade and honors in 2011. Together with the class winners of 218 dual training programs he got invited to Berlin on Dec. 12, 2011 to a ceremony led by Germany’s Chamber of Commerce Chairman Hans Heinrich Driftman and Secretary of Commerce Philipp Rösler honoring the freshly graduated students’ achievements as federal champions.

Dec 2011 – Leading German heavy lift operator BBC Chartering from Leer secured the contract to transport radio telescope antennas for the currently largest cosmic project on earth, the ALMA observatory. This international partnership project under development aims at further studying the universe and is located in the Chilean Andes.

For this project 25 antennas have been ordered from the European AEM consortium, consisting of Thales Alenia Space S.A., European Industrial Engineering srl and MT Mechatronics GmbH.  This required maritime transportation form Aviles, Spain to Antofagasta, Chile. Another portion of 12 antennas needed to be shipped from Kobe, Japan to Mejilones, Chile.

BBC Chartering was entrusted with the maritime portion to deliver the above antennas. “The fleet concept played a decisive role in the selection for this shipping part. The availability of vessels with own lifting gear and the flexibility to load in Aviles, Spain on the regular European service to the West Coast of Latin America were major arguments pro BBC Chartering,” confirms Ulrich Kleckers of alca transitarios S.A., the Spanish logistics firm responsible to arrange the transport of the steel structures for the European antennas, build by Asturfeito S.A. in Aviles.

“The first antenna was shipped early 2009, and meanwhile 16 antennas have been delivered to Chile from Spain. Three more are about to be loaded onboard the BBC Colorado in mid-December. The remaining six European antennas are scheduled to leave production early next year,” states Mr. Ralph Ruthner, MT-Mechatronics project manager on behalf of procuring ESO (European Southern Observatory).

Meanwhile BBC Chartering concluded the transport of twelve Japanese antennas from Kobe with the shipment of the last three to Mejilones, Chile this October. “We are excited to contribute to this amazing project,” says Svend Andersen, managing director of BBC Chartering. “We can appreciate that we were the shipping partner of choice for this prestigious project. We like to thank our partners for trusting our abilities and the opportunity to deliver our part to this important scientific program.”

BBC Chartering offers an extensive network of liner services around the world. Through the BBC Andino Express Line and the BBC Americana Line the company offers two regular connections from Europe to South America. The first handles transports destined for the West Coast, the second to the East Coast of Latin America. The company also recently introduced a Mediterranean liner service to the East Coast of Latin America.

About the ALMA project – The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), an international astronomy facility, is a partnership of Europe, North America and East Asia in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. ALMA is the largest astronomical project on earth in existence. It represents a revolutionary telescope design, comprising an array of 66 giant 12-meter and 7-meter diameter antennas observing at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. The ALMA site is located on the Chajnantor plateau at 5,000 meters altitude in northern Chile.

ALMA construction and operations are led on behalf of Europe by European Southern Observatory (ESO), on behalf of North America by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and on behalf of East Asia by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). 
http://www.almaobservatory.org/

October 2011 – Leading German multipurpose & heavy lift operator BBC Chartering announces to cooperate with the Hamburg-based company SkySails. The background is the recently acquired multipurpose vessel ‘BBC SkySails’ that can offer charter clients the possibility for ‘greener’ sea transports. The 9,821 dwt vessel is fitted with the latest prototype of the SkySails auxiliary wind propulsion system. The system uses a kite with a surface measuring 320sqm which can deliver an engine load relief of up to 2,000 kW at favorable wind conditions.

“There are many technological developments underway that have the potential to innovate and influence the future of shipping.” says Svend Andersen, Managing Director of BBC Chartering and continues “By adding ‘BBC SkySails’ to our fleet we can offer an innovative service that allows to measurably reducing emissions and hence credibly and visibly supports a charter client’s corporate sustainability strategy.”

Besides fostering ‘green shipping’ awareness, the company reports that the cooperation also follows the goal to further probe and improve the practical application of the towing kite system on board.

Stephan Wrage, CEO of SkySails says, “The SkySails propulsion system as cutting edge technology offers cargo owners and shippers the possibility to share into our joint responsibility for green actions.”

The company says it notices high attention from single market participants, but also from industry associations that like to take leadership roles in strengthening green awareness and call for responsible actions amongst peers. “We look forward to develop such ideas together with BBC Chartering and other interested parties,” states Mr. Wrage. “Interested cargo owners and shippers are welcome to contact us and make use of a vessel visiting opportunity,” adds Niels Finn, Key Account Manager at SkySails.

About SkySails – The Hamburg-based company SkySails GmbH is the market and technology leader for automated towing kite systems. Targeting the merchant fleet, the SkySails system can be installed as auxiliary wind propulsion system on most types of existing and new build cargo ships.

The company was established in 2001 and today employs about 80 people in their facilities in Hamburg and Wismar. Lead investors are the ship financing company Jan Luiken Oltmann Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG, the marine engine supplier Zeppelin Power Systems GmbH & Co. KG and the Dutch Life Sciences and Materials Sciences Company Royal DSM N.V. Besides private investors and family offices, the group of SkySails investors also includes numerous notable shipping companies.

Some 50 million euros have been invested in developing the SkySails technology and establishing the manufacturing capability.

For media inquiries:
SkySails GmbH
Media Contact
Veritaskai 3
21079 Hamburg - Germany
Phone: +49 40 702 99 444
Fax: +49 40 702 99 333
e-mail: press at skysails.com
Additional information is available at www.skysails.com

Hamburg “Steinweg” terminal visited by three BBC Chartering liner vessels simultaneously
Sept 2011 – It was on August 28, when three vessels of leading German heavy lift operator BBC Chartering from Leer could be sighted at Hamburg’s Steinweg terminal.

It was the BBC Arizona, BBC Ecuador, and the chartered-in vessel Arubaborg that loaded project cargo, steel, mining equipment and some containers for South America.
The company offers an extensive network of liner services around the world, which has been built up over the years. Northern Europe is a major link in this network that connects with North America and South America featuring regular sailings on the BBC Andino Express Line and the BBC Americana Line via its European service. The first handles transports destined for the West Coast, the second to the East Coast of Latin America.

“We have been supporting the economic development of Latin America since the very early days of our company’s history, when we started to supply tramp services.” states Svend Andersen, Managing Director of BBC Chartering.

Sandra Markus, who heads the European liner activities at the company’s headquarter in Leer says: “Starting in 2005 we have introduced these regular services. These connections are now
playing an important role in the development of the construction and mining industry of the emerging economies of Latin America.”

The company’s Hamburg based agent Thorsten Lüddeke is also pleased with the
development: “We can enjoy regular high cargo volumes on these lines and we share an optimistic outlook that this is a sustainable trend.”

Operating monthly on a roundtrip basis, these services employ dedicated heavy lift vessels
that allow flexible and safe cargo handling securing a minimum lifting capacity of 160mt.

For more details Click here

Fleet renewal and expansion program includes 14 heavy lifters with 800mt lifting capacity

Sept 2011 – BBC Chartering took delivery of its new heavy lift vessel BBC Amber, built at Jinagzhou Shipyard, China.  This 14.360 dwat heavy lifter currently marks the top of the BBC’s “new wave” fleet renewal and  expansion program, offering lifting capacity up to 800mt (2x 400mt).
Svend Andersen, Managing Director of BBC Chartering said: “This vessel series program aims at increasing the lifting capacity of our fleet now up to 800mt. For us this marks a significant step in our company’s development on our ongoing quest to increase service levels, flexibility, and versatility, with modern tonnage at the core of the BBC Chartering operated fleet.”
The BBC Amber is the first of 14 new buildings that are planned to commence service for BBC Chartering over the next 2 years. This series of vessels carries the names of gem-stones, metaphorically appreciating its higher profile. Other new features of this series are seen in a superstructure located on the forecastle of the vessel, hence providing an unobstructed view and its universal cargo hold that allows shippers to make flexible use of weather protected space on 83m length and 19m width.
Currently under construction at Jiangxi Jiangzhou Shipyard, China, one more vessels of this series is expected to be delivered in 2011, the BBC Amethyst.
This June the company also took delivery of the BBC Fuji, the second of eight sister vessels named after rocky landmarks that are being built in Xingang, China. Similar to its sister vessel BBC Everest, this 9.300 dwat heavy lifter offers a lifting capacity up to 700mt. “Some of our clients have already experienced this new vessel and appreciate the advantages of a compact size vessel with high lifting capacity.  We are pleased to receive a lot of interest for this type.” said Andersen.
The BBC Bangkok is another vessel that was recently put into service this August, delivered from Dalian, China. This multipurpose vessel is also the second of eight vessels following BBC Bergen, which was joining the BBC Chartering fleet in January 2011. This 8.000 dwat vessel with 2x 80mt lifting gear is part of the fleet renewal program the company has committed to.

Sep. 12-16, 2011 - Leading German heavy lift shipping company BBC Chartering is looking forward to meet industry representatives at this year’s ‘Extemin’ mining exhibition staged in Arequipa, Peru. The company is pleased to welcome partners and visitors on booth # 1438/1439 and discuss business opportunities that will help the industry to foster its development.

‘We have been supporting the economic development of Peru since the very early days of our company’s history when we started to supply tramp services.’ states Lars Kristansen, who represents the company in Lima. ‘Starting in 2005 we have also introduced a regular service, the BBC Andino Express line, connecting the US Gulf with the West Coast of South America.

This connection is now playing a major role in the development of the local construction and mining industry.’ Operating twice a month on a roundtrip basis, this service employs dedicated heavy lift vessels that allow flexible and safe cargo handling securing a minimum lifting capacity of 160mt.

Also as an important link, BBC Chartering connects Europe with Peru with the BBC Andino Express Line European Service. Regular monthly sailings from Hamburg, Antwerp, and Bilbao to the West Coast of Latin America, via Charleston, US East Coast are provided on this connection. On modern heavy lift tonnage, BBC Chartering helps to deliver smaller project parcels, like mining equipment and heavy machinery to Peru.

For more details Click here