JR Shipping Group has and will continue to involve its clients/charterers closely in the development of the ECO Feeder designs. “The market needs a new generation of better performing and more sustainable feeder vessels”, says Managing Owner Sander Schakelaar. “We strongly believe in the need for a more integrated approach with our clients in order to achieve their goals.”

The main goal is to maximize energy efficiency and economic performances and minimize the climate footprint. The innovation program JR Shipping Group and Technolog started, fits in the overall commitment of the international shipping industry to reduce CO2 emissions dramatically. In 2018 all 173 nations which are united within the International Maritime Organization (IMO) agreed on the mission to reduce carbon emissions of global shipping by at least 50% in 2050 compared with 2008. With its ECO Feeder series JR Shipping Group contributes to limit the climate impact of container feeder shipping.

‘We are at the dawn of a new era’

“We are at the dawn of a new era”, says Sander Schakelaar. “Enabled by growing container volumes and technological advancement and necessitated by increasing environment requirements a new generation of feeder vessels is inevitably knocking on the door.” He explains that the new ECO vessels will be based on principles such as: hull form optimalisation for actual operational speed profiles, focus on optimizing energy efficiency, extreme reduction of fuel consumption and emissions and focus on reducing operational costs.

Up to 40-50% lower fuel consumption

The ECO vessels will initially be fuelled with ‘ultra-low sulphur fuel oils’ while applying additional exhaust gas filtering including Carbon Capture in order to minimize the carbon footprint. However, the vessels will be prepared to switch to other sustainable fuels at a later stage such as green methanol or synthetic LNG. Main characteristics are:

• exhaust gas filtering including Carbon Capture;
• prepared for green methanol or synthetic LNG;
• far less emissions;
• more efficiency – better economic performance;
• up to 40-50% lower fuel consumptions

The series of new designs which has been prepared with ship design partner Technolog cover all segments of the European container feeder market. JR Shipping aims at ‘ECO Flex Feeders’ ranging from 500, 900 and 1100 TEU with high 45 ft. container capacities and ‘Baltic Max ECO Feeders’ ranging from 1600 TEU up to 2100 TEU. All designs will have the highest ice class. JR Shipping Group is currently discussing its new designs with several clients/charterers with the objective to jointly move forward. Selected designs will then be customized to the needs of these and any other interested charterers.
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