The Netherlands-based shipbuilder Royal Bodewes has signed a shipbuilding contract with the Hamburg-based logistic company CLI AG (CLI) for the construction of a RB 8500 Dwat MPP vessel.

The RB 8500 vessel is a next-generation multipurpose cargo vessel with a cargo capacity of almost 8,500 deadweight tons, featuring advanced environmental and fuel efficiency technologies.

One of the key features of the RB 8500 is its readiness for methanol fuel, facilitated by a MAN main engine.

In addition, the vessel will be equipped with an Eco Flettner rotor sail, which in accordance with the shipbuilder Royal Bodewes, directly reduces the CO2 emission of the vessel while she maintains a rather high speed.

Furthermore, she will have two Liebherr cranes, each with a lifting capacity of 80 tons, making it well-suited for heavy-duty cargo operations.

The construction of the ship is set to begin in October 2025 at the Royal Bodewes shipyard in Hoogezand, the Netherlands, with delivery scheduled for the summer of 2026, as the shipbuilder mentions.

Royal Bodewes states that this new ordered vessel is developed and optimized for the logistic demands of CLI, who will employ the vessel on the regular shipping route between Canada, the Netherlands and the UK.

Designed for high-speed service, the RB 8500 aims to increase operational capacity, Royal Bodewes says, “ensuring at least one extra voyage per year on the transatlantic route can be reached comparing to the current vessel trading on this route.”