The following is text of a press release from Fednav Ltd:
(PORTAGE, Ind.) — Fednav Ltd., the largest international bulk shipowner in Canada, has welcomed to the Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor the Federal Caribou, one of seven new oceangoing lakers equipped with a ballast water treatment system — a first for the Great Lakes. This vessel protects the lakes by treating its ballast water two times: by conducting an exchange in the North Atlantic, and through filtration and a chlorine disinfection treatment on the ship.
Federal Caribou is part of a series of 16 Handysize vessels, representing an investment by Fednav of more than $400 million and designed specifically for the Great Lakes. The company is the leading international operator in the Great Lakes, has one of the most modern fleets of bulk carriers in the world, the average age being under 10 years. Of particular interest is that the Federal Caribou and its sister-ships have box-shaped holds in order to facilitate the handling of general cargo.
In April 2015, Fednav announced the signing of an agreement with JFE Engineering Corp. for the installation of ballast water treatment systems (BallastAce) on board its new oceangoing lakers. Federal Caribou is one of those ships, and its voyage to Burns Harbor highlights the fact that Fednav is the first shipping company in the Great Lakes to treat ballast water using an onboard system. JFE is now pursuing U.S. Coast Guard certification, with expected approval in 2017.
Other outstanding environmental characteristics of these vessels include:
* 25 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than similar vessels built less than 15 years ago
* A decrease of over 15 percent nitrogen oxide emissions
* A CLEAN notation from the DNV/GL classification society
At the ceremony on board the ship, Paul Pathy, president and co-CEO of Fednav Ltd. and chairman of Federal Marine Terminals, noted: "This vessel confirms that the protection of the Great Lakes is a priority for Fednav and demonstrates the confidence we have in the region’s future. These ships will allow us to offer our customers in Indiana and throughout the region an unparalleled service at a higher standard.”
“We commend and congratulate Fednav for its commitment to make these long-term investments that benefit so many on the Great Lakes,” said Rich Cooper, CEO for the Ports of Indiana. “The company has always taken the Lake’s environment very seriously and being the first to outfit its newer ships with onboard ballast water treatment systems further validates just how committed it really is. We are proud to call Fednav a ‘true partner’ at our port on Lake Michigan and salute the company for their innovation and leadership in the maritime industry.”
Federal Caribou is a 652-foot laker built in 2016 by Oshima Shipbuilding Co. that flies a Marshall Islands flag.
Fednav Ltd., established in 1944 is a privately owned international shipowning and operating company based in Montreal.
