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Major lines taking up MacGregor’s Cargo Boost service

Michel van Roozendaal
President, MacGregor MacGregor management members MacGregor Executive Board, MET
Cargo and load-handling specialist MacGregor, a Cargotec company, has clinched its latest contract for Cargo Boost upgrades on six 16,000 teu Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) container ships. The vessels will be modified during 2020 drydockings and the contract has been booked into MacGregor’s second quarter 2019 order intake.

The company’s initiatives to raise cargo intake on container ships and other vessel types have attracted more attention recently following the successful completion of deals with leading lines including Seaspan, China Shipping Container Lines, Hapag-Lloyd and long-time customer MSC.

MacGregor President Michel van Roozendaal, speaking during a recent interview, revealed that the company’s smart systems can raise cargo capacity by as much as 15% and opportunities exist for ships in service, newbuildings and new designs.

The company’s cargo technology is gaining traction for several reasons.

- One, growing numbers of existing ships are undergoing scrubber installations which can involve a loss of cargo capacity. The company’s Cargo Boost options can offset this loss while modifications can be undertaken during a docking, simultaneously with scrubber installation.

- Two, the IMO’s 2030 aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% for transport work done, compared with 2008 levels, means that ship operators must assess not only the propulsion systems and physical aspects of their vessels, but also ship productivity and operational optimisation.

- And three, more cargo earns more money.

Van Roozendaal said that the company has a range of other cargo optimisation options for other ship types, including ro-ros and general cargo vessels. For rolling cargoes, there is significant scope for optimising loading and discharge management, thereby reducing time in port and raising vessel productivity.

Meanwhile, digital opportunities in the breakbulk business are being developed so that last-minute cargoes within a certain distance and delivery time from a port or terminal can be booked on board vessels with space available. This marginal cargo impacts the bottom line immediately whilst also raising ship productivity.