In early August, Clipper Bulk took delivery of the second of a series of four sister vessels from the Shin-Kasado Dockyard of Imabari Shipbuilding Ltd. in Japan. The vessel, Clipper Triton, joins the Clipper I-Star as the newest member of the fleet. Like the Clipper I-Star, Clipper Triton is a 61,000dwt Supramax bulk carrier representing the latest development in technology and eco fuel consumption.
Shortly after the naming and launching of the Clipper Triton, Clipper attended the naming and launching ceremony of the Clipper Excalibur, a 66,000dwt Supramax vessel built by Mitsui Engineering at Tamano Shipyard. At more than 66,000dwt, the Clipper Excalibur will be the largest modern Supramax on the water; yet it has a similar consumption of vessels many thousands of tonnes smaller.
Gary Vogel, Clipper Group CEO, commented, “It was a very busy but exciting day for Clipper, as both of these vessels represent the future of our company, in terms of efficiency, economy and ecology. We now look forward to bringing our partners and customers these fantastic ships.”
The Clipper Excalibur will join the Clipper Bulk fleet in November after finalization of construction. She will be joined by a sister vessel, the Clipper Excelsior, in early 2014.
In total, Clipper Bulk has ten newbuilding vessels currently scheduled for delivery from 38,000 to 76,000dwt.
Clipper is a major presence in the dry bulk market. It operates a large fleet of Handysize through Panamax vessels. It also has a number of subsidiary businesses, including Clipper Steel Services, the largest dedicated steel carrier, and Compass Rose Shipping. In addition to bulk, Clipper Group has investments in project (multipurpose), tankers and cruise vessels, as well as in ferry and ro-ro services and non- maritime business. Clipper manages and operates about 175 vessels in total, of which it owns approximately half. It has around 30 in in-house technical management. Clipper is commercially headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with approximately 240 employees working in its offices in nine countries around the world.