S.M.C has strengthened its capacity and extended its experience on vessel type diversification, as well as penetrating further into ro-ro market by securing two ro-ro rail car ferries agreement with Seacor Holdings, United States.
The 2,000-lane-metre ferries will be constructed at China’s Huangpu Wenchong Yard due in 2020. S.M.C has provided technical consultancy at early stage prior to SBC signing, and will provide plan approval and site supervision services in accordance with the project development.
The shipbuilding contract (SBC) was signed by New Orleans-based CG Railway (CGR), a 50/50 joint venture between Seacor and Genesee & Wyoming Inc. SEACOR’s ocean transportation & logistics services businesses, through SEACOR Ocean Transport, owns marine equipment operating in the U.S. coastwise trade transporting bulk liquids and dry cargo; operates vessels that support the global movement of U.S. food aid and military cargoes; and offers customers turnkey logistics and liner service solutions to move goods and materials from Florida into the Caribbean. CGR currently has two ro-ro rail ferries, each with the capacity to transport approximately 115 railcars per voyage. It operates a freight railroad providing a four-day service between the ports of Mobile, Alabama, and Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz. The rail ferry offers a faster and more cost-effective alternative to the traditional land route between the southeast US and southeast Mexico, it said at the time of the JV buyout.