Ukrainian shipbuilding company Smart Maritime Group completed the ceremonial launching of yet another chemical tanker for Dutch company Veka Group in the Kherson shipyard on Sept. 11.
The tanker, Monteverdi, named after an Italian composer of the late Renaissance era, is designated for the transportation of oil and chemical products. According to the Ukrainian shipbuilder, Monteverdi was constructed in six months as part of a 2.7-million-euro contract with Dutch shipbuilding company Veka Group.
This is already the fourth tanker produced by the Ukrainian contractors for their Dutch client in under two years.
In 2019, the first two tankers were revealed simultaneously at the Kherson and Mykolaiv shipyards of Smart Maritime Group. One of the two tankers has already been spotted operating in the ports of Belgium. The third chemical tanker was premiered on Jan. 28.
“We have once again proved that our shipyard is capable of fulfilling orders from Europe at a high level,” said Dmitriy Krasnikov, CEO of Smart Maritime Group, on Sept. 11. “We are an export-oriented company that uses Ukrainian materials and creates employment within the shipbuilding industry here in Ukraine.”
The vessel weighs 5,000 tons and is made from shipbuilding steel manufactured in Ukraine, and is 110 meters in length, 13.5 meters in width, and 6.6 meters in height. The latest tanker is expected to soon travel to the shipyard in Werkendam, Netherlands for a full-fledged outfitting.
To launch the beginning of Monteverdi’s journey on water, Smart Maritime Group invited its Dutch partners and local businesspeople to a ceremony held at the construction site of the tanker in Kherson.
“Considering the quality and the amount of time it took, there is no doubt about the professionalism of the personnel here,” said Huig Spaargaren, representative of the Veka Group, after the unveiling of the tanker.
Sppargaren further reassured the Ukrainian shipbuilding company that Monteverdi would not be the last endeavor in their “friendly and fruitful” partnership.
Apart from their Dutch counterparts, Smart Maritime Group also provides ship-repair and shipbuilding services to companies from Norway, the U.K., and other countries.
Despite the Ukrainian shipbuilding company’s increased success overseas, Krasnikov previously noted that if Ukraine wants to develop shipbuilding as a leading industry, more state support is required.
“One of the main problems of the industry today remains the lack of financial assistance from the government,” Krasnikov said on Jan. 28. “Especially for long-term shipbuilding projects.”
