B-683 / SELANDIA
General cargo bulk carrier SELANDIA (type B-683)
Keel laid: 19 April 1995
Launched: 29 September 1995
Delivered: 23 March 1996
An all-purpose bulk cargo ship, converted to carry dry cargo and containers.
One of the largest vessels ever built at Gdańsk Shipyard, and also one of the last: its construction continued after the bankruptcy of the Shipyard.
Technical specifications:
capacity: 30,928 GT; 15,837 NT; 48,139 DWT, 2094 TEU;
dimensions: 200.0 x 30.8 x 12.0 m
propulsion: Cegielski-Sulzer 5RTA62U diesel engine with 8670 kW power
speed: 14.5 knots
crew: 38
Two type B-683 vessels were built in 1994-1997 for foreign shipowners.
Bulk carriers, which carry cargo that can be poured into holds or tanks, are a peculiar type of cargo vessel. The typical goods carried by bulk carriers are coal, ore, grain or cement. This group of vessels also includes tankers. The largest ships built so far are bulk carriers. The largest vessels built in Poland also belong to this group: the type B-526 bulk carriers with ca. 160,000 DWT, built in Gdynia in 1989-1996 for a French shipowner.
The first ships built at Gdańsk Shipyard after 1945 were also bulk carriers: the type B-30 ore and coal carriers and type B-31 coal carriers. After building the especially large B-31 series (87 vessels!), Gdańsk Shipyard began to build more technologically advanced vessels: general cargo ships, fishing bases and stern trawlers. Meanwhile, bulk carriers continued to be built by the shipyards in Szczecin and Gdynia, mainly ordered by the USSR and the Polish Steamship Company. In the early 1970s, the largest Polish vessels were built in Gdynia: the type B-521 bulk carriers with the Manifest Lipcowy as the prototype.
In the 1960s, so-called OBO vessels became popular, as they were able to interchangeably carry various types of cargo, for example, coal or ore one way and crude oil on the way back. The name OBO vessels is an abbreviation of the types of cargo: Oil, Bulk and Ore.
Polish shipyards began building OBO vessels in the 1970s. At the time, the best known ships of this class were the 100,000 DWT type B-524 bulk carriers, each of which was able to carry 100,000 tonnes of cargo at a time. They were built in 1973-1977 at Gdynia Shipyard, commissioned by the USSR; the first of them was called the Marshal Budionny. All told, nine OBO vessels were built in Gdynia: seven for the USSR and two for Western shipowners.
With time, OBO vessels became less popular as they turned out to be more expensive to build and operate than traditional bulk carriers. The pipelines necessary to handle the oil made it difficult to clean the holds and were an unnecessary ballast during the transport of dry cargo. What is more, they would be easily damaged by the cranes’ gripping devices during the loading and unloading of the bulk cargo. It was difficult to keep the hatch covers leak tight, which carried the risk of an explosion when carrying oil. The cleaning of the holds also proved difficult and time-consuming when they had to be prepared for a load of grain after the oil had been unloaded. For this reason, the already built OBO vessels were upgraded and converted to carry one type of cargo.
Other combined bulk cargo carriers took their place, combining the features of bulk carriers and container ships. This vessel class includes three type B-683 bulk cargo carriers built at Gdańsk Shipyard, for dry cargo and containers. Initially, six such vessels were planned. However, Gdańsk Shipyard’s difficulties caused the shipowners to cancel their orders.
These vessels were built, just like the type B-501 ferries, in adverse financial and economic conditions. The failing Gdańsk Shipyard was unable to fund their construction by itself, while the shipowners did not want to invest with no guarantee of completion either. As usual, the government refused to provide any real help and eventually a consortium of Polish banks came to the aid of the Shipyard, by securing the funds and providing a loan. The ships were completed and the loan was repaid, but the banks decided that the shipbuilding business was too risky.
Bulk carriers, which carry cargo that can be poured into holds or tanks, are a peculiar type of cargo vessel. The typical goods carried by bulk carriers are coal, ore, grain or cement. This group of vessels also includes tankers. The largest ships built so far are bulk carriers. The largest vessels built in Poland also belong to this group: the type B-526 bulk carriers with ca. 160,000 DWT, built in Gdynia in 1989-1996 for a French shipowner.
The first ships built at Gdańsk Shipyard after 1945 were also bulk carriers: the type B-30 ore and coal carriers and type B-31 coal carriers. After building the especially large B-31 series (87 vessels!), Gdańsk Shipyard began to build more technologically advanced vessels: general cargo ships, fishing bases and stern trawlers. Meanwhile, bulk carriers continued to be built by the shipyards in Szczecin and Gdynia, mainly ordered by the USSR and the Polish Steamship Company. In the early 1970s, the largest Polish vessels were built in Gdynia: the type B-521 bulk carriers with the Manifest Lipcowy as the prototype.
In the 1960s, so-called OBO vessels became popular, as they were able to interchangeably carry various types of cargo, for example, coal or ore one way and crude oil on the way back. The name OBO vessels is an abbreviation of the types of cargo: Oil, Bulk and Ore.
Polish shipyards began building OBO vessels in the 1970s. At the time, the best known ships of this class were the 100,000 DWT type B-524 bulk carriers, each of which was able to carry 100,000 tonnes of cargo at a time. They were built in 1973-1977 at Gdynia Shipyard, commissioned by the USSR; the first of them was called the Marshal Budionny. All told, nine OBO vessels were built in Gdynia: seven for the USSR and two for Western shipowners.
With time, OBO vessels became less popular as they turned out to be more expensive to build and operate than traditional bulk carriers. The pipelines necessary to handle the oil made it difficult to clean the holds and were an unnecessary ballast during the transport of dry cargo. What is more, they would be easily damaged by the cranes’ gripping devices during the loading and unloading of the bulk cargo. It was difficult to keep the hatch covers leak tight, which carried the risk of an explosion when carrying oil. The cleaning of the holds also proved difficult and time-consuming when they had to be prepared for a load of grain after the oil had been unloaded. For this reason, the already built OBO vessels were upgraded and converted to carry one type of cargo.
Other combined bulk cargo carriers took their place, combining the features of bulk carriers and container ships. This vessel class includes three type B-683 bulk cargo carriers built at Gdańsk Shipyard, for dry cargo and containers. Initially, six such vessels were planned. However, Gdańsk Shipyard’s difficulties caused the shipowners to cancel their orders.
These vessels were built, just like the type B-501 ferries, in adverse financial and economic conditions. The failing Gdańsk Shipyard was unable to fund their construction by itself, while the shipowners did not want to invest with no guarantee of completion either. As usual, the government refused to provide any real help and eventually a consortium of Polish banks came to the aid of the Shipyard, by securing the funds and providing a loan. The ships were completed and the loan was repaid, but the banks decided that the shipbuilding business was too risky.
