Bremen (Germany)-based transportation specialist Beluga Shipping GmbH is the world market leader in the project and heavy lift segment according to the Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics. Precise, creative, cost-efficient and customer-specific transport solutions to whatever challenge are the hallmark of the ocean carrier which was founded back in 1995 by then and today President & CEO Niels Stolberg. The young and powerful state-of-the-art fleet of Beluga Shipping comprises around 70 multipurpose heavy lift project carriers with powerful on board cranes, high tonnage, box-shaped holds, adjustable tweendecks and a wide scope of possible applications. By the new generation vessels of the Beluga P-class the crane capacity range up to 1,400 tons in tandem usage, the maximum tonnage reaches 20,000 tons deadweight, and in addition moderate bunker consumption and ice class Finnish/Swedish 1A allow for effective, worldwide operation also on routes off the beaten tracks of international merchant shipping.

The core business activities of the Beluga Shipping GmbH are reflected by outstanding projects in the niche market sectors oil & gas, offshore wind, refinery & petrochemical industry, port infrastructure, plant construction or project cargo. For instance, the experienced transport engineering experts and reliable seafarers displayed their know-how and dedication by the transport of the world’s largest buoy, weighing more than 1000 tons and measuring 27 metres in height, from Batam Island to the Gulf of Mexico. Equally so in summer 2009, when the MV “Beluga Fraternity” and the MV “Beluga Foresight” were the first western merchant vessels that fully transited the Northeast-Passage from Asia to Europe through the Arctic Ocean on commercial purpose. The ice-hardened vessels shipped heavy lift modules for a power plant from South Korea to Siberia and discharged the 200 to 300 tons weighing cargo units offshore onto barges for further transport on the River Ob. More Northeast-Passage transits by Beluga Shipping are quite certain to follow.

Project and heavy lift world market leader Beluga Shipping GmbH is going to strategically focus on the super heavy lift segment. This corporate policy is documented by the 16 Beluga P-class newbuildings with combined crane capacities between 800 and 1,400 tons that are to be delivered until the middle of 2011. The new generation powerhouses further strengthen the modern Beluga fleet.
In April 2009, Beluga Shipping GmbH and German construction specialist HOCHTIEF Construction AG formed a joint venture called BELUGA HOCHTIEF Offshore (BHO) that will develop heavy-lift jack-up vessels able to load, transport and install huge offshore wind plant modules and undertake maintenance of offshore facilities with overall heights of more than 120 meters in water depths of up to 50 meters.

With 8,000 tons loading capacity, 1,700 tons crane capacity and 12 knots service speed, these special lifting vessels can be operated all year round. The first BHO vessel is planned to be ready for use as from 2012 (Length overall 135 m, Breadth Hull 40 m, Depth Hull 11 m with a draft of 5-7m). The vessel will have four legs, can accommodate up to 160 people and is dynamically positioned.
Coming offshore specialists will be trained on the Maritime Campus Elsfleth, where Beluga Shipping is the private partner in an innovative PPP-project. Apart from lead-managing the Maritime Centre of Research, Beluga Shipping is significantly involved in the built up of an “Maritime Safety Training Center” and an “Offshore & Heavy Lift Crane Operation Simulator” which will provide the apprentices and students with authentic experience in terms of operating crane gear with up to 1,800 tons lifting capacities and safely load or discharge complex cargo on- and offshore.

BELUGA SHIPPING GMBH
P.O. Box 10 72 69 I
D-28072 Bremen
Web: www.Beluga-Group.com