On 11 September, the latest addition to the WALLENIUS SOL fleet was officially named in the Port of Turku, Finland. The ceremony gathered representatives from the company, the crew, politicians and industry stakeholders.
WALLENIUS SOL acquired British Mann Lines earlier this year, and in June the fleet was further strengthened with the newly constructed SOUTH ENABLER. In Turku, the vessel was formally given her name in a traditional ceremony, where a bottle was broken against the hull to bring good fortune at sea. Beatrice Erikson, Senior Manager Transhipment Operations at Wallenius Wilhelmsen, acted as godmother.
The vessel was built by Visentini Shipyard and designed by NAOS Ship and Boat Design. At 203.4 metres in length, she is ice-classed and prepared for methanol propulsion. Power comes from two 7,200 kW Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines, giving a top speed of 22 knots. She can carry a wide range of cargoes, including LoLo, RoRo and high and heavy cargo.
Since June, SOUTH ENABLER has been operating on the Tilbury–Cuxhaven–Turku–Paldiski–Bremerhaven–Tilbury service. Holding the naming in Turku was a natural choice for both the company and the port.
“The shipping line between Turku and the UK has been going strong since the early seventies. We’re pleased to begin our collaboration with WALLENIUS SOL, and are happy to see the increased capacity brought by SOUTH ENABLER,” said Erik Söderholm, Managing Director at Port of Turku.
Photo Christoffer Björklund
