Built by Flender Werft at Lubeck, the 12,500dwt SPAARNERBORG is an innovative ro-roship; designed to carry paper and card supplies in specially-manufactured 90t Stora Enso cargo units (SECU). The vessel has three cargo decks which are designed to take SECUs, trailers, MAFI trailers and platforms. They can also accommodate cars, trucks, containers and general cargo. The total cargo capacity comprises 180 trailers, or 136 SECUs.
In order to provide a large volume of squared-off cargo space on three decks with no obstructions, the accommodation and the machinery spaces are placed forward. This unusual arrangement calls for the adoption of a 125m long propeller shaft, carrying the drive from the Wärtsilä 7RTA52U main engine to the Wärtsilä Lips four-bladed CP propeller. The propeller shaft stretches far out of the hull and is held by a single bracket. This solution reduces the wetted surface by about 4% compared to a conventional stern form.
With the forward superstructure and engine room, the fully-loaded ship is ballast free, and every intermediate condition can be reached with minimum ballast. Other interesting features are the mooring deck aft, raised above the upper deck in the form of a bridge in order to give clear access from the shore ramps, and flume tanks positioned at the aft end of the superstructure to counteract roll.
SPAARNERBORG has a direct access to the main deck through a Hamworthy KSE combined door and ramp. The ramp has finger flaps at both ends, and the overall length is 16m including flaps, with a driveway width of 22.7m. It can be worked at +/- 10 deg from the horizontal.
The access to the upper deck is provided directly from the shore over a specially designed two-level shore-based ramp constructed at the harbour in Goteborg, which is non-tidal, and a linkspan is used at tidal Zeebruge.
The ro-ro paper product carrier SPAARNEBORG and her two sisters are each powered by a Wärtsilä Sulzer 7RTA52U main engine of 10,920kW, and two Wärtsilä 6L20 auxiliary engines, each of 980kW. All engines are equipped with SCR systems to reduce NOxemissions to the minimum
The access to the tanktop is down two large (52m x 8.60m) fixed ramps each side of the centerline near the stern door. To ensure a watertight main deck, two large ramp covers, hinged at their forward ends, are fitted. The complete package is operated hydraulically from a power pack in the small aft machinery space.
The main engine develops 10,920 kW at 135 rev/min and drives a shaft generator from the free end through a gearbox. Two diesel-driven alternators are also fitted, all three units producing 1120 kW each. The machinery installation is designed to be environmentally friendly. The main engine operates on low sulphur heavy oil, and exhaust emission treatment (selective catalytic reduction) is provided for both main and auxiliary engines.
Length, oa: 183.40m, Length, bp: 173.40m, Breadth, mld: 25.20m, Depth to main deck: 9.30m, Draught design/scantling: 7.50/7.80m, Deadweight design: 12,500dwt, Service speed (85%MCR): 18knots, Crew: 14, Drivers:10.
