GERMANY – MYANMAR – Heavy lift cargo and project freight shipping specialist Hamburg based Rickmers-Linie has wasted no time in exploiting the better relations that the former Burmese state is now enjoying with the outside world. With the lifting of trade sanctions, Rickmers-Linie is once again able to offer calls at Myanmar. Initially, the country’s main port, Yangon, will be served on inducement as part of the company’s Indian service and will cater for heavy lift cargo up to 800 tonnes in weight.
Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, was once the capital city of Burma and although the city of Naypyidaw, just over 300km north of Yangon and one of the world's 10 fastest-growing cities, became Myanmar’s capital in 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial centre. Gerhard Janssen, Rickmers-Linie’s Director, Sales & Marketing, notes that Myanmar’s infrastructure, including that of Yangon itself, will require significant improvements to match other major cities in Southeast Asia saying:
“We anticipate longer term that this issue will be addressed. Free of sanctions, Myanmar’s economy should develop quickly and an increase in construction activity is inevitable. That will drive demand for breakbulk and project cargo.”
The Rickmers fleet on the Indian service consists of Linde, Martin and Baltic Winter, as well as Rickmers Yokohama and Rickmers Tianjin. While the 2011-built Baltic Winter has a deadweight of 19,800 tonnes and is capable of lifting individual items of cargo up to 800 tonnes in weight, Linde and Martin, both built in 2005, are 12,800dwt ships each equipped with two 120-tonne capacity cranes that can be twinned to lift 240 tonnes. The 17,000 dwt sister vessels Rickmers Yokohama and Rickmers Tianjin each have a maximum lifting capacity of 300 tonnes.
Photo: Courtesy of Rickmers. Delivered late last year, Baltic Winter is one of the latest vessels to join Rickmers-Linie’s India Service, now offering calls on inducement at the port of Yangon, Myanmar.
