One of the world's largest and most environmentally adapted car and truck carrying vessels, M/V Tijuca was named in Melbourne on the 11th of May 2009
The Naming Ceremony was held at Station Pier in the Ports of Melbourne. Peter Dexter, Chairman for Wilh. Wilhelmsen Oceania and Honorary Consul-General of Norway stated that: "A Wilhelmsen adaptation is to transfer the ceremony from the ship builder's yard to a port, where we can share the experience with valued customers, associates and our staff".
The Lady Sponsor of M/V Tijuca was Mrs Andrea Schrempp. M/V Tijuca was built at the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering yard in Korea for owner Wilh. Wilhelmsen. During the event, The Scandinavian Choir in Melbourne gave a beautiful rendition of the National Anthems for Norway and Australia.
A well-known tradition within the Wilhelmsen group is to name their vessels with names beginning with the letter "T". This tradition began with the first steam ship of the line, which was called Talabot. She recorded early profits that exceeded all expectations and the result and forecast was so good that every subsequent wessel acquisition has been given a name beginning with the letter "T".
Captain Freddy Johnsen and his crew
Wilh.Wilhelmsen's history and traditions in Australia
The proud owners of the new vessel, the Norwegian based company, Wilh.Wilhelmsen, is in fact the oldest company in Norway. Together with Wilhelmsen's partners, Wilhelmsen controls more than 160 vessels operating in a global network of trades and ranks as the world's largest operator in the roll on roll off cargo segment.
Greg Martin, Regional Director for Wilh.Wilhelmsen Australia, says: "WWL has been calling Australia and the port of Melbourne for over 100 years. The introduction of M/V Tijuca demonstrates our continued commitment to offering our customers exceptional service. As we welcome Tijuca, we are already working closely with the Port of Melbourne Corporation evaluating marine terminal requirements for our next generation Mark V RoRo vessels, to be launched in 2011 and for the longer term in the port of Melbourne."
Attendees from the left: Mrs Claire Martin, Mr Sang-Tae Nam (President & CEO of DSME), Mr Yoon-Keun Jang (VP Ship Marketing, Europe), Mrs Jong-Ae Choi, HE Mr Lars A Wensell (Ambassador), Mrs Andrea Schrempp (Lady Sponsor), Mr Peter Dexter AM (Chairman of WW ASA Oceania), Mrs Kaye Dexter, Mr Wolfgang Schrempp (President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Australia-Pacific), Mr Arild Iversen (President & CEO of WWL)
State-of-the-art environmental technology
WWL states that care for the environment is also a key feature of this new LCTC vessel. The M/V Tijuca is a state-of-the-art vessel, utilising world class environmental design elements. This will reduce CO2 emissions by 15 per cent per transported unit, as well as reducing emissions of SOx and particulate matters.
The vessel has also a very low NOx emission engine that is able to use bunkers with as low as one per cent of sulphur content. This dramatically improves her performance, reducing NOx emissions 35 per cent below current international regulations.
In addition, the new vessel has a number of built-in measures that will help WWL reach its ambitious environmental targets for 2009 and beyond. They include a state-of-the-art ballast water treatment system, using biodegradable oil in all hydraulic systems, and using an effective Marinfloc Bilge Water Flocculant Plant system wich exceeds current international regulations.
As a result, Wilh.Wilhelmsen leads the way with regard to adopting new environmentally friendly technology. In this relation the company moves in the same direction as the Norwegian positions in the lead up to the climate meeting in Copenhagen later this year.
Norwegian positions towards Copenhagen
Norway is working for an international agreement in Copenhagen that constitutes a comprehensive framework, enabling deep and necessary cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. Stabilising global warming at two degrees necessitates that all major emission sectors and sources need to be included in a new climate regime. These include emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and emissions from international shipping. Development and implemention of emission reduction technologies are key elements in moving towards necessary emission reductions and to enable the transition to low carbon economies.
Norway believes that emissions from international shipping and aviation must be included in a future global climate agreement. Emissions from ships represent 2,7% of the global emissions and are growing fast. Norway has proposed to include emissions from international shipping in a new climate regime by setting a target for the sector under the Climate Change Convention and invite the IMO to develop the legally binding regime which is needed in order to meet such a target.