Spliethoff Expands Fleet With Eight New Vessels

Spliethoff is expanding its fleet after ordering a new series of eight L-type multipurpose vessels from the Wuhu Shipyard in China.

The series, slated for delivery from the first quarter of 2028, boast a total capacity of some 33,700 cubic meters and a deadweight tonnage of 28,600, making them the largest vessels in the multipurpose specialist’s fleet.

The 203-meter-long ships will be equipped with five side-loaders and three cranes with a capacity of 150 tonnes each and are designed for the transportation of various dry cargo types including project cargo, bulk cargo, paper products and containers.

The deal with Wuhu Shipyard includes an option for an additional two ships.

Spliethoff currently operates a fleet of about 50 ice-classed, multipurpose vessels ranging from 12,000 to 23,000 tonnes.

“We are convinced that we will have secured the excellent service to our clients for the future and look forward to welcoming these energy-efficient vessels into our fleet,” said Michael van den Heuvel, CCO at Spliethoff. “We are proud of this step forward and believe that the L-type will play an important role in the sustainable future of our company.”

In related news, Spliethoff’s parent company Spliethoff Group has announced it has acquired a majority stake in maritime and offshore logistics company ForestWave. The deal will boost the number of vessels the group operates to more than 140.

Spliethoff Group, one of the largest shipping companies in the Netherlands, already owns several maritime companies including heavy-lift specialist BigLift Shipping and roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) carrier Transfennica.


Spliethoff Group is an exhibitor at Breakbulk Europe.