Erwin Strahlmann, 57 not out (part 3)

Coastal Shipping

The Sprinter at Medina Wharf, Cowes, on 11 March 2002 after arrival from Plymouth. (Brian Ralfs)

The Urte In the Elbe estuary on 23 July 2002. (Dominic McCall)

The Azur was photographed in the Bristol Channel as she headed towards Newport on 15 October 2003. (Danny Lynch)

The Emden-built Gambler was also heading for Newport but from Avonmouth when photographed on 9 April 2002. (Dominic McCall)

We conclude this series of articles about the Strahlmann fleet with a look at the Beaver, one of the smallest coasters in the fleet, at St Sampsons, Guernsey, on 15 August 2004. She had brought a cargo of limestone from Llanddulas and departed later for Antwerp. (Tony Rive)

In the last two articles in this series, we have examined the rise of the Strahlmann empire and reviewed the larger classes of vessels trading in Strahlmann's colours. This time we will complete the survey with a look at the mixed selection of ships forming the remainder of the fleet. No German coaster fleet would be complete without ships from the Sietas yard at Neuenfelde. Strahlmann operates surprisingly few, but there is an example of the successful container feeder, Type 81, which was featured in the January 1997 issue of Coastal Shipping. There are three large low air draught vessels from Type 110, featured in the December 1998 issue of Coastal Shipping, and one of an earlier low air draught design, Type 88A.

Peters, Wewelsfleth
As well as the large class of low air draught vessels from Peters of Wewelsfleth, Strahlmann operates one of the container feeder ships from the late 1970s. The Christian is one of a class of similar ships which were in direct competition for orders with the Sietas Type 81.

Husumer Schiffs, Husum
The long established yard at Husum also produced designs to compete for the container feeder and low air draught markets. Their container feeders were arguably the most attractive vessels of the type. Strahlmann operates one of the container feeders, the Sprinter, and two of a class of six low air draught ships from the mid-1980s.

Imamura Zosensho, Kure
Demand for new container feeders was very high in the late 1970s and some German owners went to Japan for their newbuildings. The biggest group of ships became known as the Fastbox class and one of them has now joined the Strahlmann fleet. She is one of three that were lengthened by Hyundai before entering service. The full story of the Fastbox ships was told in the June 2001 issue of Coastal Shipping.

Werftunion, Emden
One of the pioneers of the modern low air draught coaster was Kapitan Wessels. He had the original Cargo Liner series built in the early 1970s and then moved on rapidly to much larger vessels. In the late 1970s he had four 3000dwt ships built and one of them has joined the Strahlmann fleet. With hindsight they were probably too large for the inland trades and their overall length of 100 metres is well above that of most low air draught ships.

Martin Jansen, Leer
Jansen had built many coasters over the years and the Azur and the Dreamer are just two of the eighteen low air draught vessels produced between 1978 and 1986.

Rolandwerft Detlef Heaemann, Berne
Another yard which launched many low air draught coasters in the early 1980s. The yard built three 2300dwt sisters and two are now Strahlmann operated.

Krupp Ruhrorter Schiffswerft, Duisburg
The Duisburg yard has built only eight coasters in two classes. The largest group being a class of six from the 1980s. The Koralle is the only one to have joined Strahlmann. The Anjola was one of the two earlier vessels and following a few years in the Strahlmann fleet she was sold recently to Turkish owners.

Hermann Surken, Papenbura
Herman Surken's yard at Papenburg had built its reputation by building specialist ships such as tugs and offshore supply ships but in the early eighties, the increasing demand for low air draft coasters prompted the yard to develop a 1500dwt design. The design proved very popular with German owners and eventually 20 of the ships were completed. Only one has found her way into the Strahlmann fleet following the purchase of the Bockstiegel fleet.

C.Lühring, Brake
Another German yard with a long history of coaster building was the Lühring yard at Brake on the Weser. Strahlmann operates three ships built at Brake to two different low air draught designs. The Otter and the Beaver were built to the 299grt limit under the Oslo tonnage rules but the Provider is a much larger ship. The Otter and Beaver are the smallest vessels in the fleet by quite a margin and are often seen on the Ouse and Trent.

Timm Metallbau u. Schweisstechnik GmbH
The Helse is very much a one-off vessel. She was built to an Arminius Werft design and her full story was told in the April 2001 issue of Coastal Shipping. She is also an exception to all other vessels in the Strahlmann fleet as the only vessel of this design.

Viana do Castelo - Low Air Draught Class
In Coastal Shipping, April 2004, we considered the Sormovskiy vessels built at Viana do Castelo. With the break up of the Soviet Union, the Viana yard had to turn to other markets and has since built many container feeder ships for German owners. In 1989, the yard obtained a rare order from Portuguese operators Port Line for four 3200dwt coasters. The four sisters entered service in 1989/90 but were sold en bloc in 1994 to Briese of Leer who quickly sold them on to the Dutch Vertom group. In 2004 they moved again to the Strahlmann fleet. Two are remaining on charter to Vertom at present and will retain their Lady names until the charter is completed. When the charter is finished, the Lady Clara will be renamed Nordertor and her sister Lady Lisa will become Krempertor.

Brodoqradiliste Kraljevica. Kraljevica
Very much an odd one out, the Jamtland is a larger container feeder ship and is the only vessel in the fleet to fly the flag of Gibraltar.

SLK, Komarno
And last but not least, ship number 58 Is about to enter service. Laid down for the Dutch operator, Wesmar Shipping, and intended to become the Eemeer, she was under construction when the yard at Komarno was brought to a halt by the closure of navigation on the Danube. She is now being completed for Strahlmann and has been named after his home town of Marne. Unlike all the other Komarno ships in the fleet, the Marne is not a Rhein class vessel but is being built to the 'Leda' design.

Richard Potter

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