History
OUR HISTORY by Markku Vedder
2020
In 2018, a major client in the Biomass sector granted us the management of their Handy size vessel, as the client needs more tonnage to secure, as the Biomass market is bullish. We have restarted the project of building two, option two High Cub LNG propelled vessels. The design for the shallow drafted ports was carried out excellent, with all environmental aspects and being highly commercial. The Chinese shipyard has already confirmed the price and we are presently structuring the financing with our partners. The client will have the vessels in 2022, heading to a much cleaner shipping.
This year’s mission is to build a profitable fleet of high Cub dry cargo vessels for the transport of bio-fuels and Stainless steel tankers both, dedicated for the SECA area.
The climate changes are being honoured by most of the world leaders. Furthermore, there are many indications that the industries are willing to change the manners of fuel use. We do not stop changing the propulsion from MGO to LNG but we will also make the vessels Carbon Capture Ready.
Our business model focuses on the new transportation narrative which is based on environmental friendly maritime transportation logistics.
Our vision for the coming years is to become a major ecological-friendly short sea operator in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, operating environmentally friendly vessels as well as supporting also ecologically friendly organisations as potential clients.
1984 - 2019
1984
In 1984, my father and myself founded a ship management company controlling 9 vessels owned by Scandinavian owners and traders with Dwt as from 3,500 up to Dwt 10,000. The vessels were mostly trading in the Baltic, all with Ice classed 1A. That was a period we still had very often heavy Ice in the Baltic with temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius.
During this year we had new building supervision of two mini bulkers with heavy gear for such a small vessel 30 Tn. The Ice classed vessels we specially designed for small locks passages in the trading area of the Sweden inland lake system. The Dutch yard NNNS Groningen made a very good design and delivered the 2 vessels successfully after we had a sea triall.
On the same Dutch shipyard, we were contracted by a Dutch Ship Owner for the newbuilding supervisions of a Dwt 6,000 dry-cargo vessel 1A Ice classed. After successful sea trials, we handed it over to the Dutch owners.
1985
During this year, five vessels were added to the management fleet, all in the tonnage size Dwt 3,500 up to Dwt 5,000.
1986
During this year, we placed an order for a Scandinavian owner for a Dwt 4,000 at the Dutch Shipyard NNNS. During the first period of building and construction, the shipyard went bankrupt. We decided to take over the shipyard and successfully built and commissioned the vessel. The management of the vessel for the Scandinavian owner was with us for many years.
1987
Two vessels with gear and Ice class joined the fleet. One of the vessels had severe problems before we took the ownership, caused by a heavy damage in ice. We successfully carried out the damage repairs on the vessel. We owned the vessels for many years thereafter.
1988
A Scandinavian client signed a contract for an Antarctic support mission with a 10,000 Dwt Super Ice classed vessel. We rebuilt the vessel for this operation, with hotel accommodation for 130 scientific specialists and installed a complete hotel service and reefer storage. The Italian government granted a second support expedition a year later. Even the German and France government granted the owner Antarctica expeditions. We used vessels from Dwt 10,000 down to 5,000 Dwt.
During 1988, we noticed that a huge number of vessels were ordered on the Northern Shipyards. We believed that it was time to make a start innovating the engine rooms and the piping manufacturing. MSN changed the welding neck piping used at that time into extruded pipes. Together with a friend in the maritime builder area, we founded Marine Services Noord. The company innovated engine room designs, optimized layouts and manufactured and commissioned the vessel engine rooms. Also MSN took a next step in the safe environment for the crew and modernised it. Nowadays, the company is leading in Marine LNG.
In addition, during 1988, Sandfirden Technics was acquired. This is a Marine supplier and auxiliary engine dealer, serving worldwide. At present it is a leading company in the LNG transition for the Inland shipping sector and auxiliary power for short sea vessels.
1990-1995
For our Scandinavian owners, we built and supervised vessels from Dwt 6,000 up to 9,000 Dwt. Dry cargo vessels and dry cargo vessels with special gears. The twelve units are still trading for the owners.
Due to the heavy increased of roro traffic between Northern Holland and the UK, we bought a roro vessel and started a frequent trade between the two ports.
1993
The fleet of management vessels was increased with five mini bulkers. We decided with a group of owners to create a financial fund and order six mini bulkers with Dwt 4,250. The Dutch shipyard performed well with delivery of the vessels during the years 1997 and 1998. We did the newbuilding supervision and had the vessels in long term management.
1995
In this year, we created some new business in the Caribbean. The management of the companies agreed to a buy-out and a new venture started with the purchase of a logistic company trading between Europe and the ABC Islands including Venezuela. The company owned trucks, trailers, storages and inhouse customs storages. The inter-island trade was done by an own supply vessel.
1998
After three years, the market in Europe for the short sea was promising again and we ordered five Ice classed mini bulkers with good gear in Slovakia with delivery 1998-1999. This was a good reason to return also to the routes in Holland again.
1999
During this year, we dedicated to be a project developer in the short sea and inland trade and we kicked off several projects. We were contracted for several consulting projects related to logistics and shipping. One of the major projects was contracting six units IMO II Tankers 15,000 Dwt with Ice class 1A new buildings with Time Charters with an Oil Major.
2004
To enlarge the scope of management and financing structure options, we started off in Germany and founded a sister shipping company nowadays called Grona Shipping. The scope of works are operation and full management of all types of vessels.
The first vessel under management for Grona was the MV Emsmoon. Emsmoon was successfully placed on the German KG market. The vessel was performing very well for the investors and was, due to our chartering skills, for 14 years in total in Charter by a major family owned Chartering company.
On request of a UK-based consultant, we attended and assisted with the design and building of a very special vessel/barge. Loads of 1,200 ton had to be taken on the beach, with passing very low bridges on the UK inland water systems. The barge and assist vessels performed great for the UK Power stations.
2006
The tanker market was moving up and we found long term Time Charter with a major Chartering house in London, UK. At the Jinjiang Nanyang Shipbuilding Co Ltd., China we ordered two units IMO II Chemical tankers 16,500 Dwt. After three years of design and construction, we sadly had to cancel the order amid the world crisis and draw successfully the refundment guarantees based on bad performance of the yard.
2007
From Hamburg, we moved towards Papenburg, the shipping center in the Northern part of Germany, close to the Dutch boarder. We made a design of a new shallow drafted Dwt 6,250 Baltic work horse. A long-term Time Charter with a major Charterer in Papenburg was fixed for six vessels and the order to build the vessels was given to Bharati Shipyard in India.
In 2009 MS Emssun and in 2011 MS Emssky were delivered out of the six series.After an arbitrage in London, we successfully ended the other four new building contracts due to possible bankruptcy of the yard.
During 2007, a Short Sea ship Owner granted us the management of his 2,500 tonner.
Affected with the LNG flu, the idea was born to go for the Short Sea design: LNG Propelled vessels. We as promotor and front runner in several LNG concepts, we felt that we were early, maybe too early. Most of the Short Sea shipping users were afraid to use LNG due to bunkering problems. Therefore, we started to evaluate a separate company dedicated to LNG transitions.
2008
Just before the crisis started, we ordered eight units with another four options of the Stockholm type vessels with a Dwt 5,200 Ice classed 1A. During the start of the building, we saw the market trend going down and therefore we cancelled the four option vessels. The eight vessels were built and delivered during the years 2009 and 2011. The Yard Western Marine Shipyards have proven to be on European standards and the vessels performed as expected.
2012
NICT Shipping GmbH & C0 KG was founded in this year. Presently, she is a full daughter to Grona Shipping Germany. The Inland trade has always been attracting us as we as Dutch are making use of the inland waterways already many years.
In 2011, together with Peters Shipyards we started the innovation of an Inland tanker, propelled by LNG but also making use of a totally new designed Power management. A long-term deal was done with an Dutch major for inland water logistics.
2015
We liked to prove that LNG will be the new Marine power and available anywhere you will need it. Therefore, we have taken the contract for supply and management with full documentation for the voyage of two vessels (newbuild single fuelled LNG) from China to Norway, the home country of the vessels. Bunkering in China, India and Spain, we did successfully and that was the first and longest (14,000 Nm) sea voyage done on a single LNG fuelled vessel.
2016
We reviewed the LNG future and the conclusion was right, we have to move and start LNG Supply BV. A 50 % ownership will give us a good start to explore the upcoming market. We are supported by our partner (50 %) a well-known LNG Specialist being active in LNG already since many years.
2017
During 2017 and 2018, we have restructured our companies and made lines more direct and with a clearer structure of companies. The LNG propositions were elaborated and optimised. The design of LNG High Cub vessels, LNG Bunker vessels, Inland Tankers, all based on environmentally-friendly LNG power, were initiated.
2018
Two Management vessels came to us, a Mini Bulker Dwt 5200 and a Handy Dwt 37,000. Also during this year, we started to find the right financial houses for the different projects like the High Cub low draft traders, the LNG Bunker vessels and the Inland tankers. The four Inland Stainless Steel Tankers EL-LNG propelled have long term Charters with an Energy Major from Switzerland.
Several LNG projects are under review and we see a growing request for LNG experience bringing potential users of LNG powered vessels to Grona and LNG Supply. An Energy Major has invited Grona to propose several units type Kamsarmax vessels based LNG propulsion. We have foreseen that this will happen in the coming, two year ahead.
2019
During this year, we firming up the contracts for eight option four Stainless Steel Chem Tankers, to be built in China for delivery in 2022 up to 2023. The yard has confirmed the competitive price, the design house concludes the highly innovative design, based on Single fuelled LNG propulsion. The Charterer has agreed the main terms for the eight units for a long period. We are now in the prosses to conclude the financing.