The Shipping Corporation of India accepted delivery of a Supramax bulk carrier, MV Vishva Prerna on November 1.

The vessel has gross tonnage of 33,185 tonnes and deadweight of 57,161 tonnes. It has been classed with DNV and IRS and built to comply with the latest and most stringent international regulations.

It is the second of the six Supramax bulk carriers SCI ordered from STX (Dalian) Shipbuilding Co. Ltd, China, in December 2007. The remaining four ships are scheduled to be delivered in a phased manner by March 2012.

These vessels were ordered as part replacement for SCI's existing Daewoo series Handymax bulk carriers built in 1986-87. With their induction, the overall age profile of SCI's bulk carrier fleet will improve significantly.

As a national carrier, it has been SCI's aim to enhance its presence in India's ever-increasing dry bulk trade and to strengthen its bulk carrier fleet, stressed an official release.

With the addition of this vessel, SCI's fleet strength stands at 81 vessels of 5.80 million DWT. It has 26 vessels on order at present, with 7 of these scheduled for delivery by the end of 2011.

(Sourced from Exim News Service)