Rickmers-Linie, a German liner carrier specializing in project cargoes and heavy lifts, is adding four new vessels to its Indian service. The ships Linde and Martin have been long-term-chartered by the line, while the Rickmers Yokohama and Rickmers Tianjin are due for delivery from the Xinshun Shipyard Group in China in May and July, respectively. The chartered vessels each have capacity of 12,800 deadweight tons and are equipped with two cranes with individual capacity of 120 metric tons. The Yokohama and Tianjin are 17,000-dwt vessels with two 150-ton cranes and an 80-ton crane. Smaller than the nine 30,000-dwt vessels operated by Rickmers in its Round-the-World Pearl String service, the new ships on the revamped Indian service offer greater flexibility to serve ports such as Mumbai, where locks restrict vessel size, and other smaller ports on an inducement basis, the line said. Rickmers said it will also provide direct service in both directions between Europe and India, although calls in Pakistan and the Middle East will be available on inducement. The Middle East Gulf will now be served primarily by the Pearl String service, the line said.

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