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CY Frontier Starts Four Vessel Heavy Transport Programme
CY Shipping and BigLift Shipping have christened CY Frontier, the first of four new BC-Class Heavy Transport Vessels, marking a further expansion of their joint heavy transport fleet.
The christening took place on 6 July, with Jenny Jung serving as godmother. Representatives from CY Shipping, BigLift Shipping and Jing Jiang Nanyang Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. attended the ceremony, reflecting the cooperation between the vessel owner, shipbuilder and project team.
For heavy transport operators, fleet renewal is not just about adding ships. It is about adding the right deck space, ballast capacity and loading flexibility at a time when offshore, energy and industrial cargoes continue to grow in size and complexity. CY Frontier is the first step in that programme.
Built for Larger Offshore and Industrial Modules
The BC-Class has been developed jointly by CY Shipping and BigLift Shipping to serve offshore, energy and industrial module transport projects.
CY Frontier measures 180 metres in length and has a beam of 43 metres. Its unobstructed cargo deck measures 43 by 140 metres, giving a total cargo area of 6,020 square metres.
The vessel can load and discharge cargo over both the stern and the side using RoRo and skidding methods. That flexibility matters in a market where every project site seems to come with its own constraints. A quay may be strong enough, but not wide enough. A module may be ready, but the tide window may be short. In heavy transport, the vessel often has to fit the project as much as the cargo fits the vessel.
The BC-Class vessels have a deadweight capacity of 25,000 tonnes. Their ballast system can handle 12,000 cubic metres per hour and includes tidal compensation capabilities for heavy transport and module installation work.
Compatibility With Existing BigLift HTVs
The new vessels are designed to work alongside BigLift Shipping’s MC-Class vessels, BigLift Barentsz and BigLift Baffin.
According to the companies, comparable frame spacing, vessel depth, ballast systems and operational capabilities will allow interchangeability between the BC-Class and MC-Class vessels.
At the same time, the BC-Class offers a longer cargo deck and improved stern loading capability. For customers, that means a wider range of project cargoes can be considered within the same operational fleet concept.
That may sound like a technical detail, but in project shipping it can make the difference between a clean transport plan and weeks of re-engineering. When vessel classes can be used interchangeably, planners have more room to manage schedules, yard delays and changing cargo readiness.
BigLift Pioneer Next in Line
CY Frontier is the first of four BC-Class vessels. Construction of the remaining three vessels is progressing according to schedule, with BigLift Pioneer, the second vessel in the series, expected to be delivered later this year.
“The christening of CY Frontier is an important milestone for CY Shipping and BigLift Shipping,” said James Jung, Director at CY Shipping. “It reflects the strong partnership between our companies and our shared commitment to delivering innovative and reliable heavy transport solutions for our customers.”
Johan Boer, Managing Director at BigLift Shipping, said the BC-Class represented the next step in the development of the company’s heavy transport fleet.
“By combining the proven capabilities of our existing vessels with increased cargo capacity, enhanced flexibility and improved operational efficiency, the BC-Class will enable us to support increasingly complex transport projects around the world,” Boer said.
Fleet to Reach 8 Heavy Transport Vessels by Mid 2028
With BigLift Pioneer due later this year and the remaining BC-Class vessels entering service over the following two years, CY Shipping and BigLift Shipping expect to operate eight Heavy Transport Vessels by mid 2028.
The expanded fleet is aimed at customers in the offshore, energy and industrial sectors, where cargo dimensions and project requirements continue to stretch conventional transport planning.
For the wider breakbulk and project cargo market, the christening of CY Frontier underlines a simple trend. Heavy transport demand is moving toward larger units, more complex loadouts and tighter execution windows. Shipowners that can offer deck space, ballast capacity and fleet flexibility will be better placed to serve that demand.
The BC-Class programme also reinforces the long standing partnership between CY Shipping and BigLift Shipping as both companies continue investing in heavy transport capacity for global project cargo markets.
