The new environmentally friendly cement ship "Asia Cement Corporation No. 9" has officially joined the U-Ming Marine Transport fleet

        The 7750 deadweight ton environmentally friendly cement ship "Asia Cement Corporation No. 9" built by U-Ming Marine Transport at the Royal Bodewes Shipyard in the Netherlands was named on April 9th at the Delfzijl Harbor pier in Groningen. The ceremony was personally presided over by Douglas Hsu, and the wife of the President of Belgium, Martens Brewery, a well-known European brewery, was invited to name "Asia Cement Corporation No. 9". After the addition of the new ship, the total capacity of the U-Ming Marine Transport fleet reached 72 vessels, with a total deadweight tonnage of 8.77 million tons, making it the largest bulk shipping company in Taiwan.

        The Asia Cement Corporation 9, with a captain of 114.99 meters, a width of 15.8 meters, and a load capacity of 7750 tons, is the first newly built cement specific ship by U-Ming Marine Transport in nearly 20 years. Its main task is to replace the soon to be retired "Asia Cement Corporation 1" ship. This ship was built in 1980 and is not only the first cement specific ship in the U-Ming Marine Transport fleet, but also the first self owned ship since the company's establishment. It was originally contracted for the transportation business of Asia Cement Corporation and, in conjunction with the "East West Transportation" plan, transported cement from Hualien to various ports in Taiwan, serving for over 40 years. It is about to retire soon, and U-Ming Marine Transport will also welcome the more environmentally friendly and efficient Asia Cement Corporation No. 9.

        The bow of Asia Cement Corporation No. 9 adopts an X-Bow streamline design, which can reduce resistance. In terms of navigation safety, FURUNO's advanced navigation system AR Navigation System is equipped, which can provide accurate navigation information. At the same time, U-Ming Marine Transport's self-developed FSM (Fleet Safety Management) system is installed to display the ship's position and safety warnings in real-time, assisting the company and crew in managing ship safety. In terms of cement loading and unloading machines, the electronic control system independently designed and developed by Asia Cement Corporation is adopted to strengthen automated operation and subsequent maintenance. The power system is equipped with a Wartsila 6L32 engine that complies with IMO Tier II standards, equipped with variable pitch propellers to improve ship maneuverability and power efficiency. In addition, a shaft generator and shore power are installed on the ship to achieve fuel conservation, reduce carbon emissions, and improve energy efficiency.

        In response to the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) net zero greenhouse gas emissions target of 2050, U-Ming Marine Transport is striving for environmental transformation through the implementation of its fleet replacement program, replacing energy consuming old ships with new environmentally friendly cement specific ships, which not only reduces carbon emissions but also increases operational efficiency. At present, 94% of the total tonnage of the U-Ming Marine Transport fleet is environmentally friendly, far higher than the market average of 37%, and the average age of ships is 5.8 years old, which is also younger than the average age of 12.1 years in the bulk carrier market. Environmental protection and youth are the two major competitive advantages of the fleet. Under the premise of sustainable operation, U-Ming Marine Transport will initiate enterprise AI transformation to ensure its leading position in the market.

        U-Ming Marine Transport values ESG and, in addition to signing up as a supporter of Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) in 2023, will lead the industry in issuing independent reports in 2024. Its long-term efforts have also been recognized by all parties, including being listed in the FTSE Taiwan Sustainability Index (FTSE4Good) for consecutive years, being selected as one of the "2023 Taiwan Best in Class 100" enterprises by the Taiwan Board of Directors, and being recognized by the Taiwan Institute as a corporate entity for the year 2023. For Sustainable Energy, the Platinum Award for Sustainability Report and the Taiwan Top 100 Sustainable Model Enterprises Award.

        U-Ming Marine Transport currently has various ship types including Capesize, Panamax, Post Panamax, Supramax, Ultramax, cement specific vessels, VLCC, VLOC, and CTV for offshore wind power personnel transportation. It has subsidiaries overseas such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Xiamen, while Taiwan has U-Ming Marine Transport, a subsidiary specializing in green energy transportation.

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