The first of two Ro-Ro cargo vessels ordered by Australia's Toll Shipping has been floated out of a building dock at Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing.
Designed by Sea Highways, the 12,000DWT vessel Tasmanian Achiever II is 210 metres LOA by 28 metres.
Once complete, the three-deck vessel has an ability to load 700 TEU and a capacity of 3,000 lane-metres.
The purpose-built ships, which will operate on overnight services between Burnie, Tasmania and Melbourne, Victoria, will provide 40 per cent more freight capacity and more opportunities to transport refrigerated freight.
Part of an AU$170 million (US$130 million) investment by logistics provider Toll Group, the vessels will be available in late 2018.