Ships Monthly – August 2018

56 • Summer 2018 • http://www.shipsmonthly.com

Valiant and Shetland Trader
were built in 1992 at Rosslauer
Shipyard, Germany and
carry a crew of six. Originally
Lass Neptun and Lass Mars
respectively, they were built
to a specific design for a
company operating between
Hamburg and Poland, where
the destination berth was
only 76m long. They have
Schottel Rudder propellers and
powerful 100kw electric bow
thrusters, which make them
extremely manoeuvrable.
‘This type of system means
you can drive the vessel
sideways – you can do almost
anything you want,’ explains
skipper Dave Aylen, 63, who
has spent over three decades

in the merchant navy after a

nine-year stint in the Royal

Navy. ‘This capability is

useful in all ports, especially

Alderney, where sometimes

we have to back down the

channel, so there is no

transverse thrust effect.’

Although both of the 75m

ships are no racehorses, with

a top speed of around nine

knots, their flat-bottom design

means they are ideal for tidal

berths; remaining level, even

when the berth has drained

out, means discharging and

loading cargo can continue,

and they are then ready to sail

on the next tide.

Able to carry between 70

and 80 containers, the ships

cope well with conditions

in the English Channel. ‘If

it’s a force eight or more, I

don’t sail,’ says Dave, who has

completed pilotage courses for

both the Channel Islands and

Poole, so he does not need a

pilot to use the ports. ‘We’re

here to look after the cargo,

which has been packed inside

containers, and don’t want to

risk damaging anything.’

Dave admits he has only lost

SHETLAND TRADER

Built 1992 at Rosslauer Shipyard,

Germany as the Lass Mars

Flag Barbados

Draught Summer 4.35m; winter 4.2m

EnginES Two Cummins KTA19m

rated at 748kw, driving Schottel

Rudder propellers

ConSumption Four metric tonnes

of gas oil over 24 hours

auxiliariES Three Cummins 74kwa

Valiant provides a vital link for alderney.

 the flat-bottom design of the ships used mean they are ideal for operating

from tidal berths if need be.

 Valiant being loaded at St peter port, guernsey.