CY Shipping and BigLift Shipping celebrate christening of first BC-Class vessel CY Frontier

CY Shipping and BigLift Shipping have officially christened CY Frontier, the first of four new BC-Class Heavy Transport Vessels (HTVs). The ceremony marks an important milestone in the expansion of the companies' joint Heavy Transport fleet and reflects their continued investment in meeting the growing global demand for increasingly large offshore, energy and industrial transport projects.

The vessel was christened by Jenny Jung, who served as its godmother. Representatives of CY Shipping, BigLift Shipping and Jing Jiang Nanyang Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. attended the ceremony, underlining the close collaboration between the vessel owner, the shipbuilder and the project team.

As the first of four BC-Class vessels, CY Frontier marks an important milestone in the construction program. Developed jointly by CY Shipping and BigLift Shipping, the BC-Class has been designed to meet the growing demand for the transportation of increasingly large offshore, energy and industrial modules. Construction of the remaining three vessels is progressing according to schedule, while BigLift Pioneer, the second vessel in the series, is expected to be delivered later this year.

Measuring 180 meters in length with a beam of 43 meters, the BC-Class features a fully unobstructed cargo deck measuring 43 by 140 meters, providing a total cargo area of 6,020 m². Cargo can be loaded and discharged over both the stern and the side using RoRo and skidding methods.

With a deadweight capacity of 25,000 tons, a ballast system capable of handling 12,000 m³ per hour and advanced tidal compensation capabilities, the vessels are ideally suited for heavy transport and module installation projects.

The BC-Class vessels are fully compatible with BigLift Shipping's MC-Class vessels, BigLift Barentsz and BigLift Baffin. Comparable frame spacing, vessel depth, ballast systems and operational capabilities ensure seamless interchangeability between the two classes. At the same time, the BC-Class offers a longer cargo deck and enhanced stern-loading capabilities, providing customers with even greater operational flexibility and expanding the range of projects that can be accommodated.

James Jung, Director at CY Shipping, said:

"The christening of CY Frontier is an important milestone for CY Shipping and BigLift 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, added:

"The BC-Class represents the next step in the development of our 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.

With the delivery of BigLift Pioneer later this year and the remaining BC-Class vessels entering service over the coming two years, BigLift Shipping and CY Shipping will operate a fleet of eight Heavy Transport Vessels by mid-2028. This expanded fleet will further strengthen our engineered transport solutions and enable us to support our customers with even greater flexibility, capacity and reliability."

The BC-Class program further reinforces the long-standing partnership between CY Shipping and BigLift Shipping and demonstrates both companies' continued commitment to investing in the future of the global heavy transport market. Together, the companies continue to expand their Heavy Transport fleet to meet the evolving needs of customers operating in the offshore, energy and industrial sectors.