Dship Carriers and ship manager NSB Group have joined forces by creating the joint venture Hinode Shipmanagement to manage the next generation of MPP vessels for the German shipping company.
Based in Buxtehude, Germany, Hinode Shipmanagement has been designed as a specialized structure tailored to the specific needs of a modern fleet of multipurpose (MPP) vessels.
It combines the commercial and operational expertise of dship Carriers with the technical and ship management capabilities of NSB Group, which at the same time continues to expand its maritime portfolio through collaboration with dship Carriers, a consolidated player in the MPP market.
At the heart of the joint venture are six modern D500 newbuild vessels, currently under construction in Chinese shipyards and scheduled for delivery between June 2026 and the end of 2027. Designed for the transport of demanding project cargo, the MPP vessels have a deadweight of 14,999 tons and Liebherr cranes offering a combined lifting capacity of up to 500 tons.
With a length of 149.95 meters and a beam of 23.5 meters, they are built to offer operational flexibility. A distinctive design feature is the superstructure located on the starboard side, which frees up additional deck space and maximizes intake and payload capacity.
Hinode Shipmanagement will assume comprehensive management of the new vessels. While NSB Group oversees construction through its newbuilding department and provides specific services to the joint venture, such as accounting and crewing, dship Carriers is responsible for commercial management and contributes its technical expertise.
The company will be led by Lars Feller, Managing Director of dship Carriers, and by Markus Thewes, Commercial Director of NSB Group.
Feller stated that “we have a proven approach: if something requires a specific setup, we develop it. Hinode is precisely that, a specialized setup for the D500 vessels and MPP in general, developed together with a partner that brings the necessary skills, experience, and transparency. It is a straightforward, practical, and fair process, the way we like to work.”
“With Hinode Shipmanagement, we continue to leverage NSB’s extensive experience in managing complex vessels, from newbuilds for offshore platforms and jack-up rigs to modern MPP vessels. Having accompanied the D500 project from the construction phase, moving into comprehensive ship management together with a solid cargo partner like dship Carriers is the logical next step,” said Tim Ponath, CEO of NSB Group.
