EEMSLIFT NELLI (IMO 9671462) Table Bay, Cape Town

EEMSLIFT NELLI IMO 9671462 | Dutch Heavy-Cargo Vessel

EEMSLIFT NELLI — IMO 9671462, a Dutch multipurpose heavy-cargo vessel with 300-tonne combined crane capacity.

EEMSLIFT NELLI (IMO 9671462) is a Dutch multipurpose heavy-cargo vessel designed for project cargo, heavy lifts and flexible international cargo operations.

Photographer's Note: EEMSLIFT NELLI (IMO 9671462) was photographed by Vernon Chalmers in Table Bay, Cape Town. The image forms part of the Vernon Chalmers Photography Maritime Studies Project and is also published in the Shipspotting.com database.

A Dutch Multipurpose Heavy-Cargo Vessel

Vernon Chalmers Maritime Studies

EEMSLIFT NELLI — IMO 9671462

EEMSLIFT NELLI (IMO 9671462) is a Dutch multipurpose dry-cargo vessel whose design illustrates the flexibility increasingly required of modern short-sea and international project-cargo shipping. Built in 2013, she is approximately 112 metres long, with a beam of about 17 metres and a gross tonnage of approximately 5,460. Her IMO number provides the permanent identity of the vessel despite changes in ownership, management or name during her career. (Marhisdata)

The vessel was originally completed as ARCTIC DAWN and was renamed EEMSLIFT NELLI in January 2017. Historical records identify Partner Shipyards in Szczecin, Poland, as responsible for construction of the hull, with completion by Hartman Marine Shipbuilding at Urk in the Netherlands. Her Dutch maritime origins are therefore reflected in both her construction history and subsequent commercial identity. (Marhisdata)

Vessel Specifications

• Built: 2006 (Slovenske Lodenice, Komarno, Slovakia)
• Flag: Marshall Islands
• Length Overall (LOA): 86.53 meters
• Beam (Width): 13.02 meters
• Deadweight (DWT): 3,345 tonnes
• Gross Tonnage: 2,588 GT
• Commercial Manager / Owner: MACS Maritime Carrier Shipping (Germany)

Vernon Chalmers Ship Spotting Photography Portfolio

EEMSLIFT NELLI is particularly interesting because she is not simply a conventional general-cargo ship. She is classified as a multipurpose dry-cargo vessel, with strengthened cargo spaces and equipment designed for heavy and project cargoes. Her cargo system includes two cranes, each rated at 150 tonnes, which can be combined to provide a lifting capacity of 300 tonnes. This substantially expands the range of cargoes that can be handled independently of shore-based lifting infrastructure. (dship Carriers)

Her cargo flexibility extends to containers as well. The vessel has a total capacity of approximately 261 TEU, divided between deck and under-deck stowage. Her cargo spaces provide approximately 6,700 cubic metres of capacity, while the strengthened tanktop and tweendeck arrangements allow her to accommodate demanding heavy or concentrated loads. (dship Carriers)

ShipSpotting.com for Maritime Photographers

The propulsion arrangement is appropriate to a vessel of this size and purpose. EEMSLIFT NELLI is powered by a MAK Caterpillar 8M32 diesel engine producing approximately 5,435 horsepower, giving a reported service speed of around 17 knots. She is a single-screw vessel. (koopvaardij.blogspot.com)

Her operational history demonstrates the geographical reach of this type of ship. Records document EEMSLIFT NELLI working between European ports and international destinations, while U.S. shipping records show calls at ports including Long Beach, Port Everglades, Freeport and Providence. More recent AIS records have also documented voyages involving Cape Town, Sohar and the Arabian Sea, illustrating the vessel's ability to operate well beyond northern European waters. (importinfo.com)

For maritime observation, EEMSLIFT NELLI is an excellent example of why the visual classification of merchant vessels can be misleading. At first glance she may appear to be a relatively conventional general-cargo ship. Closer examination, however, reveals the distinctive characteristics of a multipurpose heavy-cargo vessel: substantial deck machinery, strengthened cargo spaces, container capability and a crane arrangement capable of lifting very heavy individual loads.

Table Bay Maritime Environment Through Photography

This combination gives EEMSLIFT NELLI an important role in the movement of cargoes that fall between conventional containerised freight and the specialised requirements of large project carriers. Her appearance over the bay therefore provides another useful example of the diversity concealed within the broad category of merchant cargo shipping.

Vessel Specifications

• Vessel: EEMSLIFT NELLI
• IMO: 9671462
• Type: Multipurpose dry-cargo / heavy-cargo vessel
• Built: 2013
• Former name: ARCTIC DAWN
• Flag: Netherlands
• Call sign: PCUT
• Length overall: 111.60 m
• Beam: approximately 16.8–17 m
• Gross tonnage: approximately 5,460 GT
• Deadweight: 4,200 t
• Cargo capacity: approximately 6,700 m³
• Container capacity: 261 TEU
• Cranes: 2 × 150 t, combinable to 300 t
• Main engine: MAK Caterpillar 8M32
• Power: approximately 5,435 hp
• Service speed: approximately 17 knots
• Builder: Partner Shipyards, Szczecin, Poland; completed by Hartman Marine Shipbuilding, Urk, Netherlands (Marhisdata)

Photographic Equipment

Camera: Canon EOS R6 Mark III

Lens: Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM Lens

Photographic Genre: Maritime Photography / Ship Spotting

Location: Table Bay, Cape Town, South Africa

References

Deutsche Seereederei / dship Carriers. (2026). MV Eemslift Nelli: MPP Tonnage A300. (dship Carriers)

Marhisdata. (n.d.). EEMSLIFT NELLI — IMO 9671462. Stichting Maritiem Historische Data. (Marhisdata)

VesselFinder. (n.d.). EEMSLIFT NELLI (IMO 9671462): General cargo ship. (vesselfinder.com)

ImportInfo. (n.d.). EEMSLIFT NELLI — IMO 9671462. (importinfo.com)