FLEUR N (IMO 9509138) – The Chinese-Built Container Ship of Navios Maritime Partners, Formerly NOBLE RIGEL
The FLEUR N (IMO 9509138) is a cellular container ship built in 2012 at Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard in China.
With an overall length of approximately 212.55 metres, a beam of 32.25 metres and a deadweight of approximately 41,129 tonnes, the vessel belongs to the generation of medium-sized container carriers developed for international liner and regional shipping services.
Originally associated with the name OS ANTALYA and subsequently known as NOBLE RIGEL, the vessel adopted her present name, FLEUR N, in 2015.
Historical maritime records also contain a reference to OS IZMIR, although the exact relationship of that name to the vessel's registration history is not consistently documented across available sources.
The ship subsequently became part of the fleet managed by Greek shipping interests associated with Navios, one of the internationally recognised maritime groups connected with Greece.
Her career is particularly interesting because it combines Chinese shipbuilding, European shipowning arrangements and later Greek-controlled fleet management.
Construction at Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard
FLEUR N was constructed at Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard Co. Ltd., located in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
The shipyard has been associated with the construction of numerous container vessels and specialised commercial ships.
During the early 2010s, Chinese shipyards were playing an increasingly important role in international commercial shipbuilding.
The continued growth of containerised maritime trade encouraged the development of standardised vessel designs capable of meeting the requirements of international shipping companies.
FLEUR N was constructed under yard number GWS394.
Her keel was laid on 27 March 2012.
Following construction and launch, she was delivered on 21 November 2012.
The ship was developed according to the Wenchong 2800 container vessel design.
This class was intended to combine substantial container capacity with dimensions suitable for a broad range of international ports.
Main Technical Characteristics
The principal particulars of FLEUR N include:
Current Name: FLEUR N
IMO Number: 9509138
Vessel Type: Cellular Container Ship
Year Built: 2012
Builder: Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard Co. Ltd.
Place of Construction: Guangzhou, China
Yard Number: GWS394
Design: Wenchong 2800
Keel Laid: 27 March 2012
Delivered: 21 November 2012
Former Names: NOBLE RIGEL, OS ANTALYA
Additional Historical Reference: OS IZMIR
Length Overall: Approximately 212.55 metres
Beam: Approximately 32.25 metres
Gross Tonnage: 35,887 GT
Net Tonnage: 19,672 NT
Deadweight: Approximately 41,129 DWT
Container Capacity: Approximately 2,758–2,782 TEU, depending on the published fleet specification
Cargo Gear: Four cranes of approximately 35 tonnes capacity each
Main Engine: Sulzer / Hudong 8RT-flex68D
Main Engine Power: Approximately 25,040 kW
Design Speed: Approximately 22.3 knots
Propulsion: Single Propeller
Flag: Liberia
Port of Registry: Monrovia
Call Sign: D5WV5
MMSI: 636019931
Classification Society: DNV
Management: Associated with Navios ship management interests
Fleet: Navios Maritime Partners
The vessel's operator lists a carrying capacity of approximately 2,782 TEU, while technical ship-design records commonly indicate 2,758 TEU.
The Wenchong 2800 Design
FLEUR N belongs to the Wenchong 2800 series of container vessels.
The design was developed to meet the commercial requirements of the medium-sized container shipping sector.
Ships of this category provide considerable carrying capacity while remaining smaller than large post-Panamax and ultra-large container vessels.
The design incorporates cellular cargo holds and extensive deck stowage arrangements.
One particularly important characteristic is the presence of shipboard cargo cranes.
Unlike gearless container ships, which depend entirely on shore-based terminal equipment, geared container vessels can undertake cargo operations at ports with limited infrastructure.
This capability makes them especially useful on routes involving developing markets and smaller commercial ports.
The Wenchong 2800 design therefore provides greater operational flexibility than many larger container carriers.
Main Engine and Propulsion
FLEUR N is equipped with a Sulzer 8RT-flex68D low-speed marine diesel engine.
The eight-cylinder engine develops approximately 25,040 kW of power.
The RT-flex series incorporates electronically controlled fuel injection technology.
This system allows more precise regulation of engine operation compared with traditional mechanically controlled arrangements.
The engine drives a single propeller.
The vessel's published design speed is approximately 22.3 knots.
Actual commercial operating speeds depend on freight schedules, fuel costs and voyage conditions.
For medium-sized container carriers, propulsion efficiency is particularly important.
These vessels frequently operate on routes involving multiple port calls, requiring a balance between speed, fuel consumption and schedule reliability.
Shipboard Cargo Cranes
One of the most commercially significant features of FLEUR N is her cargo-handling equipment.
The vessel is equipped with four shipboard cranes, each having a published lifting capacity of approximately 35 tonnes.
This arrangement provides considerable operational flexibility.
In ports equipped with modern container gantry cranes, cargo operations can be performed using shore-based equipment.
However, in ports where suitable infrastructure is unavailable, the vessel's own cranes may be used.
This capability is particularly important for services involving smaller commercial ports.
It can also provide opportunities for employment on routes that are unsuitable for larger gearless container vessels.
Geared container ships have traditionally occupied an important position in regional shipping markets, particularly in Africa, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and parts of Asia.
FLEUR N belongs to this versatile category of commercial vessels.
Early Commercial History as OS ANTALYA
Historical vessel registers identify OS ANTALYA as an early name of the ship.
The vessel was associated with German shipowning arrangements during the period surrounding her construction.
The OS prefix appeared in the names of container vessels connected with German maritime investment and ownership structures.
During the early 2010s, Germany remained one of the world's important centres for container ship ownership.
Hamburg-based shipping companies and investment groups controlled numerous vessels chartered to international liner operators.
These vessels frequently operated under different commercial names according to their charter employment.
FLEUR N's early history reflects this international shipowning environment.
The NOBLE RIGEL Period
Following her early registration history, the vessel became known as NOBLE RIGEL.
This name remained associated with the ship until approximately 2015.
During this period, the international container shipping industry continued expanding and restructuring.
The introduction of increasingly large vessels affected the employment of medium-sized container carriers.
However, geared ships remained commercially useful because they could serve ports with limited cargo-handling infrastructure.
NOBLE RIGEL's size and equipment made her suitable for a variety of international shipping services.
Her commercial value depended not only on carrying capacity but also on operational flexibility.
The combination of approximately 2,800 TEU capacity and four cargo cranes allowed the vessel to serve routes that might be less accessible to larger ships.
Renaming as FLEUR N in 2015
In 2015, the vessel was renamed FLEUR N.
This marked an important new chapter in her commercial career.
The name subsequently became associated with the Navios maritime group.
Navios has operated across several sectors of the international merchant shipping industry, including dry bulk transportation, tankers and container ships.
The group's activities have included vessel ownership, chartering and technical management.
The acquisition and operation of medium-sized container vessels formed part of the development of its diversified maritime fleet.
FLEUR N represents this segment of the Navios shipping business.
Navios and the Greek Maritime Industry
The Navios group has longstanding connections with the Greek shipping industry.
Its activities have included the management and operation of substantial international merchant fleets.
Greek shipping interests have traditionally maintained a particularly strong position in bulk carriers and tankers.
However, Greek-controlled companies have also participated extensively in container ship ownership.
This segment of the market is often associated with vessels chartered to major liner operators.
Independent shipowners provide the ships, while commercial liner companies organise the transportation of containers and sell cargo space to customers.
The arrangement allows container operators to obtain additional capacity without purchasing every vessel used within their networks.
FLEUR N belongs to this international shipowning and chartering environment.
Navios Maritime Partners Fleet
FLEUR N remains listed in the fleet of Navios Maritime Partners L.P.
The company's published fleet information identifies the vessel as a container carrier built in 2012, with a capacity of 2,782 TEU.
The current published charter information lists a daily charter rate of approximately USD 28,763, with the charter period indicated as extending to September 2028.
These figures relate to the company's published commercial fleet information and may change through subsequent charter amendments or other arrangements.
The vessel's continued inclusion in the Navios fleet demonstrates her commercial employment more than fourteen years after construction.
Her relatively modest size remains useful in international container shipping networks, particularly where operational flexibility is important.
International Commercial Operations
FLEUR N has operated within international container transportation networks.
Vessels of her size are commonly employed on regional and intermediate-distance services.
These routes may connect major container terminals with smaller ports where cargo volumes or infrastructure do not justify the use of very large ships.
Her geared configuration provides additional opportunities for employment.
In November 2026, available maritime schedule information identified FLEUR N as operating on a Maersk service designated W5A.
Contemporary voyage records also associated the vessel with a destination in Benin, West Africa.
These records illustrate the continued international employment of the vessel.
West African container routes frequently involve ports with varying cargo-handling capabilities, making the operational flexibility of geared container ships particularly valuable.
The Importance of Medium-Sized Container Ships
The international container shipping industry has experienced substantial changes since FLEUR N entered service in 2012.
The world's largest container ships now carry far more cargo than vessels of the Wenchong 2800 class.
Nevertheless, medium-sized container carriers continue to perform essential functions.
Not every commercial port can accommodate ultra-large container ships.
Some ports have limited draught, restricted berth lengths or insufficient crane capacity.
Cargo demand may also be too low to justify the operation of a very large vessel.
Medium-sized ships therefore remain important.
They can provide regular services between regional destinations and connect smaller markets with international transshipment hubs.
The commercial usefulness of FLEUR N demonstrates the continuing importance of this segment of the merchant fleet.
Flag and Classification History
Historical records indicate that FLEUR N previously operated under the Cyprus flag.
Later records identify the vessel under the Liberian flag, with Monrovia as her port of registry.
Changes of flag are common in international merchant shipping.
They may occur following ownership transfers, changes in management or commercial restructuring.
The vessel has also been associated with DNV classification.
Classification societies play an important role in maintaining technical standards and conducting surveys of commercial ships.
Their responsibilities include assessing hull structures, machinery and other essential technical arrangements according to applicable rules.
The continued operation of a container ship requires compliance with relevant classification and statutory survey requirements.
Connection with Piraeus
FLEUR N has a particularly interesting connection with Piraeus through her association with Greek maritime management.
Historical vessel registers identify Navios Containers Management Inc. in Piraeus in connection with the vessel.
This places FLEUR N within the wider Greek ship management industry.
Piraeus is one of the principal centres of international ship management, hosting companies responsible for merchant vessels operating throughout the world.
The city's maritime sector extends far beyond the ships physically visiting the port.
Numerous vessels operating in distant geographical regions are connected with Piraeus through ownership, technical management, chartering and commercial administration.
FLEUR N represents this international dimension of the Greek maritime industry.
Her inclusion in the PiraeuShips video archive contributes to the documentation of vessels associated with Greek shipping interests.
Historical Significance
FLEUR N represents several important developments in modern commercial shipping.
Her construction at Guangzhou Wenchong illustrates the continuing growth of the Chinese shipbuilding industry.
Her Wenchong 2800 design demonstrates the commercial importance of medium-sized geared container vessels.
Her early association with German shipowning interests reflects the role of Germany in international container vessel ownership.
Her subsequent association with Navios illustrates the participation of Greek maritime companies in the container shipping sector.
Finally, her continued commercial employment in 2026 demonstrates the lasting usefulness of ships in the approximately 2,800 TEU category.
The vessel provides an interesting example of how container shipping depends on a wide variety of ship sizes and operating arrangements.
PiraeuShips Video Archive
The FLEUR N (IMO 9509138) is featured in the PiraeuShips video archive, preserving footage of a Chinese-built container ship associated with Greek maritime interests.
The recording documents a vessel that previously operated under the names NOBLE RIGEL and OS ANTALYA before receiving her present identity.
Her connection with the Navios shipping group adds particular interest to the PiraeuShips collection.
The video contributes to the visual history of international container shipping and the Greek-controlled merchant fleet.
Original video footage © PiraeuShips. All rights reserved.
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