News bulletin – tanker shipping

NEWS BULLETIN

TANKER SHIPPING

SECOND FOR SIRIUS

Sirius Shipping has taken delivery of Mercurius, the second of two 8,000-dwt Evolutionconcept chemical tankers ordered from AVIC Dingheng. As with the first in the series, Saturnus, delivered last November, the new vessel has been designed for the best possible hydrodynamic effect in the water, together with a slow-speed diesel engine that reduces emissions to the lowest extent possible. Both were also designed to be able to be fitted with LNG propulsion.

Delivery of the pair marks the culmination of six years’ work. “Standing here today on the day of delivery we can conclude that our objectives with the Evolution concept has been fulfilled,” said Jonas Backman, managing director of Sirius Shipping, when Saturnus was completed. “The ship design in combination with the engine type makes for a very fuel-efficient ship that offers both environmental and financial benefits.”

Sirius has, together with leading oil companies, developed the Evolution concept with the aim of building a vessel that fulfils customers’ requirements, in terms of both capacity and environmental impact. “The goal was to create the most efficient logistical solution for the customer and I think that this goal has been achieved,” said Backman. www.siriusshipping.eu

UNIGAS TAKES E3 SHIPS

Evergas is reported to have sold its entire fleet of ethylene-capable gas carriers to partners in the Unigas consortium. The eight vessels are said to have changed hands for a total of $200m. They have been operating in the E3 pool, formed by Evergas and Eletson in early 2017, but, according to reports, Evergas has been unable to make the operation financially successful.

It is understood that the eight vessels will be delivered to Unigas between February and September. Of the three partners in the Unigas consortium, Ultragas and Schulte will take three each and Sloman Neptun two. www.evergas.net

GEFO EXTENDS ORDER

German shipowner Gefo has ordered two-option-two 7,000-dwt stainless steel chemical tankers at AVIC Dingheng in China. The vessels, based on a design by FKAB, will be rated ice class 1A for use in the Baltic and will be equipped with a dual-fuel engine capable of running on LNG.

Deliveries are due to start in 2021, following on from six 3,600-dwt chemical tankers ordered in March 2018 from the same yard, which are due for delivery in 2020 and 2021. www.gefo.com

FEWER SPILLS, ONE BIG ONE

The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF), in its annual survey, recorded only three tanker spills of more than 700 tonnes in 2018, and another three medium spills of between 7 and 700 tonnes. Those numbers continue the trend of the past eight years, which has averaged 6.4 spills over 7 tonnes each year.

However, the loss of the tanker Sanchi and its cargo of condensate in January 2018 resulted in a spill of 113,000 tonnes, pushing the annual total of oil lost to 118,000 tonnes, the highest figure since 1994. “The number of oil spills involving tankers remains low despite a general increase in oil trading over the years,” ITOPF notes, citing the work that tanker owners and governments have done to improve safety and standards of operation in seaborne oil transport. www.itopf.org

OCIMF ON HAND

The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) has decided to open up access to Tanker Management and Self Assessment (TMSA) reports to non-OCIMF members as from 14 January. Until now, access was restricted but non-members that are registered as Ship Inspection Report (SIRE) Programme recipients are now permitted to request vessel operators’ permission to view

their TMSA reports. SIRE vessel operators will maintain control over which SIRE recipients can see those reports.

“This major change will mean more information is available to more users, which will help improve overall safety and marine assurance,” OCIMF says.

The TMSA system was originally introduced in 2004 as a way to help companies assess, measure and improve their management systems with the aim of attaining the highest standards of safety. TMSA is available as a printed book and an online tool and is now in its third edition, published in 2017.

OCIMF has also published an information paper on technologies and methods currently available for controlling volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from cargo systems on oil tankers, both during loading and in transit. The paper summarises the relevant regulations, training requirements and design and installation conditions. The paper can be downloaded free of charge from the OCIMF website, www.ocimf.org.

COSTS HAMPER TEAM

Team Tankers International reported thirdquarter EBITDA of $0.7m, compared to $4.6m a year earlier, and a net loss of $14.5m in what CEO Hans Feringa called a “challenging freight market”.

The results came at a time of adjustment following the acquisition of the Anglo-Atlantic Steamship and Laurin Shipping operations; during the third quarter Team closed the legacy operations in Sweden and consolidated vessel management in the Americas at its Houston office. Following the acquisition, Team Tankers now has 51 vessels in the water: 38 coated tankers in deepsea and regional trades, plus 13 stainless steel tankers, chartered in, employed on regional trades.

Team Tankers lifted more cargo and had more trading days compared to the second quarter, but timecharter equivalent earnings continued to slide, with average daily rates falling from $11,316 in the second quarter to $9,758. www.teamtankers.com

THUN’S EVOLUTION

Thun Tankers has named its latest newbuilding, Thun Evolve, at the Ferus Smit yard in Groningen, the Netherlands. The 8,000-dwt ice class 1A tanker can use LNG or liquefied biogas (LBG) as fuel and includes design elements to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact. On delivery in March it will go onto a long-term charter to Preem for use in fuel distribution around Scandinavia.

“Thun Evolve has been built with the latest design to meet and exceed current and upcoming environmental regulations,” says CCO Joakim Lund. “It meets high standards of safety, efficiency with a very l ow environmental impact, and can be powered by LNG or LBG.”

Fredrik Backman, head of the shipping department at Preem, adds: “Our maritime transport is an important part of Preem’s operations. We are therefore very pleased with the company’s latest addition of new environmentally adapted tankers, using the latest hull design for improved performance, lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions. It is also in line with Preem’s high-end sustainability requirements.”

Thun Evolve is the second of four E-class tankers building at Ferus Smit; the first, Thun Eos, was delivered last year. www.thuntankers.com