Damen double hull oil tanker 8000 delivered to De Opfeart and James Fisher Everard
The Damen Double Hull Oil Tanker 8000 ‘Kestrel Fisher’ was delivered end 2013 to Dutch managers De Opfeart Beheer. In a two-tanker deal, the Kestrel Fisher’s sister vessel ‘King Fisher’ was delivered in June 2013. Both have been built by Damen Shipyards Bergum. The oil (product) tankers’ names are a reference to James Fisher Everard Ltd, which have taken up their commercial management, the company said in its press release.
The 7,076 deadweight, 8,363 cubic metre tankers were christened at the DSB-yard in Harlingen where they were outfitted; their hulls were built by Damen Shipyards Galati, Romania. Referring to the vessels’ trade, their lady sponsors, Mrs. Petra Gaensbacher for the ‘King Fisher’ and Mrs. Michelle Hartnup for the ‘Kestrel Fisher’, of the United Kingdom both work in the oil trading industry.
The vessels will dominantly carry gasoline, diesel oil, lubrication oil and jet fuels along the British Isles, the Continent and in Scandinavian and Baltic waters. James Fisher Everard holds a prominent position in this area. Whereas the company will operate the two new tankers on an open management basis, James Fisher has previously had two of its own tankers built by Damen Shipyards Bergum, the ‘Shannon Fisher’ and ‘Solway Fisher’, in 2006. With the fleet of oil tankers ranging from 3,000 to 14,000 tons the company is a full service provider to the oil industry.
The ‘King Fisher’ and ‘Kestrel Fisher’ are the latest newbuilds according to the patented ‘Damen Double Hull Oil Tanker 8000’ design. 8000 represents the 8,363 cbm cargo carrying capacity. “We design oil tankers up to 15,000 tons deadweight, which are then constructed at a yard in the Damen Shipyards Group”, Erik Schultz, Director Sales with Damen Shipyards Bergum says. As such, he oversees all cargo vessel newbuilding contracts within the Group, irrespective of which yard will actually construct the vessels, or where. “It is a Damen product, with the contracting and coordination done from our offices in the Netherlands. Equally, engineering and design of most, if not all cargo vessels, is concentrated at the DSBe head office in Bergum, be this dry cargo, gas or oil tankers or otherwise. This way we can assure the quality and the performance of the vessels at a true Built in Europe grade.”
“Given the nature of their operation, maximum safety must be observed”, says Mr Schultz. The vessels therefore feature power take-in, whereby the diesel generator sets will immediately power the shaft generator – mounted on the gearbox – should the main engine fail. Furthermore, much of the generated heat is captured by heat exchangers to be redeployed for heavy fuel oil pre-heating or other use.”
A third feature that Erik Schultz emphasizes, is above-standard outfitting of accommodation. “In view of the extra strain an oil product tanker’s crew has to take, Messrs. De Opfaert, the vessels’ technical and crewing management, has opted for a very high level of comfort. Aimed at securing better crew satisfaction and consequently performance, they have specifically made additional investment in the so-called ‘Damen Business Line’. Akin to the motor cars, such a package includes lowest interior noise levels, finer colouring, interior design and materials, for a better and more pleasant working environment. A joy to the crew, and to the dedicated shipyard workers respectively.”
The ‘King Fisher’ and ‘Kestrel Fisher’ have an loa of 104.52 metres, a 17 metres beam (moulded) and ten epoxy coated cargo tanks, allowing for five segregations. The accommodation caters for a complement of ten plus one guest. Service speed is about 12.5 knots.
