Stena Bulk orders superior Suezmax tankers

The 158,000 dwt vessels, with a length of 274m and a beam of 48m, will be, when delivered, the largest tankers in Stena Bulk’s fleet. Each vessel will cost $67.4 million which includes Stena upgrades valued at about $3.5 million together with fuel saving and environmental equipment estimated at $3.5 million.

The fuel saving technology includes optimised hull lines, increased diameter propeller, the Mewis Duct developed by Becker Marine Systems, electronic controlled main engine and de-rated/optimised main engine. These are claimed to achieve a minimum 10% lower bunker consumption compared with the best current Suezmax tankers.

Additional environmental equipment consists of KVOC (Knutsen Volatile Organic Compounds) which reduces voc by 50-60% during loading and transit, Vocon valve (vapour pressure release control valve), additional bunker tanks to carry various qualities of fuel, engines/boilers prepared for 0.1% sulphur fuel and increased accommodation insulation.

The contract for Stena Superior and Stena Supreme is part of Stena Bulk’s strategic investment in high-class tonnage for the Stena Sonangol Suezmax pool which is now in its fifth successful year. The pool is run together with the state-owned Angolan oil company Sonangol, consisting of around 15 tankers which will be expanded to about 25 large tankers over a three year period.

The collaboration between Stena Bulk and Sonangol also includes a comprehensive training program for Sonangol’s employees both at sea and in Stena Bulk’s network of offices. A new and modern maritime academy school in Angola is also in the pipeline to be progressed jointly between the companies.

Stena Bulk’s offices in Houston, Rio de Janeiro London and Singapore are responsible for the commercial operation and chartering of all tankers in the Stena Sonangol Suezmax Pool. The Stena Sphere has recently placed significant orders with the Samsung Shipyard, including four drillships of the so called Stena DrillMAX design and two super-ferries, in addition to the new Suezmax tankers.