Athenian Victory largest GL-classed tanker

The naming ceremony for the VLCC “Athenian Victory” took place on 19 August at the world’s largest shipyard Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, Korea. The delivery to its owner, the Greek shipping company Athenian Sea Carriers, is scheduled for the 27 August.

The vessel with the hull number 2002 is the first of a series of four 318,000-dwt VLCC tankers all classed by Germanischer Lloyd (GL).

For GL, this is the largest current tanker project. The classification process followed the new project management format introduced by GL whereby the interaction on technical matters between the shipyard, the ship owner and GL is centralized. Both the plan approval process and the steel cutting were already completed in 2008.

“For GL, the work on this giant took off in summer 2006 when Athenian Sea Carriers had ordered the four sister vessels and entrusted GL with the newbuilding classification. Now, the first vessel is ready for delivery, built according to the Common Structural Rules for oil tankers and with the highest quality steel”, said Torsten Schramm, GL’s chief operating officer at the naming ceremony in Ulsan.

The “Athenian Victory” has a length of 333 m, a breadth of 60 m and a draught of 22.6 m. It is a single screw vessel with 17 cargo oil tanks including two slop tanks and twelve segregated water ballast tanks. The main engine has an output of 29,000kW. The double hull oil tanker has been designed and assessed according to North Atlantic conditions.

Compliance with requirements of MARPOL Annex IV (Sewage) and Annex VI (Air Pollution) is ensured. Separate Normal and Low-Sulphur Heavy Fuel Systems (double storage tanks, settling tanks and service tanks) allow for SOx emissions management.

Its environmental properties will be documented in the “Environmental Passport”. The voluntary class notation issued by GL is a certified documentation of mandatory and voluntary environmental characteristics of the vessel. This will include aspects such as engine and incinerator emissions, vapour emission control systems, refrigeration systems, fire-fighting systems, pollution by oil and noxious liquid substances, pollution by sewage and garbage, ballast water management and anti-fouling systems. The “Athenian Victory” complies with the regulations for fuel oil tank protection as required by MARPOL Annex I Reg. 12 A, although it is not mandatory.