The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd. (SCI) accepted delivery of a Suezmax crude oil tanker on Oct. 10 and the vessel is named as m.t. “Desh Shobha”.The vessel has been purchased from Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co. Ltd (HSHI), S. Korea, on resale basis. The vessel has a gross tonnage of 81, 334 tonnes and deadweight of 1, 58, 034 tonnes at scantling draft. The vessel has been classed with LR and IRS and has been built to comply with latest international regulations.
It is said in a Press release that the shipping markets are prevailing at low levels at present and as a result the ship building industry is going through a recessionary phase. This has presented opportunities for acquisition of vessels at attractive prices and SCI has utilized the available opportunity for acquisition of this vessel from HSHI.
The Press release has further added that India as a nation is dependent on import of crude oil and having tankers under Indian flag provides vital energy security to the country. As is known, uninterrupted transport and supply of oil, a major source of primary energy, is vital for a country’s growth. In times of international crisis, it is all the more important to maintain a secured supply line.
In view of this, addition of crude oil tankers to national fleet will ensure uninterrupted transport of essential cargoes such as crude oil and petroleum products in the process ensuring national and energy security. Energy transportation has also been the core business segment for SCI and induction of this vessel in its fleet will strengthen its position in the energy transportation sector.
With this strategic acquisition, SCI’s crude oil tanker fleet has increased to 3.63 million dwt and the fleet strength gone up to 78 vessels of 5.69 million dwt. The company has 21 vessels on order at present and 7 of these are slated for delivery during the remaining period of 2012.
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