GENERAL
A group of investors ordered on 28.08.2007 four product tankers of 19'000 mt dwt (IMO class II Oil/chemical tanker) from the shipyard Yangfan Group Co. Ltd., Zhoushan, province of Zhejiang, P.R. of China. These tankers are double-hulled and are ice-classed. The double hull gives smooth surfaces in the entire cargo tanks, making drainage and tank washing much easier. The propulsion is by a diesel engine from MaK, Kiel, belonging today to the US company Caterpillar Inc. The 4 tankers are:
| Hull No. | Planned Names | New Names |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | OSTTANK NORWAY (in service) | ADFINES SEA (will be renamed) |
| 2006 | OSTTANK SWEDEN (planned) | ADFINES STAR (as registered) |
| 2007 | OSTTANK FINLAND (planned) | ADFINES SKY (as registered) |
| 2008 | OSTTANK HOLLAND (planned) | ADFINES SUN (as registered) |
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It was the intention to register the four vessels in the International Registry of Madeira, Portugal, however only the first Ship, OSTTANK NORWAY was registered in Madeira and put into service by their managers Seaarland Hamburg at begin of 2011.
Adfines Tank took over this 4 Product Tankers in 2011/2012 and ABCmaritime, Nyon, Switzerland was appointed as technical and as commercial managers. The latin "ad fines" in English "at the border" is the origin of the name of the Swiss community of Pfyn in the Canton of Thurgovia, see also Wikipedia under "Pfyn" *).
First the non completed ships were taken over by Adfines Tank and put into service. First the ADFINES STAR, then the ADFINES SUN were taken over during November 2011 and the ADFINES SKY followed in early December 2011.
As the last one the OSTTANK NORWAY, already several months in service with a charterer in Argentina changed hands on 02.02.2012 in Buenos Aires.
OSTTANK NORWAY / ADFINES SEA
This is the first tanker of the series and received its originally intended name OSTTANK NORWAY (hull No. 2005). She was the only ship taken over by her original shipping company Seaarland Shipmanagement (Hamburg) GmbH & Co KG, Hamburg on 04.02.2011 and was registered under the flag of Madeira, Portugal (registered owner: Fünfte Osttank-Hamburg GmbH & Co KG, Hamburg, IMO No: 9580962, call sign: CQKA). The date of keel-laying was on 08.09.2009, and the launching date on 30.01.2010.
The OSTTANK NORWAY was engaged in a time charter in Argentina, supplying the various power stations along the long coast with fuel oil. The oil arrives with large tankers and usually on the Recalada-anchorage in the La Plata estuary it is transferred onto the smaller tankers (so-called STS-operation, meaning Ship To Ship).
On 02.02.2012 the tanker was taken over in Buenos Aires by Adfines Tank / ABCmaritime, Nyon, Switzerland, but for the duration of her time charter the OSTTANK NORWAY retained her name and remained under the Madeira flag.
Since the vessel was trading locally, she had to follow local rules, one from the trade unions stipulated that the entire crew must be from Argentina, totally 21 men. An advisory master, an engineer and an electrician from ABCmaritime were also on board to assist and maintain standards.
After the time charter on the Argentinian coast was completed, the ship was renamed ADFINES SEA on 21.09.2012 in an Argentinian port and at the same time she was registered in Valletta under Malta flag (call sign: 9HA2981, IMO / Off. No: 9580962). Registered owner: Icetank Twenty-One Shipping Corp., Monrovia, Liberia. Shortly afterwards, the ADFINES SEA was pictured from one of our friends, Cees Bustraan, sailing from Willemstad, Curacao.
*) Pfyn was selected as "cultural capital" of Switzerland for the years 2011 and 2012. An exhibition "Expo Adfines" will be held in Pfyn on 6-8.7.2012, see also www.thurgau-tourismus.ch.
SwissShips-HPS, February 2012
Handed over in Montreal on March 6th, 2020 to the new owner company McKeil International 1 Inc. and renamed NORTHERN SPIRIT. Registered under the flag of the Marshall Islands with home port Majuro. Official No. Call Sign: V7A2858.