This oil/chemical product tanker was constructed for the Yardimci Shipping Group (Yardimci Gemi Insaat AS, Istanbul) in their own shipyard Yardimci Tersanesi A.S., Tuzla, Turkey (on the Asian side of Istanbul). It was ordered via their subsidiary company Chemstar Tankers, Dublin, Ireland, as this country offers favourable conditions for ship owning and financing. The keel for hull number 63 was laid on 01.07.2005 and the vessel was launched as CT TIPPERARY*) on 28.06.2008. After completion she was delivered to her registered owner Chemstar Longford Ltd., Ireland on 30.04.2009. The vessel was renamed CT LONGFORD and registered under the flag of Malta (home port: Valletta, official No. 9393072, call sign: 9HYM9).
The tanker has a summer deadweight of 10'303 mt on a draft of 7.54 m and the 13 fully coated cargo tanks, including the 2 slop tanks have a volume capacity of total 11.067. A Framo deepwell pump is installed in each cargo tank for cargo discharge. Cargo heating is effected by circulating the cargo through thermal oil heaters on deck. The cargo tanks are protected by an IG-system (Inert Gas System).
The propulsion is by two Wärtsilä 6-cylinder diesel engines, type: 6L32, each mechanically coupled to an azimuthing rudder propeller. Electrical power 440 VAC/60Hz is supplied by 2 shaft generators, coupled to the forward end of the main engines and 2 diesel generator sets.
The crew of 16 to 17 men were mainly from the Ukraine, but occasionally other nationals, such as Russians or Georgians were also sailing with the vessel.
At that time the owners could not find an employment for the vessel, ABCmaritime, Nyon, Switzerland arranged a time charter with a major oil company, under the charterer's condition, that the technical management had to be carried out by ABCmaritime. On delivery from the builder's yard on 30.04.2009 ABCmaritime took over the management of the CT LONGFORD and the tanker was then engaged in the West African product trade. On 08.01.2011 the charter was completed and hence the management by ABCmaritime was terminated and the vessel was returned to the owners, the Yardimci Shipping Group. Management: Ayder Tankers AS, Istanbul.
*) According to the shipyard website www.yardimci.gen.tr it was hull No. 036 and she was delivered as the CIMIL in January 2008.
SwissShips-HPS, MB, July 2012
On 03.05.2018 sold to Arsland Erne Ltd., Valletta (Management: Besiktas Likid Tasimacilik Denizcilik Ticaret AS, Istanbul) and renamed ERNE. No flag change.
20.07.2018: Acquisition by Macoil International SA, Athens (Management: NRG Maritime Inc., Athens) and renamed C FORCE. Still registered in Valletta.
Purchased on December 11th, 2018 by the former owner company Arsland Erne Ltd., Valletta. Not renamed.
Renamed to ERNE on June 4th, 2020 and management will be taken over by Besiktas Likid Tasimacilik Denizcilik Ticaret AS in Istanbul.