This product tanker was built by the Varna Shipyard (before called Georgi Dimitrov Shipyard), Varna, Bulgaria under the hull No. 354 and was the fourth unit of a series of five ships. It was ordered for Fiona Shipping Ltd., Monrovia. The management was allocated to Narval Shipping Corp., Piraeus, but in 1993 it was changed to Patonas Shipping Corporation, London. The keel was laid on 11.09.1991, launching as the "PARNAR" was on 21.04.1992 and the delivery to her owners was on 15.09.1993. The vessel was registered under the Liberian flag with home port Monrovia. IMO / Lloyd's Register No: 8705606, official No: 9713 call sign: ELPB2. A sister ship was the "Andrea".
Its main dimensions were 174.90 m length overall, a beam of 26.03 m and a depth of 14.60 m. The carrying capacity was 29’790 metric tonnes DWT on a summer draught of 11.00 m. It was divided into 21 cargo tanks with a total capacity of 38’544 m3. The vessel was equipped with an inert gas system (IGS).
The engine room was fully automated and the main propulsion consisted of one 6-cylinder, slow speed, crosshead diesel engine, Cegielski-Sulzer, type: 6-RTA-58, giving a total output of 11’400 BHP at 120 RPM, directly coupled to one FP-propeller. Electrical power was supplied by 3 diesel generators, Cegielski-Sulzer, type: 5ATL25H of 640 kW each and one emergency dieselgenrator of 97 kW. The main engine and diesel generators operated on heavy fuel (180 cSt).
On 28.09.1994 the vessel was purchased by Nar Shipping Co. Ltd., Valletta. The commercial operation was conducted by Anglo-Georgian Shipping Company Ltd., London and the technical management was allocated to ABC Maritime AG in Nyon. The vessel was not renamed, but the registry was changed to Malta. Official No: 4221, call sign: 9HLO4.
On 01.01.1997 the technical management was transferred to Norbulk Shipping UK Ltd., Glasgow and later in July 1999 it was again tranferred to Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd., Limassol, Cyprus.
In January 2000 the tanker was sold to Unidare Shipping Co. Ltd., Majuro, Marshall Islands and renamed "ARIES". Official No: 1420, call sign: V7CB2. The management remained with Columbia Shipmanagement Ltd., Limassol.