Intertanko, an international association of independent tanker owners, has published statistics that show a steady increase in VLCC tonnage as well as the average size of VLCCs.

Johan G. Olsen, a major shipbroking company in Norway, in its latest VLCC (very large crude carriers) fleet list shows that out of 471 existing VLCCs (up from 440 six months ago), oil majors or state-owned companies own 136. This accounts for 29 per cent of the fleet, it says.

In addition, they control 102 tankers on period employment till 2007 and beyond (up 16 compared to six months ago). This gives them control of about more than half the fleet. Independent owners own 71 per cent of the fleet, the list shows.

Of the total of 81 VLCCs on order for delivery up to 2008, independent owners had contracted 60, of which 15 were committed on period employment. The oil majors and state-companies have contracted 21, it says.

Oil majors, such as BPAmoco, ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil, Shell, and Tokyo Tankers have a combined fleet of 27 VLCCs, and 31 on period contract until 2006 or later. Of these 22 belong to Tokyo Tankers, giving them control of 12 per cent of the VLCC fleet.

Vela International Marine Ltd, a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, has the biggest oil company fleet. It owns 19 VLCCs, including 15 single hulled ones. Four VLCCs are on contract from the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia, seven on contract from Gulf Management Services and seven on other period contracts. Seven VLCCs are up for delivery between 2006 and 2008.

The National Iranian Tanker Company owns 15 VLCCs, all double-hulled.

The Kuwait Oil Tanker Company has eight VLCCs, including six single-hulled. Two are on order. Altogether Middle East companies own 58 VLCCs, and control 19 on period contracts.

The biggest independent VLCC owner is Japanese shipping and logistics company Mitsui OSK. It has 31 carriers, 8 of which are single-hulled, and 8 more on order.

Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Line), one of the world's leading shipping companies, has 26 VLCCs, 8 of which are single-hulled, plus 8 on order.

Altogether Japanese owners have a fleet of 85 VLCCs, 18 per cent of the fleet, in addition to an order book of 23 VLCCs.

Bermuda-based tanker company Frontline has 27 VLCCs, 12 of which are single-hulled. Four of these are on bareboat contract to Shell. Frontline has sold a number of VLCCs to the German KG Dr. Peters, one of the oldest initiators of closed funds in Germany.

Frontline has 6 VLCCs on 10/13-year period charters back from Dr. Peters. Frontline is, therefore, the independent company that controls the largest number of VLCCs in the world.

The other major independent VLCC owner, World Wide, has 21 VLCCs, 9 of which are single-hulled. Two more are on order.

There are only 55 trading VLCCs left that were built before 1990 (26 built in 1988-89, 3 in the 1970s. The peak building years were 1993 and 2000, when 39 and 41 VLCCs respectively were delivered.

The average size of VLCCs is increasing, as in other segments. The average size of those built before the 1980s was 264,299 dwt, whereas the average size of those built in the 1990s was 285,759, and the average size of those built later was 304,745. Only 2 of the VLCCs on order are below 298,300 dwt.

Liquid sulphur tanker

Japanese operator NYK has added to its fleet the first tanker for transportation of liquid sulphur.

In a press release, the company reported that the newbuild has been named Hestiana, and the vessel is expected to transport liquid sulphur on behalf of the Mitsubishi Corporation to key markets in Japan, South Korea, China and Southeast Asia.

Liquid sulphur is used in the production of resin, textiles, fertiliser and tyres.

Rudder cracks

British Petroleum's two new double-hulled Alaska Class tankers have been taken out of service following discovery of cracks in the rudders of both vessels.

The Anchorage Daily News reports that Alaskan Frontier, delivered by NASSCO last August, is expected to be out of service for several weeks pending repairs to several cracks in both its rudders, the largest measuring 9 feet long.

A subsequent check of the newer sister ship, the Alaskan Explorer, found three cracks on one of its rudders, the longest measuring 15 inches.

BP ordered a total of four Alaska Class Tankers from NASSCO and the remaining two are still under construction. The oil giant also has options for two more.

Built to ABS Class, the vessels are designed keeping in mind environmental concerns. Cargo piping is installed within the cargo tanks to reduce the chance of accidental oil spills, and the ships have twin diesel-electric propulsion systems in segregated engine rooms, two propellers and twin rudders.

The writer is a Dubai-based marine consultant.