AET takes delivery of first of three shuttle tankers for Shell charter

January 06 2022 Print This Article

AET, a leading owner and operator of maritime transportation assets and specialised services, took delivery of Eagle Campos, the first of another three Suezmax Dynamic Positioning (DP2) Shuttle Tankers purpose built for long-term charter to Brazil Shipping I Limited, a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Shell.

AET’s commitment to moving energy in an increasingly responsible and eco-friendly way led to the agreement with Shell in December 2019 to operate these three Suezmax DP2 shuttle tankers in the international and Brazilian Basin on a long-term charter with Eagle Campos being the first in this series. She was delivered to AET on 5 January 2022 and will commence her operations in Brazil joining Eagle Pilar which AET already operates there for Shell.

Eagle Campos’ two sister vessels are currently under construction at the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) in Ulsan, South Korea and due to be delivered later this year. AET and Eaglestar site teams have been working closely together with the HHI team to ensure all health and safety precautions were in place to safeguard the construction and delivery of the vessels during the ongoing pandemic.

On taking delivery, Capt. Amit Pal, Global Director, DPST said:

“The delivery of Eagle Campos is another milestone in our growing partnership with Shell globally including in Brazil. Constructing, fulfilling the stringent tests and delivering Eagle Campos safely during an ongoing pandemic is a huge achievement and evidence to the persevered dedication of all parties involved. My sincere thanks to everyone from Shell, Hyundai Heavy Industries, DNV, Eaglestar and AET for this remarkable collaboration and safe execution. This accomplishment showcases the unity across the industry to deliver innovative solutions which contribute to a brighter future and create a sustainable global trade network.

For AET, this latest vessel delivery further fortifies our position as a leading owner and operator of 12 of these highly specialised DP shuttle tankers globally with eight vessels currently operating in the Brazilian Basin (including Eagle Campos). Witnessing the fruition of our agreement with Shell signifies the commitment from both parties to high-quality, safe and responsible operations.”

In collaboration with HHI, DNV and Eaglestar, this 153,000 DWT DP2 vessel has been built to Shell’s technical requirements for DP2 shuttle tankers in Brazil and will operate to the highest operational and environmental standards, including full compliance with IMO NOx Tier 3 and SOx emission requirements. Eagle Campos is classed with DNV and equipped with electrical-driven Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) cargo pumps and high-power thrusters for enhanced fuel efficiency and fully capable of operating in weather conditions expected for their class. The eco-efficient vessel is also fitted with energy-saving devices such as the Hi Pre-Swirl Duct and Rudder Bulb for improved propulsion efficiency and is already EEDI Phase 2 compliant before the regulations come into effect.

AET has another five DP2 shuttle tankers under construction to be delivered in 2022, which will bring our global DPST fleet to 17, with 13 operating offshore Brazil.