The Alaskan Frontier, the first in a series of double-hull oil tankers being built for BP Oil Shipping Company, USA, was christened May 20 at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) shipyard in San Diego.
SIU President Michael Sacco and SIU Vice President Contracts Augie Tellez represented the union at the event. The ship will be operated by SIU-contracted Alaska Tanker Co. (ATC).
“The Alaskan Frontier represents upcoming job opportunities for Seafarers,” Sacco noted. “It’s also important from the standpoint of helping maintain a pool of qualified, loyal U.S. mariners who may be called upon to support our troops in times of conflict.”
The state-of-the-art double-hull ship (as well as its sister ships being built at NASSCO) has a length of 941feet and a beam of 164 feet. The design of the 1.3-million-barrel-capacity tankers in the Alaska Class will allow maximum flexibility for oil deliveries from Alaska to West Coast ports, including BP refineries in Los Angeles and Cherry Point, Wash.
According to the shipyard, the vessels employ the latest in international marine technologies, including twin-screw, medium-speed, diesel-electric propulsion that can achieve a speed of more than 15 knots. The ships come fitted with the most modern machinery and cargo control systems and an integrated navigation system.
Pam Olver, spouse of Richard Olver, deputy group chief executive of BP, was the ship’s sponsor, naming the Alaskan Frontier and striking a ceremonial bottle of champagne on the ship’s hull. Bob Malone, chief executive of BP Shipping, Ltd., was the keynote speaker at the event.
Altogether, four Alaska Class tankers are scheduled to be delivered between this summer and the end of 2006.
“These environmentally friendly ships use seawater instead of oil to cool and lubricate the propeller shafts, thus eliminating accidental oil leaks,” Malone said. “Their cargo piping, normally installed on the deck, is inside the cargo tanks, to reduce the risk of small spills.”
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