Helga Spirit: Teekay tanker loads BP ESPO crude

BP fixes cargo of ESPO crude for US West Coast Helga Spirit would load at Kozmino Jan. 20 Fixture comes as Alaska pipe snag threatens USWC

Crude in storage in Alaska's Valdez terminal has dwindled to below 20 percent of tank capacity
BP Plc fixed a tanker cargo of Russia's ESPO crude for shipment to the U.S. West Coast after a shutdown of Alaska's main oil pipeline prompted some oil companies to look at foreign crude substitutes.

BP was said to fix the 115,000 deadweight ton Helga Spirit tanker to load Eastern Siberian pipeline crude on Jan. 20, two shipping sources said.

The tanker would hold around 850,000 barrels of ESPO,. Helga Spirit was last seen moored in southern Japan . ESPO loads at Kozmino Port, near Vladivostok in Russia's Far East.

The Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), which normally ships around 640,000 barrels per day -- or 12 percent of U.S. oil output -- was closed for 84 hours this week, temporarily shutting in most of Alaska's oil production. The closure followed a small leak discovered on Jan. 8.

Concerns about potential supply shortfalls from Alaska had U.S. West Coast refiners on their feet this week, looking at cargoes that could substitute Alaska North Slope crude if the pipeline problems persisted.

BP, which is also the top producer in Alaska and the top stakeholder in TAPS, has about 500,000 barrels a day of refining capacity on the U.S. West Coast, including in Washington and California.

Several Aframax cargoes of ESPO have been sent to the U.S. West Coast (USWC) before. BP is not known to charter regular shipments to the region but has typically fixed ESPO cargoes for delivery to Japan or Korea.

TAPS resumed shipments on an emergency basis on Tuesday, but is expected to shut down again over the weekend as operator Alyeska installs a bypass pipe around the leak. That process could take a few days, Alyeska said, after which TAPS is expected to resume normal shipments.
It takes around 15 days to ship crude between Kozmino and Los Angeles.



Ship Name: HELGA SPIRIT
IMO: 9292503 MMSI: 311727000
Callsign: C6FZ3
Flag: Bahamas

Flag: Bahamas Signal Letters: C6FZ3
Port: NASSAU

Owner: Helga Spirit L.L.C GT (ITC 69): 62,929 NT (ITC 69): 34,548
Manager: TeeKay Shipping (Glasgow) Ltd. DWT: 115,514

DocHolder: Teekay Shipping Limited
Year of Build: 2005
Type: 101 - Tanker for Oil

Front Warrior: Gemini Suezmax escapes

Rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) were fired from a skiff at FRONT WARRIOR, a Fredriksen Suezmax Bahamas-flagged crude carrier Jamuary 6 at 0232Z approximately 300 nautical miles South East of Muscat. Fire hoses as well as razor wire on the perimeter and additional watch keepers discouraged boarders.


Front Warrior
Category: Crude Oil Tankers
IMO: 9169689
MMSI : 309457000
Callsign : C6FL8
Flag : Bahamas
Bahamas
Port of Registry: NASSAU


Jan 05, 2011
owner - full style DS-RENDITE-FONDS NR74.

Disponent owner - Full style: - GEMINI CHARTERING AS, AS AGENTS TO FRONTLINE CHARTERING SERVICES INC

Aa result of the OMI deal, Teekay also acquired a fully functioning Suezmax pool, Gemini Tankers. With 22 commercially managed vessels (at the time of writing), including four time chartered by Teekay – and already inducted into the pool – Gemini Tankers has significant market presence. Frontline has placed its spot Suezmax vessels within the Gemini Pool, bringing the total number of vessels in the pool to 36. To manage the larger fleet and establish a chartering presence in Europe to supplement its existing Stamford, Connecticut operations, Gemini has opened an office in Oslo and four commercial personnel from Frontline have joined the new office. In addition to Frontline and Teekay, König & Cie and Hyundai Merchant Marine are also Gemini Pool partners. spot rates for Arabian Gulf Very Large Crude Carriers, or VLCCs, shot as high as $70,000 a day Monday, almost twice as much as a week ago. Frontline, The Oslo-listed group controlled by tycoon John Fredriksen. Teekay Shipping controls Nordic Shipping , UNS owns 17.3% of the publicly traded company Nordic American Tanker Shipping Ltd ). Teekay is controlled by Resolute Investments, Inc. (44% in 2002). Resolute is wholly owned by Kattegat Limited, a Bermudian exempt company.