The shipping company Thun Tankers is continuing to renew its short-sea fleet: the ‘Thun Resilience’, the sixth of ten new R-class product tankers, was launched at the Ferus Smit shipyard in the city of Leer in Northern Germany.
The tankers in this series are each 115 m long and 15.90 m wide, with a deadweight tonnage of 7,999 tdw and a cargo capacity of between 9,500 and 9,700 m3. They are being built by the German-Dutch shipyard group Ferus Smit at its site in Leer. The “Thun Resilience“, the sixth in a total of ten newbuilds, has now been launched. At the ceremony, the guest of honour, James Davies, Senior Manager of Supply Operations at Valero, christened the vessel in the presence of business partners, colleagues and representatives from the shipyard.
According to Thun Tankers, the name “Thun Resilience” reflects the ability to remain reliable even when conditions change. In the shipping industry, this means ensuring the safe and reliable operation of vessels and supply chains, as well as the protection of crews even under difficult circumstances. For Thun Tankers, this approach is closely linked to the role of short-sea shipping in supplying industry and the general public. “Reliable transport requires vessels that are optimally suited to their respective operating areas, as well as experienced crews and close cooperation between customers, partners and colleagues onshore,” the shipping company stated at the christening ceremony.
The R-Class was developed for efficient and reliable operation in the Northern European market for product tankers in short-sea shipping. The vessels are built in Europe; their design focused on resource-efficient operation and long-term sustainability. Following delivery, the vessels will be deployed on a long-term basis and, together with Thun Tankers’ charter partners, will serve established trade routes.
“We are proud to be taking another step towards developing sustainable shipping solutions together with our partners. A big thank you goes to everyone involved for their excellent work,” said Henrik Källsson, Deputy Managing Director of the Erik Thun Group.
“Thun Response“ recently entered service
The launch of the “Thun Resilience” follows the recent delivery of its sister vessel, the “Thun Response”, which was launched back in May. It left Leer on 7 September and completed its sea trials on 8 and 9 September. The vessel was then handed over to Thun Tankers on 29 September and incorporated into the fleet.
The delivery of the “Thun Response” and the launch of the “Thun Resilience” are further steps in the ongoing R-class programme. Each vessel is based on the same tried-and-tested design, which was developed specifically to meet the requirements of short-sea shipping in Northern Europe. With ten vessels ordered in this series, the programme represents a gradual renewal of Thun Tankers’ fleet.
“With the launch of the Thun Resilience and the delivery of the Thun Response, we are taking another step forward in the long-term development of our fleet,” said Joakim Lund, Chief Commercial Officer at Thun Tankers. “This strengthens our ability to meet our customers’ requirements and to remain a reliable partner for generations to come.”
