Phillips’ new double-hulled, Endeavour class tanker enters Alaska waters
Petroleum News Alaska
Phillips’ newest tanker, the Endeavour class double-hulled Polar Resolution, loaded its first cargo of Alaska North Slope crude oil in Valdez the week of July 22. The vessel is operated by Polar Tankers, a Long Beach, Calif.-subsidiary of Phillips Petroleum Co.
“These Endeavour Class tankers demonstrate Phillips’ commitment to protect the environment and to the safe production and transportation of Alaska crude to the West Coast markets,” said Phillips Alaska President Kevin Meyers in a July 24 statement.
The Polar Resolution is the second of five 140,000 deadweight ton crude oil carriers Polar Tankers is scheduled to add to its fleet each year until 2005. Phillips said these are the first crude oil carriers built specifically for the Alaska trade in compliance with the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.
The tankers were constructed at Northrop Grumman Litton Avondale Industries in New Orleans, La. The next Endeavour class tanker, the Polar Discovery, will join the fleet in 2003. The tankers are valued at more than $200 million each.
Tankers are double-hulled Phillips said the Endeavour class tankers are being built to meet and or exceed existing and proposed environmental regulations. The company said the tankers “have set new standards for innovation and environmental protection.”
The tankers have double hulls, two independent engine rooms, twin propellers and twin rudders. Each of the five vessels are 894.7 feet by 151.6 feet by 86.29 feet and will hold slightly more than 1 million barrels of cargo at maximum capacity.
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