ConocoPhillips’ Polar Endeavour to go in for dry dock maintenance

Petroleum News

The Polar Endeavour, ConocoPhillips’ first Endeavour class double-hulled tanker, will go to Asia this spring for its first regularly scheduled dry dock maintenance.

The company said Jan. 19 that the dry would occur in Asia, because no shipyard on the U.S. West Coast can accommodate a vessel the size of the Polar Endeavour, the first of ConocoPhillips’ crude oil carriers built for the Alaska crude oil trade in compliance with the federal Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

ConocoPhillips said that during the routine dry docking of the vessel personnel from the American Bureau of Shipping will inspect the condition of the vessel’s cargo and ballast tanks as well as its twin propellers and rudders. The vessel’s hull will be painted “with the most current, environmentally friendly, tin-free coating system,” the company said. The vessel is expected to be out of service for about 30 days.

The Polar Endeavour was commissioned for service in July 2001 and has completed 71 voyages. It is operated by Polar Tankers, a wholly owned subsidiary of ConocoPhillips.

ConocoPhillips said the trip to Asia is expected to occur during the second quarter. Depending on market economics, the Polar Endeavour may carry a load of Alaska North Slope crude oil to Asia and return to the United States with a load of crude oil.

ConocoPhillips has three Endeavour class tankers in service and two under construction. The newest double-hulled tanker, the Polar Discovery, joined the Polar Tankers fleet in November 2003. Two more Endeavour class vessels are scheduled to join the Polar fleet, one in 2004 and the fifth in 2005. The entire ConocoPhillips U.S. flag tanker fleet will be double-hulled by 2008.