Norwegian ship management company OSM Maritime Group has secured a contract for the full technical management of Hunter Group’s fleet of eco-design smart very large crude carriers (VLCCs), currently under construction in South Korea.
Oslo-based Hunter Group has eight identical 336-meter-long vessels being built at Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) shipyard. They are scheduled for delivery in late 2019 and 2020.
The Hunter vessels will be managed from OSM’s base in Arendal, Norway, which offers specialist tanker services.
“This is the beginning of a strong strategic alliance between two Norwegian headquartered companies with clear global ambitions,” Erik A. S. Frydendal, Hunter Group CEO, commented.
“We have our sights set on making a real impact within the segment when the new vessels arrive, and we need a partner with the technical management expertise to really fulfill the potential we see ahead of us,” he added.
Hunter Group’s new tankers feature a cargo tank capacity of 340,000 cbm and a cruising speed of 14.8 knots. To ensure complete compliance with IMO 2020 regulations, the newbuilds will also be equipped with open loop scrubber systems from Wärtsila. Each vessel will be manned by a crew of 30 seafarers.
“Hunter Group is a bold new player within the VLCC segment and we’re delighted they have entrusted OSM to handle full fleet technical management. We believe we can help this … team gain a strong foothold in the market” Tommy Olofsen, OSM CCO, said.
OSM Maritime provides full technical and crew management to vessels ranging from 10,000 dwt tankers to VLCCs, having offices in Norway, Singapore, Cyprus and Helsinki.