‘Mothball Liberty until the demand for oil picks up’
Friday 5th June 2009, 11:30AM BST.
MOTHBALLING one of the tankers bought to secure the island’s oil supplies is the best the States can do to minimise operating costs while it lies idle, according to Deputy Barry Paint.
The former St Sampson’s Harbour pilot said the Sarnia Liberty, which has not been used since the States bought it and the Sarnia Cherie for 16.9m. euros at the start of the year, was still a good investment.
‘I feel sure that within the year things will pick up again and there will be demand for fuel.
‘If the States had not bought the tankers, the island would have been left vulnerable. Now we have fuel guaranteed for at least 18 years,’ he said.
‘The tanker was bought before a massive drop in the shipping market and it is laid up because of the global recession.’
The ship has been in a dry dock since repairs to its ballast tanks costing £850,000 were completed.
Although it is ready for work, a downturn in available cargoes means its only scheduled charter is in October 2010.
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Liberty was mothballed years ago.
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sad to use such a name:
however as you say liberty went out the door nearly a 1000years ago.
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The article and the comments seem to suggest that the lack of work for one of the tankers was something that happened after the purchase of the ships.
The January billet makes it clear that the first charter for Vedrey Thor (Sarnia Liberty) was in October 2010.
Not new news and something that was known before the ship was purchased, athough that fact was hidden away in the Billet.
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Just a suggestion;
Why doesn’t master mariner Trott take command and have Flouquet as the Mate, with Dave Jones as cabin boy. Parkinson can be Purser.
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