Altera Names Samsung-built Shuttle Tanker Trio

Altera Infrastructure held a remote naming ceremony for three new shuttle tankers built by Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) in South Korea.

The 130,000 dwt Current Spirit and 103,000 dwt Altera Wave and Altera Wind are constructed based on Altera's E-shuttle design, which incorporates technologies intended to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, using liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel and recovered volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as a secondary fuel, as well as battery packs for flexible power distribution and blackout prevention.

The ships are expected to be handed over between August 2020 and January 2021, followed by a fourth newbuild slated to operate off the East Coast of Canada and due for delivery in early-2022.

Last month Altera took delivery of the LNG-fueled Suezmax DP2 shuttle tanker 130,000 dwt Tide Spirit. The vessel, which was also built by SHI, is expected to start operations in October 2020.

In addition, the SHI-built 130,000 dwt shuttle tanker newbuilds delivered to Altera (previously named Teekay Offshore) in the first quarter, Aurora Spirit and Rainbow Spirit, started operations under an existing master agreement with Equinor in the North Sea during April 2020 and May 2020, respectively.