Images of LR1 Tanker MT ‘Hellespont Protector’ in the Lower Mississippi River
74,800 DWT Products Carrier, built in 2007 at New Century SB,
VESSEL IDENTIFICATION & DESCRIPTION: Launch Name was Hellespont Protector. Panamax Tanker, Call Sign MCCF4, IMO Number 9351452, Hull Number 0307337. Built at New Century SB delivered in Dec 2007, Double Hull, Isle of Man Flagged, ABS Classed, Length Overall of 228.60 m., Length Between Perpendiculars of 219.70 m., Draught of 14.52 m., Beam of 32.29 m., 67.08 Tonnes per Centimeter Immersion, Gross Tonnage of 42,010, Tonnage of 34,705 Panama Canal Net, 39,772 Suez Canal Net, 22,444 International Net, 15,523 Light Displacement and 73,639 Dwt (long).
VESSEL’S OWNERS & MANAGERS: Hellespont Shipping (“Mariners with a Mission”). Technical Manager: Hellespont Ship Management GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg, Germany.
CARGO HANDLING DETAILS: Cargo Capacities of 81,302 cu.m. and 536,526 Barrels, 3 Cargo Separations, 12 Tanks, 3 Pumps with a total Capacity of 6,900 cu.m., 4 Cargo Manifolds, Epoxy Tank Coating, Heating Coils, Maximum heating capacity of 57 degrees Celsius.
POWER & PROPULSION:
MAIN ENGINE 1 x Diesel - MAN B. & W. 5S60MC-C7.1 - 2-stroke 5-cyl. 600mm x2400mm bore/stroke 11,300mkW total at 105rpm.
AUXILIARY 3 x Aux. Diesel Gen. - 4-stroke 2,700mkW total driving 3 x AC generator(s) 450V.
PROPULSOR 1 x FP Propeller (Aft Centre) (mechanical), Wartsila Propulsion, 105rpm.
OTHER ENGINE EQUIPMENT 1 x Screw Shaft.
ABOUT HELLESPONT: Founded in 1946 by Phrixos B Papachristidis as Papachristidis Co., Ltd. and based in Montreal, Quebec, the Hellespont Group is a multi-generational shipping company with past and present activities in owning, operating and managing vessels comprising of tankers, bulk carriers, LPG tankers, dry cargo vessels, offshore vessels and even trawlers.
The company name originates from Greek mythology when the siblings Phrixos and Helle evading their wicked stepmother, with the help of the Olympian god Zeus, blew away on a winged ram having with golden fleece from continental Greece to Asia Minor (modern day Turkey); young Helle fell off the winged ram and was killed in the Sea of the Dardanelles, the narrow sea passage separating Europe and Greece from Turkey and Asia. Historically, the Dardanelles have been known as Hellespont, or the Sea of Helle («πόντος» meaning sea). Please note that the name Phrixos runs in the family in several generations.
Most recently, Hellespont is known for its distinct color of their vessels, bright white, that sets them apart from afar. Although in certain ways it is cumbersome to maintain the pristine white color of industrial equipment like tankers, there is a scientific reason for it: tankers (especially crude oil tankers) tend to trade in Middle East where the sun can be brutal; dark painted vessels reflect least amount of heat and their decks and steel plate can get too hot; white painted tankers do not let steel plate take excessively hot, which impacts the strength / integrity of the vessel over time. Besides, white painted tankers cannot hide any rust or grease or poor maintenance, promoting a more intense maintenance level of the vessel. The large VLCC and ULCC tankers of the company have also been known as 'white elephants', and indeed the white color sets them apart as the pictures of the products tanker MT 'Hellespont Protector' show under the early spring sunset in the Lower Mississippi River.