Asphalt Princess
Asphalt Princess is a double-hulled tanker used to transport bitumen and asphalt. It is currently operated by Asphalt Princess Shipping. The ship was launched on 19 December 1975 and completed in 1976 by Ankerlokken Glommen of Frederikstad, Norway. Initially named Joasla, the vessel was sold in 1979 and renamed Orinoco, then again in 1981 to Rio Orinoco. As Rio Orinoco, the vessel went aground on Anticosti Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in October 1990 and spilled 200 metric tons (200 long tons; 220 short tons) of oil into the gulf before being freed. The ship was acquired by Groupe Desgagné following this and renamed Thalassa Desgagnes. While in service with Groupe Desgagné, the vessel suffered a fire and ran aground. Asphalt Princess Shipping purchased the ship in 2017.
Thalassa Desgagnes | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Port of registry | |
| Builder | Ankerlokken Glommen, Fredrikstad, Norway |
| Yard number | 189 |
| Laid down | May 1975 |
| Launched | 19 December 1975 |
| Completed | 8 May 1976 |
| In service | 1976 |
| Identification | IMO number: 7382988 |
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Tanker |
| Tonnage | |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 17.2 m (56 ft 5 in) |
| Installed power | Diesel engine, 3,700 kW (5,000 bhp) |
| Propulsion | 1 shaft |
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
On 3 August 2021, Asphalt Princess was widely reported in international media as the target of a hijacking in the Gulf of Oman, 97 kilometres (60 mi) east of the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. The hijackers were allegedly backed by Iran. Ships nearby in the Gulf of Oman were advised to exercise “extreme caution” by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) earlier in the day. The boarders left the ship the next day.