The Ferus Smit shipyard in the German Leer has handed Thun Britain over to the Dutch-Swedish shipping line, the second in a series of two 'Not Always Afloat But Safely Aground' tankers (Naabsa).

The 79.9 by 15 m, 4,250 dwt, 1A ice-class vessel offers 4,800 m3 cargo capacity (across eight coated tanks suited to transport oil products and IMO type II chemicals).

Like her sister ship Thun Blyth, Thun Britain has been chartered to the Geos Group, a supplier and trader of marine gas oil.

The pair will serve harbours with tidal restrictions, being able to rest on the seabed while (un)loading during low tide.

"Their relatively small size and NaabsaMAX capability enable the product tankers to call at tide-restricted and smaller niche ports, including Guernsey and Alderney in the Channel Islands, and many locations around the Western Scottish Isles. They are also equipped to make ship-to-ship deliveries, and utilised for short sub-charters and carrying cargoes on behalf of third parties," the Geos Group said in a press release.

Photo: Ferus Smit