On June 12th at 19:00 hours off- Fujairah, “Clipper Gas” was handed over to her new owners, Ruchi Shipping S.A. in Panama, who intend to beach her at Alang India to become a victim of the oxyacetylene torches. Vessel now being renamed “Clipper”, was flying the flag of Honduras on her final voyage ! She arrived in Alang on June 19th and was beached on the 22nd at 14:10 hours. The cutting process started on June 29th.
On her last commercial voyage, “Clipper Gas” performed a voyage from Lavera-France to Male-Maldives and Porbandar-India with Propane and Butane. Captain on her last commercial voyage was Peter Rosenqvist.
The vessel was bought by P/R Clipper Gas in 1987 as “Jasmine”, and taken over in Singapore on September 2nd at 15:00 hours. Having been renamed "Clipper Gas", she left Singapore on the 4th under the command of captain Gudleik Haneferd, bound for Bombay, were to load Butane.
Commercially wise, the vessel was operated by the Igloo Pool (Havtor-sphere) in Oslo. In January 1996, Havtor merged with Bergesen d.y. ASA, leaving Bergesen in charge of the commercial operation.
On November 19th 1999, “Clipper Gas” joined the SkandiGas Pool, commercially operated by Maersk Gas Carriers in Copenhagen, a part of the A.P. Moller Group.
SkandiGas Pool is a commercial pool operating gas carriers in the 8000-22000 cbm segment. The fleet consists of large semi-pressurised/fully-refrigerated LPG and petrochemical gas carriers owned by A.P. Møller Copenhagen, B. Schulte Hamburg, Ultragas Santiago, Latvian Shipping Riga, Martime Elsfleth, Solvang Stavanger, Seatankers Limassol, Exmar Antwerp, Zodiac London and Bergesen.
"Clipper Gas" was bought from a Singapore company in the Peder Smedvig-sphere in Stavanger. She was built as "Vestri", and delivered to Smedvig in January 1972 from Moss-Rosenberg Verft in Moss.
Smedvig signed contract for the "Vestri" in May 1969, and delivery should take place in September 1971. On launching day on October 15th 1971, the vessel was named by Mrs. Astri Johansen. "Vestri" was delivered on January 11th 1972, at a cost of 59,8 million Norwegian Kroner. “Vestri” was the first Ethylene carrier built for owners in Stavanger !!!
On time of delivery, the freight marked was very poor. In the beginning, the vessel traded on the Spot Marked, and performed in 1972 10 voyages, seven with LPG, and three with Ethylene. In 1986, "Vestri" was transferred to a Smedvig controlled company in Singapore and renamed "Jasmine".
"Vestri" was not Smedvig`s first acquintance with gas carriers. Already in the fall of 1967, Smedvig bought a 25 percent ownership share in a gas carrier under construction at Scott`s Shipbuilding & Engineering CO Ltd. in Greenock Scotland, for the account of shipowner Kr. Gerhard Jebsen in Bergen. When delivered in August 1968, this 11.750 cbm vessel had been named "Gas Lion". Holding a 25 percent ownership share, Smedvig was the largest shareholder in this vessel. "Gas Lion" was sold in 1979.
SIC TRANSIT GLORIA MUNDI
John M. Gramstad
