Knutsen OAS Shipping is a privately owned shipping company located in Haugesund, Norway. The company has a fleet of purpose-built shuttle tankers, chemical carriers and product tankers internationally. The fleet consists of 41 shuttle tankers, chemical carriers and product tankers. In 2009 the company had an onshore staff of 64 to handle projects and operation of the fleet, 430 administrative employees offshore and about 800 foreign employees.
Structure
History Knutsen OAS Shipping AS was established in 1895 by Ole Andreas Knutsen. From 1900 to 1946 his son Knut Knutsen established the company as one of the largest shipping companies in Norway. In the 1970s the shuttle-tanker crises created economic difficulties for the company, and it had to restructure. In 1980 Jens Ulltveit Moe became the CEO of the company, and it became a part of the Umoe AS company. After acquiring the assets owned by Jens Ulltveit Moe in 2008, the company's new CEO in 2009 was Trygve Seglem. Its present strategy was implemented in 1984, and based on long-term contracts to first class charters. In 1984, the company got its first offshore loading contract with Statoil for two shuttle tankers. The two new-built ships Anna Knutsen and Ragnhild Knutsen were built in China and delivered in 1987. One common feature or these two pioneer ships and all other shuttle tankers owned by Knutsen OAS is dynamic position systems from the Kongsberg Group. Knutsen OAS operates one of the largest fleets of purpose-built DP-class shuttle tankers in the world. In 2008, the company was listed with 40 ships and 11 ships under construction.
On January 3, 1997, the tanker Tove Knutsen spilled 50 tons of oil in the Humber estuary while discharging at a Conoco monobuoy. The shipping company would be fined £35,000 for the tanker officer's error, which prompted extensive cleanup on Cleethorpes beach.
Gallery
The fleet (per 2009) Source:
Gas tankers NameGrossMdwt Built Flag Bilbao Knutsen93450682002004SPACadiz Knutsen93450682002004SPAIberica Knutsen93915775412006NISPioneer Knutsen16878172004NORSestao Knutsen93450682002007SPALa Mancha Knutsen97217241162462016SPARioja Knutsen97217361162462016SPAbrandy ban-eg Knutsen9637001162462026PH
Offshore NameGrossMdwt Built Flag Jorunn Knutsen726511229962000NOR
Tank NameGrossMdwt Built Flag Anna Knutsen693031238191987NISAnneleen Knutsen24242351402002NISBetty Knutsen24185353091999NISCatherine Knutsen773891417201992NISEli Knutsen11889165442009BRIElisabeth Knutsen718501247681997MANEllen Knutsen11433170711991NISEvi Knutsen721201462301988NISGerd Knutsen795921462731996MANHeather Knutsen809181486432005CANHelene Knutsen11737148501992MANHilda Knutsen11425143901989NISIsabel Knutsen13753221102001BRIJasmine Knutsen809181486432005CANJorunn Knutsen726511229962000NORKaren Knutsen881091536171999MANKristin Knutsen12184191101998NISLiv Knutsen11889165852009BRILoch Knutsen755261300311998BRIMaria Knutsen13753221102001BRINancy Knutsen51161954681993NISPascale Knutsen11688147301993BRISallie Knutsen878271536171999MANSidsel Knutsen15806226251993NISSiri Knutsen24185353092004BRISynnøve Knutsen11433170711992NISTordis Knutsen666711238481993MANTorill Knutsen11425149101990NISTove Knutsen612061052951989NISTurid Knutsen15687219991993NISVigdis Knutsen666711234231993MANWindsor Knutsen871461620002007NIS
Innovation & technology focus
The Knutsen OAS tanker segment is within the following areas:
• Offshore loading and crude oil transport • Products • Chemicals • Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
Knutsen OAS has since the mid-1980s grown into one of the leading shipping companies within offshore oil loading. Another increasing focus for Knutsen O.A.S is the transport of natural gas. From 2004 to 2007, 5 LNG ships were delivered and this is a segment where the company has ambitions for further expansions.
Knutsen VOC technology
This technology is a cost efficient method to reduce and limit VOC emissions during transport and loading of volatile cargoes such as crude oil. This technology limits the VOC emissions between 60 and 80% during transport and loading. In addition to reducing air emissions and, the Knutsen VOC technology reduces H2S emission from the cargo. This emission represents a hazard to the environment, the ship and also to the crews' health.
Pressurized natural gas transport
Pressurized natural gas (PNG) is a solution for maritime transport of natural gas. This technology has been developed in collaboration with Europipe GMBH (Germany) and Det Norske Veritas (Norway). In the start up of development, this technology encountered some problems due to previous pipeline regulations, but in 2003 when new regulations were in place the project received authorization.
This new technology opens for new transport alternatives especially suitable for offshore loading for direct transport to the market. These technology stores gas on board the ship in specially designed cylinders at a pressure of 250 barg. In comparison to LNG maritime transport, the gas treatment is minimal and comparable to treatment required for pipeline transport. The reduction in energy recourses required to compress the gas makes is a more environmental friendly solution than LNG.
References
External links http://www.Knutsenoas.com Knutsen OAS official web pages