Monjasa grows owned tanker fleet with double acquisition

Danish bunker supplier and tanker owner Monjasa has purchased two secondhand tankers to bolster its operations in West Africa.

The 2004-built 17,200 dwt Monjasa Rover, acquired as Fure Nord from Furetank, and the 2009-built 7,900 dwt Monjasa Hunter, picked up from Christiania Shipping as Annelise Theresa, have joined the fleet as the region sees increased bunker demand as a result of the lengthy rerouting of ships around the Cape of Good Hope.

The additions mark a first for Monjasa, as the Federicia-headquartered company now counts more owned than chartered tonnage in its 31-strong fleet, around 10 of which operate in West Africa.

The Monjasa Rover will replace the Monjasa Thunder, which was recently reassigned to the Panama Canal, while the Monjasa Hunter (pictured), with its length of about 101.5m, brings new capabilities to the fleet as it can go alongside oil rigs and platforms to add flexibility for oil and gas operators from the Gulf of Guinea down to Namibia.

“Unlike our other tankers in West Africa, which are too big in size for this purpose, Monjasa Hunter offers a distinct advantage for offshore operators in the region. Thanks to its length and relatively large carrying capacity compared to its size, the vessel can support niche length-restricted fuel operations, including FPSOs,” remarked, Torben Nielsen, group shipping director at Monjasa.