The Copenhagen based tanker specialist Torm A/S, operates a fleet of eighty wholly owned petroleum carriers, ranging from Long Range crude carriers to Handysize product carriers. The majority of the ships however are of the MidRange product carrier size (50,000 dwt approximately) with some 59 vessels in that category. Today (November 22) their Torm Sublime arrived from Antwerp with refined product for Imperial Oil.
Wearing Torm's familiar, but unique burnt orange and black colour scheme, the ship is nevertheless somewhat unusual. It was not built in South Korea like most MRs, but instead by Guangzhou Shipyard International Co Ltd in Guangzhou, China. Delivered in October 2019 it is a 28,877 gt, 49,974 dwt vessel with several interesting features.
The most noticeable is the extra wide enclosed bridge. This is suggestive of winter navigation, and therefore an ice classification. (I am unable to confirm this with current accessible resources.)
The blocky superstructure also includes the closed loop exhaust gas scrubber system installed during construction.
Torm has retrofitted scores of its tankers with scrubbers, which resulted in unavoidably awkward looks. I am not sure, but the "new build" versions look like a last minute add on to a previous design. The squat funnnel sits on the scrubber "tower" which may be on the port side only- I will try for a stern shot another day.
The ship displays the Danish flag on its sides and sails under the Danish International Registry. That regime provides tax relief for seafarers and allows ship owners to employ foreign nationals at industry competitive wage rates. A similar scheme operates in Norway and has proven to be a boon for shipowners in both countries.
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