The first foreign flag tanker to call here this year, the Panama registered STX Ace 7, makes its maiden visit to Dunedin today.
A 30,027gt, 46,140dwt vessel, it is one of a series of double hull, chemical/oil products carriers. built at Jinhae by the STX Shipbuilding Company Ltd.
The 14.7 knot vessel was completed by this yard on December 5, 2007.
It had been laid down earlier that year on August 24, and launched on September 30.
STX Ace 7 is owned by POS Maritime SX SA and is managed by the STX Pan Ocean Company Ltd, a company that has had links with this harbour for the last 30 years.
Pan Ocean's history goes back to May 28, 1966, when it commenced operations under the title of Beomyang (meaning Pan Ocean) Bulk Carriers.
This was changed to Pan Ocean Shipping Company in April 1984, and then to STX Pan Ocean in November 2004, after it was acquired by the STX Group.
To date, during the last 30 years, 20 bulk/lumber types representing the fleet have made 76 visits here to discharge phosphate, or load scrap, but mainly logs.
And the largest log ship to call here was its 27,116gt, 1996-built New Fantasy on May 17, 2001.
But one recalls that two other units of the fleet that are still in service have made more visits than any other vessels connected with the log trade.
The 17,297gt Rainier, built at Kawajiri in 1979, made 14 visits from January 26, 1992, to August 16, 1994.
And the smaller 15,187gt Sammi Crystal made 18 calls between January 30, 1994, and November 4, 1997.
This vessel, now owned by an associated company, was transferred from South Korean to Panama registry in 2003.
Rainier, now named Lively Falcon, is owned by Vietnam interests but is registered in Mongolia.
Over the years, the naming systems for the fleet have changed with the prefix New or Ocean being replaced by POS or STX names for newer tonnage.
And while, in the past, the fleet comprised mainly vessels employed in the bulk trades, it has now diversified into pure car and truck carriers, tankers and container ships.
Today, the STX shipping arm owns about 70 vessels and another 300 on charter.
The history of STX Shipbuilding Company goes back to January 1962, when the Daehan Shipbuilding Ironworks was established.
In April 1967, the name was changed to the Dongyang Shipbuilding Industries Company, then to the Daedong Shipbuilding in January 1973.
The present name appeared in January 2002.
Today, the STX name is known much further afield than South Korea.
In October 2007, STX secured a 39.2% stake in the Norwegian-controlled Akers yards.
On November 3, 2008, the name was changed to STX Europe ASA.
Also based in Norway, it now operates 18 shipyards in Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Romania and Vietnam. Among them are the Wartsila yard at Turku, Finland, and Chantiers de l'Atlantique at St Nazaire, France, both specialists in cruise ship construction.
The first of Ravensbourne's visitors this year, Mount Owen was also on its first visit last week.
Another of the standard Imabari-built bulk/lumber carriers, the 17,018gt, 28,333dwt vessel was completed on March 17, 2008.
Currently on charter to Pacific Basin, the Hong Kong-registered vessel is owned by Helen Shipping (BVI) Ltd, of the Virgin Islands.
