Here comes the next tanker, - this time from the early nineties - - -
The difference from the eighties ship, - the "Stolt Eagle" -, is not so easy to see for the untrained eye, but now we actually have a real chemical tanker instead of a ship which is more like a product tanker.

The "Stolt Markland" was delivered in 1992 from the Kleven Florø Yard in Norway as number two in a series of four chemical tankers of the "Helluland" class.
Anyone who served on these ships are very happy about them.
They are "no nonsense" ships without too many unnecessary gimmicks, - easy to operate and a pleasure to sail.
They were what a sailor would call "nice ships", and they seemed to attract good people as well, and therefore they were also "happy ships". From a sailors point of view they were simply great ships to serve on.
However, - from a businessman's point of view, they have one serious drawback based on the fact that they were constructed with only single hulls. This is a bit strange, since the first real chemical tankers that came out about 20 years earlier already were constructed with double hull right from the start, but apparently the constructors of the "Helluland" class did not clearly see which way the wind was blowing concerning environmental protection.
When I joined the "Stolt Markland" about 10 years later, we clearly saw the result of this, because national and international laws about tanker design, simply excluded the nice ship from the most important markets.
Therefore the "Stolt Markland" and her sisters must have been some of the absolute last tankers in the world that was born without double hull, which by today's standards is an absolute "must".

Improvements on this ship from the nineties compared to the "Stolt Eagle" from the eighties is mainly that "Stolt Markland" has more tanks than the Stolt Eagle", and a part of the tank section is now made of stainless steel, making it possible to carry more aggressive cargoes like for example acids, and also she can carry more sensitive cargoes that might be spoiled if carried in a coated tank.
In the engine room the most obvious change is the introduction of more digital equipment and computer screens for control of the machinery, which we did not have in the "Stolt Eagle" - - - -

There is a lot more, but for now, please enjoy my pictures of a nice ship, - the "Stolt Markland" -, from the nineties - - - -
 
 
 

I have decided to start the "Stolt Markland" series with photos taken during a boat drill we did in the middle of the Indian Ocean back in 2001.
We simply sailed around the ship and saw it from all angles, and I will start this round trip with a picture from the bow, - and then continue clockwise around the ship - - -

Please enjoy - - -
 
 

Updated:   May 6. 2005, - Nov.18.2008