Mv Gastor

MV Gastor and MV Nestor were two LNG carriers built at the French shipyard Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire. Although delivered in 1976 both ships only entered real service in 1993, after their sale to Bonny Gas Transport Bermuda Shell, a subsidiary of Nigeira LNG Limited. Under their original names (Gastor and Nestor), the ships never transported any cargo. HistoryThe ships were sister ships owned by different companies: Nedlloyd and Ocean. They were built in 1976-1977 at the Chantier d'Atlantique shipyard of St. Nazaire. After completion they never came into service and were both laid-up for years in the Scottish loch Loch Striven as there was no work for them. A few years after the completion it was discovered that there was a construction error in the insulation of the huge gas-tanks. These LNG carriers store their cargo at near atmospheric pressure and this requires that the gas is cooled down to the boiling temperature of LNG: −162C. The cargo was at this temperature when loaded and then the temperature was maintained on this level using very good isolated tanks and slowly let some of the gas vaporize which cools down the cargo. Both ships returned to the shipyard for these repairs and then returned to Lock Striven as there was still no work for them. The tonnage of the ships is 68. 122 The building-costs of each ship was approx. €60 million while they were sold in 1991 for approximately €15 million and came in service around 1993.

MV Gastor and MV Nestor were two LNG carriers built at the French shipyard Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire. Although delivered in 1976 both ships only entered real service in 1993, after their sale to Bonny Gas Transport Bermuda Shell, a subsidiary of Nigeira LNG Limited. Under their original names (Gastor and Nestor), the ships never transported any cargo. HistoryThe ships were sister ships owned by different companies: Nedlloyd and Ocean. They were built in 1976-1977 at the Chantier d'Atlantique shipyard of St. Nazaire. After completion they never came into service and were both laid-up for years in the Scottish loch Loch Striven as there was no work for them. A few years after the completion it was discovered that there was a construction error in the insulation of the huge gas-tanks. These LNG carriers store their cargo at near atmospheric pressure and this requires that the gas is cooled down to the boiling temperature of LNG: −162C. The cargo was at this temperature when loaded and then the temperature was maintained on this level using very good isolated tanks and slowly let some of the gas vaporize which cools down the cargo. Both ships returned to the shipyard for these repairs and then returned to Lock Striven as there was still no work for them. The tonnage of the ships is 68. 122 The building-costs of each ship was approx. €60 million while they were sold in 1991 for approximately €15 million and came in service around 1993.