Leading petroleum tanker owner/operator – AET – today named its newest vessel, a 120,000 DWT DP2 shuttle tanker, “Eagle Bergen”. “Eagle Bergen” is the second of two vessels built by Samsung Heavy Industries to the standards required to operate on the Norwegian continental shelf. She is fixed on long-term charter to Statoil ASA. The new vessel is owned and commercially managed by a joint venture company – AET Sea Shuttle AS – which is formed between AET, (the majority partner) and ADS Shipping Limited of Norway. She is technically managed by OSM Maritime Group, a sister company of ADS. The naming ceremony was held in Stavanger (Norway) and the ship was sponsored by Mrs Heidi Aakre, Vice President, Asset Management for Manufacturing, Storage and Shipping of Statoil ASA. Officiating at the ceremony, AET chairman, Datuk Nasarudin bin Md Idris said: “Today is a momentous occasion for AET. It represents the culmination of much hard work and the cementing of relationships between our company and two very special partners: Statoil and OSM Maritime Group. AET continues to broaden its operating footprint and capabilities. Alongside our traditional crude oil operations and our lightering activities, we now operate DP capable vessels in the Brazilian Basin, the US Gulf and the North Sea”. The chairman of ADS Shipping and OSM Maritime Group, Bjørn Tore Larsen, who was present at today’s ceremony commented: “We are delighted to be investing in “Eagle Bergen” and “Eagle Barents”, and being a part of a team that brings a new, major player into the North Sea market. Like AET, we also believe in the strategic importance of creating long-term partnerships that build value for all those involved. Aligning ourselves with companies that share our business outlook will create synergies and mutual advantage for us all. I look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with AET and Statoil.” Mrs Heidi Aakre, the vessel’s Lady Sponsor (and also representing the charterer), said: “I am honoured to be the sponsor for this new vessel which is state-of-the art and will play an important role in Statoil’s shuttle tanker fleet for many years. She is owned and managed by three experienced partners – AET, ADS and OSM – and that gives me great confidence that “Eagle Bergen”, and “Eagle Barents”, will serve Statoil well throughout the life of the charter.” “Eagle Bergen”, and “Eagle Barents” are amongst the most advanced vessels of their type to operate anywhere in the world. They are twin skeg, twin engine and fitted with a range of eco-innovations to reduce their impact on the natural environment including a fully fitted ballast water treatment system, SOx scrubber system and VOC emission reduction system.