ExxonMobil orders two Alaska tankers

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 26 -- ExxonMobil Corp.’s US marine affiliate SeaRiver Maritime Inc. signed a letter of intent with Aker Philadelphia Shipyard for construction of two US-flagged crude oil tankers in partnership with Samsung Heavy Industries.

The vessels will be used to transport Alaska North Slope crude oil from Prince William Sound to the US West Coast.

Project planning work is under way with construction of the 115,000 dwt double-hull tankers expected to begin by mid-2012.

SeaRiver will take delivery of the 730,000 bbl-capacity vessels in 2014. They will replace two existing double-hull tankers.