Isle Of Man Flag Welcomes First Next-Gen Eco-Friendly Tanker To Its Registry

A newly built, environmentally advanced tanker, LETTIE PG, has officially entered service under the Isle of Man flag. It is the first of three vessels commissioned by Pritchard-Gordon Tankers (PG Tankers) as part of its ongoing fleet renewal programme.

This 10,600 DWT oil product and chemical tanker, designed to meet modern sustainability goals and specific trading needs, represents a new class of environmentally conscious vessels.

The ship, built at the CMJL Ding Heng shipyard in China, was launched in September 2024 and has now been delivered for commercial operations.

The vessel was developed by FKAB Marine Design, a Swedish-based naval architecture firm known for innovative and energy-efficient ship concepts.

PG Tankers, based in the North East of England, specialises in transporting crude oil, refined petroleum products, biofuels, and chemicals through environmentally sensitive regions, using custom-built shallow-draft, double-hull tankers.

LETTIE PG features multiple cutting-edge technologies. It is methanol fuel-ready and comes equipped with peak-shaving batteries that are charged using solar power.

It also supports zero-emission discharge operations and is compatible with cold ironing, allowing it to connect to shore-side power when docked, thereby reducing emissions.

Another key innovation is the vessel’s F-bow design, patented by FKAB, which helps reduce wave resistance. The ship’s hull has been fully optimised using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to improve flow performance and fuel efficiency.

The ship also boasts a twisted leading-edge rudder and a custom-matched propeller-hull combination. This integrated propulsion system improves speed and fuel economy while also minimising underwater noise and cavitation- important factors in protecting marine life and improving ship performance.

The Isle of Man Ship Registry (IOMSR), which has officially registered the vessel, said that LETTIE PG represents a new generation of eco-friendly ships designed for companies like PG Tankers. IOMSR praised PG Tankers for leading in sustainable shipping and said it is proud to support such efforts.

The IOMSR has made sustainability a core part of its mission. It is actively working with several shipowners on green projects and is involved in developing advanced wind propulsion technologies to cut emissions. One such example is the BERGE OLYMPUS, the world’s most powerful wind-assisted cargo ship, which also sails under the Isle of Man flag.

The registry is a founding flag state member of the Getting to Zero Coalition, a global alliance aiming to fully decarbonise the shipping industry. This group includes over 120 members from across the maritime, energy, infrastructure, and finance sectors, and is led by the Global Maritime Forum, Friends of Ocean Action, and the World Economic Forum.

The Isle of Man became the first flag state in the world in April 2022 to offer a 15% discount on registration fees for vessels that use green technologies. This applies to operators of cargo ships, passenger vessels, and commercial yachts that adopt systems like biofuels, alternative fuels, shore-side energy, or wind propulsion.

Today, the Isle of Man Ship Registry is considered one of the top-performing registries globally. It is ranked 18th in the world by Clarkson’s, managing around 300 ships and 12.5 million gross tonnage.

The registry is based in Douglas, on the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency, and is a Category One member of the Red Ensign Group. It holds top positions on both the Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU white lists for port state control.

Reference: Isle of Man Ship Registry

Source: Maritime Shipping News