Monjasa acquires two tankers to serve rising fuel demand in West Africa

Danish shipping company Monjasa has taken over ownership of two tankers, namely, the 17,200DWT Monjasa Rover and the 7,858DWT Monjasa Hunter. The latter joins as a unique fleet addition targeting length-restricted offshore oil and gas vessels in West Africa, including FPSOs.

Monjasa said these fleet additions come at a time where West Africa sees a higher marine fuels demand compared to 2023 levels. This is due to the prolonged rerouting of cargo ships around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid attacks on Red Sea shipping by Yemen's Houthi rebel group.

Following this double tanker acquisition, Monjasa now controls more owned than chartered tonnage for the fist time since the company's establishment in 2002. The Monjasa fleet now stands at 16 owned and 15 time charter vessels.

While Monjasa Rover replaces Monjasa Thunder, which was recently repositioned from West Africa to the Panama Canal, Monjasa Hunter brings new and specialised capabilities to the Monjasa fleet. The ship's length of less than 110 metres allows it to go alongside oil rigs and platforms, thereby adding flexibility for offshore oil and gas operators from the Gulf of Guinea down to Namibia.

Monjasa took delivery of the 2004-built Monjasa Rover (formerly Fure Nord) in Riga, Latvia, and the 2009-built Monjasa Hunter (formerly Annelise Theresa) in Istanbul, Turkey, respectively. Both tankers were then dry-docked for renewal surveys, name change, and subsequent hull blasting and painting matching the Monjasa fleet design.