TARBIT SHIPPING AB the past and the present
The shipping company's two founders Knut Hermansson and Sture Svanström met way back in 1958 at Ideal's engineering workshop in Gothenburg. Knut arrived in the tanker Redön which was to undergo a boiler replacement and Sture was the ship's agent. They gained considerable confidence in each other and this resulted in the purchase of their first jointly-owned ship in 1962.
The purchase of Oiltank was not all plain sailing. But with hard work they managed to finance the purchase and the deal could be concluded. Their collaborations has continued since then and, today, and it is gratifying for them that the new generation's personal chemistry is just as agreeable.
A unique deal
The purchase of the ship Inger Express, ex Seaspeed Dora, shows that characteristics such as curiosity, knowledge and an eye for business are vital to success. The brand-new ship had capsized in the Red Sea in 1977 and was to be sold in its capsized state. Knut and Sture saw the potential and Knut quickly travelled to the Red Sea to inspect her on site equipped only with a pocket torch.
They made a decision on the spot and the deal went through before anybody else had inspected her. She was then towed from Pireus to Gothenburg where she arrived on 10 January. She went on her initial sea trial as early as 5 May the same year. Inger Express then operated in ro-ro traffic right up to l981 when she was sold. Knut's and Sture's eye for business led them in the right direction since Inger Express was a really good deal for the shipping company.
Redo leaves Skärhamn
When the asphalt tanker Redo was sold to Russia in September 2003, one of the true faithful servants in the shipping company's fleet disappeared. With her more than forty years she was one of Sweden's most beautiful conventional ships and a well-known landmark for the people of Skärhamn. She was built in 1963 as the Nynäs and was sold to the shipping company in 1976.
Despite her 27 years with the company she was still in good condition and retained her original Deutz engine. She was rated at ice class 3 and transported liquid asphalt heated to 220°C. Redo was the first ship to have a heating system based on hot oil instead of steam. All the tankers owned by Tarbit since 1976 comply with the "double - double" hull rule.
The new generation takes over
The choice of profession for the new generation was self-evident. Whether or not the sons would follow in their fathers' footsteps was obvious. The desire to go to sea was there, the exciting environment was a temptation and as soon as school was finished they went to sea. The generation change went via shipping training and all the sons have sailed and are still active - prepared to go onboard when required.
Major accidents have changed tanker shipping and now it is necessary to keep up-to-date and comply with the latest environmental and quality requirements in order to carry out transports for the oil companies.
The combination of seamanship and theoretical training is therefore a necessity for meeting customers' increasing requirements.
In 1995 the trio feeled ready to take on major tasks and they decided to invest in Oktavius, Chess and Bitfjord. This was a major responsibility in terms of greater tonnage and more ships. But, because the sons had learned to take on responsibility from their parents, they never hesitated. The new generation were not handed anything on a plate. The shipping industry is a question of hard work, 24 hours a day.
2001 Tarbit became the major shareholder / owner of the Dutch shipping company Theodora Tankers specialized in transporting bitumen overseas. The fleet of Theodora tankers at that moment consisted of : Stella Procyon, Stella Pollux, Stella Lyra, Stella Rigel, Theodora, Stella Wega and Stella Polaris all high heat tankers under Dutch flag.
The Swedish Trarbit fleet in 2001:
Redonia, Redo, Chess(2), Bituma, Oktavius, Bitland, Bitfjord, Bithav and under construction Bitflower sister of the Bithav, all under Swedish flag .In 2006 the new product tanker Bit Oktania came into service in followed by the 25.000 product tankers Bit Okland and Bit Viking in resp 2006 and 2007. Bitland changed flag from Tarbit Sweden to Tarbit Netherlands so did Bithav and Bit Oktania in 2010. In 2011 the Bit Viking was converted into a LNG fueled vessel she was the first converted ship in that way in NW Europe.
Older units were sold and new ships built the combined fleet of Tarbit A.B and Tarbit BV in 2024 consists of:
Bitflower under Swedish flag
Stella Polaris, Stella Orion, Stella Virgo, Stella Maris, Bithav, Bit Redo, Bitfjord, Bit Eco, Bit Hero, Bit Wind, Bit Wave, Bitonia, Bit Force, Bit Power and Bitland under Dutch flag.
Arkel 09.07.2024
Text partly copied from the official Tarbit site. with permission
Photo,s © H.Pieterse unless otherwise stated
TARBIT SHIPPING AB the past and present.
REDON 1956 - 1970
REDON 1956 – 1970 // Callsign: SFXY
Built as CHANT 67
Burntisland Shipbuilding Co Ltd No 292 // 1946
Dimensions : 45.07 X 8.26 X 3.50
Gross 472 Nett 196 Dwt 475
Engine: Alpha 4 SA 5 Cylinder 260 X 370 265Kw
Owner : Knut Hermansson
Homeport : Skarhamn Flag : Sweden
history:
Came into service as NORBENSIN 1946 – 1952
REDO 1952 – 1956
as RAMBIZ // Foto: Ships and Harbours
Sold in 1971 as KAMBIZ to Iran
1999 demolished
Data: L.R // Miramar
Photos: Archive and contributed by Bengt Petterson
OILTANK 1962 - 1974
photo: Kelvin Davies
OILTANK 1962 – 1974 Imo: 5261415
Built and delivered in 1960 as ALVI
Builfder : Norrkoping Varv & Verksted
Owner : Oiltanker Rederi A/B // Knut Hermansson .
Homeport : Skarhamn Flag : Sweden
Dimensions: 57.07 X 8.94 X 3.91
Tonnage : 499gr 236nett 750dwt
Propulsion: Skandia 8 cylinder 250 X 350 750bhp
History:
1974 sold as FLAMERIA
1990 sold as KONSTANDIS
deleted 2007
Data: L.R & Miramar // Photo,s : Bengt Petterson and others
SCANTANK 1963 - 1976
SCANTANK // Foto (c) Piet Anderesse courtesy Jan Anderiesse (c)
Scantank in January 1967 in Delfzijl.
PHOTO: (c) Ben Gernaat
SCANTANK 1963 – 1976
Owner : P/R Scantank ( Knut Hermansson ) Skarhamn
Built as HEBE in 1956
Builder : Seutelvens Verksted – Frederikstad Yard no 61
Launched : 06.12.1955 Delivered: 17.02.1956
Dimensions: 56.00 X 8.70
Tonnage : 499gr 223nrt 778 dwt
Propulsion : MWM 4 t s.a. 6 cylinder 320 X 480 750 bhp
Speed : 11.
History:
1954 Ordered 15/12.
1955 Built as HEBE at Seutelvens Verksted A/S, Fredrikstad for Skips-A/S Vågen (Helge R. Myhre), Stavanger. Launched 06/12.
1956 Delivered 17/02.
1963 Sold to P/R Scantank (Knut Hermansson), Skärhamn, Sweden. Renamed SCANTANK.
1976 Sold to K/S Primitus, Ångered/Göteborg, Sweden.
1979 Sold to A/B San-Safe, Partille/Göteborg. Renamed SOLTANK.
1982 Sold to P/R Inge Sandén, Tyresö/Stockholm, Sweden. Renamed RONJA.
1986 Sold to P/R Ronja (Bunkerservice I Stockholm A/B), Stockholm.
1989 Sold to Sea Bird Shipping Co., Piraeus, Greece. Renamed STAR A.
1990 Sold to Pounentes Naftiki Eteria, Piraeus. Renamed POUNENTES.
1994 Re-meas.: 750 tdw, 570 grt, 269 nrt.
1998 Sold 01/02 til Navios Puerto de Esmira S.A., Belize. Renamed BONANZA I.
as Mistral
2000 Registered 12/05 at La Paz, Bolivia. Renamed MISTRAL.
2001 Registered 11/12 at San Lorenzo, Honduras.
2005 Arrived 31/05 at Alang, India for demolition.
Source and Photo,s :
Miramar // Skipshistorie.net // Bengt Petterson // Archive H.Pieterse.
PETROTANK 1969 - 1974
Photo: © Jan Anderiesse 03.05.1972
PETROTANK 1969 – 1974
Built by Ekeroths No 175 / Norrkoping/// completed by : Karlskronavarvet No 367
Owner: Knut H Hermansson
Flag : Sweden Homeport Skarhamn
Type : Tanker
Dimensions: LOA 82.10 Beam 13.00
1963Grt 2743 Dwt
Propulsion: DEUTZ SBV8M545
1974 sold as Spirit of Mahe
1984 sold as Abdul K
1990 sold as Vemaoil
2002 sold as Vega
2012 deleted from LR
as VEGA
Photos via Bengt Petterson. //
Archive H.Pieterse