With the sale of ESVAGT Charlie to the French SeaOwl on October 3rd, the shipping company ESVAGT has put a period on an important chapter in its history. The handover marks a final farewell to the legendary Group 3 vessels, which for decades have been a cornerstone of ESVAGT’s standby operations in the North Sea.
For decades, the Group 3 ships have been the backbone of ESVAGT’s offshore safety work and have played a central role in the development of the strong safety culture for which the shipping company is known today.
With an average lifespan of 53 years and 36 saved human lives behind it, the vessel type has left its clear mark both on ESVAGT’s history and on the safety in the North Sea, writes ESVAGT in a Facebook post.
“With the departure of ESVAGT Charlie, we say goodbye to a piece of our DNA. These ships have helped shape our culture, our values, and many of the seafarers who carry ESVAGT forward today,” it says from the shipping company.
ESVAGT Charlie has for the last 2.5 years sailed on bareboat charter for SeaOwl, and with the final sale, the ship now becomes a permanent part of SeaOwl’s fleet. Throughout its time in ESVAGT service, the vessel has been a valuable rescue and emergency vessel – and an important platform for professional seamanship.
Since the first Group 3 vessel was sold in 2016, ESVAGT’s fleet has undergone a comprehensive renewal. With the departure of ESVAGT Charlie, that process is now complete.,
Even though an era ends, the legacy lives on – in the safety culture, in the many seafarers who learned their trade on board, and in the values that the Group 3 ships helped create, writes the shipping company.
-emte
