Bibi class data
TMM’s contract with Hitachi, 1978 or thereabouts, was for 5 vessels, Bibi, Barbara Marianna, Gina Luisa, Silvia Sofia and Sarita. . All with girls names in accordance with TMM’s policy at that time for ships not under the Mexican Flag. An option for a sixth vessel also existed.
All 5 were built at Hitachi’s Innoshima shipyard with some steel sub-assemblies from nearby associate yards of Hitachi. Main Engines from Hitachi, Sakurarjima , Osaka engine works.
Design and plan approval was a joint process between Hitachi, TMM and Ocean Fleets with the latter also contracted for build supervision at Innoshima.
The option for a sixth one of the class was never exercised by TMM. Hitachi wanted TMM to confirm the order as the building berth was reserved for this sixth hull and they, Hitachi, were desperate to use this berth. TMM held out and in the end turned this option around to their advantage getting Hitachi to pay for retro fitting of Bow Thrusters for the five ships plus conversion of the Main Engines of the first two ships from pulse to constant pressure turbo-charging.
Ocean Fleets managed the other 3 ships from new until they changed to Mexican Flag.
David Litson. Posted on forum 14th February 2010.
No 2 'Barbara Mariana' Launched 31/01/79 - Broken up in India Feb 2010, $360 LDT (9666) = $3,479,760.
No 3 'Gina Luisa' Launched 29/03/79 - On route to scrapyard as King Pioneer price fetched $4,713,390.
No 4 'Silvia Sofia'Launched 11/06/79 - Broken up in India August 2011 , $525 LDT (9522) S 4,713,390.
No 5 'Sarita' Launched 19/02/80 - Vessel sank on 16/04/94 when named 'Tabasco' , I understand that steel coils broke loose in tweendeck when vessel encountered very heavy weather a couple of days out into the Atlantic from Spain/Italy. Vessel became holed and then sank.
The vessels that are still trading are all owned by the same chinese company, and all currently trading between Persian Gulf and China. Not bad when you think they are over 30 years old.
Jerry Coleman. Posted on forum 29th August 2010 - updated 2 November 2011.
| Bibi. Page [1] [2] Memories from RSL staff. Page No. [1] |
Silvia Sofia. Page [1] [2] [3] Memories from RSL staff. Page No. [1] |