Irish Sea-based operator James Fisher and Sons plc, a global provider of specialist marine and shipping solutions, has marked another milestone in its ‘Fleet of the Future’ investment programme with the naming of Orca Fisher, writes Jehan Ashmore.
The first of four new 16,000 deadweight (dwt) Sealife-class chemical tankers, Orac Fisher, was built at a shipyard in China, as Afloat reported.The lead ship, having made a delivery voyage, entered the Pool of London alongside former WWII veteran HMS Belfast, from where the vessel was named.
Tanker Ceremony Footage
For video footage (1 min 35 secs) of the tanker, click this link from publicity for London International Shipping Week (LISW) 2027, which shows the ships together in the Pool of London. Afloat will have more to report on the next year's LISW, which is to be hosted by the Port of London Authority (PLA), which also yesterday hosted an annual port reception for guests on board Silver Sturgeon while sailing along the River Thames.
Guests from the excursion vessel Silver Sturgeon got a close-up view of the Sealife-lead ship Orca Fisher built for the Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria operator. The class is designed to meet growing customer demand for safer, more efficient, and lower-emission coastal shipping.
The newbuild ceremony in the heart of the UK capital brought together customers, colleagues, shipbuilding partners, and industry stakeholders to celebrate and recognise the collaboration behind James Fisher's most significant fleet investments in recent years.
Orca Fisher, along with its fellow SeaLife vessels – Narwhal Fisher, Tiger Fisher, and Dolphin Fisher—is the next generation of UK coastal shipping tankers. They are to fulfill the long-term demand for mid-sized ships in north-west Europe's coastal shipping markets.
As customers across the energy and industrial sectors seek to reduce emissions across their supply chains without compromising reliability, the Sealife-class vessels combine dual-fuel LNG capability with technologies that reduce fuel consumption, improve operational performance, and enhance safety.
The Sealife class follows twin newbuilds, Sir John Fisher in 2022 and Lady Maria Fisher the following year, as also reported, which have served Irish Ports. Likewise, they too are 6,000 dwt each and were ordered from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) Dingheng Co. Ltd, which is to deliver the four for the European clients.
The new class is to incorporate a range of engineering innovations to improve efficiency both at sea and in port. An optimised hull form, propulsion optimisation systems and integrated rudder and propeller design is to enhance performance underway, while waste-heat recovery technology captures energy from cooling water, exhaust gases and onboard systems to improve energy efficiency alongside.
In addition, smart ship connectivity and advanced safety systems – including Starlink connectivity – further support safer, more efficient operations and improved crew wellbeing.
The naming ceremony follows the recent appointments of Rob Hales as Head of Maritime Transport and Guy Barker, Product Line Director for James Fisher Tankships, who will lead the next phase of the Fleet of the Future programme.
