The combination vessel Exxon Galveston

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Diagram and photos show how the tug Exxon Sunshine State and its barge, the Exxon Port Everglades, were

modified and joined to make a new vessel: the Exxon Galveston. Christened in 1977, the "jumboized" vessel was

put in service offshore Exxon USA's Benicia Refinery, Califomia-lightering Alaskan North Slope crude.

The conversion between the "Exxon Sunshine State" and the "Exxon Port Everglades" as the "Exxon Galveston".

A more dramatic story is that of the Exxon Galveston.

But first, a little background. The tug, Exxon Sunshine State, and its barge, the Exxon Port Everglades, built in1970,

primarily had been used to transport clean products from Baytown, Texas to Tampa and Port Everglades, Florida.

"The business in the Gulfwas slowing down, and we were looking tor a vessel to carry Hondo crude to the

West Coast," Bob Free-man recalls. The Hondo field is part of the Santa Ynez unit offshore Santa Barbara,

Califomia. The "Sunshine State/Port Everglades" tow couldn't be used as it was in the Padfic because it

would be too hard to keep the two parts together in large ocean swells. ESC decided if the two pieces of the

tow could be joined into one vessel, the new tanker could filltheneed.

"This kind of conversion had never been done before-and hasn't been done since-but essentially, it was the

same as 'jumboizing' a tanker," Freeman explains.

The two parts were modified and then joined to make a new vessel. A completely new superstructure,

with new living quarters, was built.

And thus, the Exxon Galveston was bom-christened in 1977 and ready for service. However, start-up of

Hondo had been postponed so the Exxon Galveston began service offshore the Benicia Refinery-

lightering Alaskan North Slope crude.

Ship info:

IMO number : 7046168

Name of ship : CM SPIRIT

Call Sign : HQWG6

Gross tonnage : 14280

Type of ship : Crude Oil Tanker

Year of build : 1970

Flag : Honduras

Status of ship : In Service

Last update : 2007-08-13

Builders:

Builder	Customer Number	Builder Role	Contractual Responsibility	Contract Date
GULFPORT SHIPBLDG CORP.	256801	Prime Build	TUG BUILT BY:
GULFPORT SHIPBLDG CORP.	256801	Subcontractor	BARGE BUILT BY:
NORTHROP GRUMMAN	415209	Subcontractor	JOINED & CONV. BY	1 feb. 1978

The Miramar Ship Index for "ENCO SUNSHINE STATE"

Tons:	285/14280	Link:	-
DWT:		Yard No:	726
Length overall:		Ship Design:
LPP:		Country of build:	USA
Beam:		Builder:	Gulfport
Material of build:		Location of yard:	Port Arthur, Tx.
Number of screws/Mchy/Speed(kn):

Subsequent History:

1973 EXXON SUNSHINE STATE -

[ linked to barge ENCO PORT EVERGLADES, Gulfport #725 ] -

[ 1978 barge & tug joined, Lg, widened & deepened, 168.4/149.4 x 29.0 mtr, 14280 grt/27726 dwt, converted to crude oil tanker ] -

1978 EXXON GALVESTON - 1993 S/R GALVESTON - 2003 CM SPIRIT

Disposal Data:

Scrapped at Alang 31.10.2010 & beached 7.11.2010

History: