31 October, 2016 by Juan Carlos Díaz Lorenzo

"Lagan" in the Service of CEPSA

New stop at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife for the asphalt ship "Lagan", flagged in Madeira and chartered for the service of CEPSA. After several days of anchoring in the outer port, it is conducting operations at the maritime terminal of the refinery, which has been inactive for a prolonged period due to imposed environmental restrictions. Meanwhile, product needs are being met by maritime transport from other national or foreign refineries.

The ship "Lagan" is registered as owned by J.L. Shipping, based in Gijón, a company formed by the Asturian group G. Junquera Marítima and Lagan Group Irish Asphalt, in Belfast (Northern Ireland).

Construction number 54 from Astilleros Armón, Vigo, entered service in May 2008. With a gross tonnage of 4,773 tons and a deadweight of 6,800 tons, it has a cargo capacity of 7,000 cubic meters. It measures 105.20 m in overall length, 17 m in beam, 9.80 m in depth, and 7.80 m in draft. It is powered by a 3,000 kW diesel engine, allowing it to maintain a speed of 14 knots. IMO Code 9441219.

Following a trend that has been quite common for some time among certain Spanish shipowners, the ship "Lagan" is flagged in the Madeira registry, to the detriment of employment, the Spanish flag, and the second registry of the Canary Islands. It seems that the Portuguese registry is more attractive, a matter that, in our opinion, should open a serious debate among stakeholders and call for greater involvement from the political class, the General Directorate of Merchant Marine, and the Ministry of Development, which ultimately holds the relevant competencies.

According to maritime media, the Asturian group Junquera –founded in 1918– controls 15 ships, including the tugboats that are part of the company Remolques Gijoneses, which has eight units. Navinorte, established in 1986, operates four dry cargo ships –"Beza", "Bulnes", "Amuesa", and "Angón"– as well as the bunkering barge "Sobia", acquired from CLH, which is responsible for fuel supply at the port of El Musel.