Palanca Rio Comes to Baltimore October 27, 2019

According to BalticShipping.com this asphalt tanker is 133x23m (436x75ft). She was built in 2016 in Rijeka, Croatia by 3. MAJ, a subsidiary of ULJANIK for Sweden based Wisby Tankers. A Marine Insight article on the launching of the ship can be read here.

Here are two videos about the launching of this ship, this video which shows the ceremony and has some interesting footage of the shipyard and workers as well, and this video from under the ship as she is sliding into the water!

I found three other videos of this tanker besides the one taken by me further below. This one in an unknown location of her being helped along a river by a pair of Moran tugs; this video of her on the Cape Fear River near Southport, North Carolina; and this one of her arriving in Willemstad Harbor.

I last saw her July 7, 2019 – click here to read the blog post on that.

In the first scenes of my video below the pilot boat Baltimore and the tugboats April Moran and Lynne Moran, both sporting pink M for breast cancer awareness month, are seen heading out to greet the tanker. As she nears amid light local pleasure boat traffic crew members can be seen moving about the ship to prepare for the tugs and then for docking. Just before she heads under the Key bridge the two tugs can be seen maneuvering for position alongside the Palanca Rio. In subsequent scenes the tug April Moran can be seen helping the tanker turn from Patapsco River to Curtis Creek, Lynne Moran being out of sight on the other side.

You can view my photography (more than just ships!) here and more videos here.