She was delivered at the end of June and is the first of nine tankers assigned for long-term charter with an oil major.
According to Bureau Green Award, TCM has indicated its intention to enrol all nine newbuildings in the scheme. They are scheduled for delivery in 2016 and 2017.
An on board survey will be carried out on each vessel and certificates will be issued once they have successfully met Green Award’s requirements.
‘Elias Tsakos’ on board survey was completed on 24th July in Kårstø, Norway by a Green Award surveyor. The new tanker passed the survey requirements smoothly and became TCM’s fifth tanker to be certified by Green Award, the organisation said.
TCM first applied for Green Award in 2014 with the Suezmax ‘Euro’. Following the successful completion of an office audit in 2014 and the on board survey of ‘Euro’ in 2015, the company added three Aframaxes - ‘Promitheas’, ‘Propontis’ and ‘Proteas’, which were awarded certificates in early 2016.
Jan Fransen, executive director of Green Award Foundation, said: “At Green Award, we praise the intentions shown by Tsakos Columbia Shipmanagement to enrol additional nine ships to Green Award certification.
“Greek shipping has been with the Green Award programme from the beginning and their commitment has certainly grown over the years. We congratulate the Greek shipping industry for their success and certainly encourage them for continued commitment to sustainability,” he said.
Capt Yiannis Giannakopoulos, the TCM’s HSQEE marine manager and DPA, pointed out that the Green Award certification is evidence of the company’s commitment to ensuring safe and flawless operations in compliance with the highest HSE standards.