[ OTAL Launches Second Newbuilding ]

OTAL has launched the company's second new container ship from the F
ar East. Along with its sister vessel, Kindia, launched two months ea
rlier, the new 21,270 dwt vessels was built at Hanjin Industries' Ulsa
n Shipyard, South Korea. Following the tradition of naming vessels af
ter towns in West Africa, the vessel has been named Kribi after Camero
on's second port, which lies at the mouth of the river Kienke.

Kribi is geared, shallow-drafted, has a service speed of 20 knots an
d has a nominal container capacity of 1600 TEU. Given the prevalence
of heavy boxes on the West Africa trade, Kribi has a container intake
of about 1200 TEU at 14 tonnes/TEU.

In the words of Bob Baines, group managing director:
"Launching our second newbuilding in less than two months is a proud m
oment for our organisation. Together with the launching of Kindia in
May this year, Kribi is a welcome addition to the group's fleet.

"These purchases indicate our long term faith in and commitment to t
he West Africa trade in which we have been operating successfully for
nearly 25 years."