German tanker Spessart

Spessart replenishes USS Vicksburg on 10 May 2015.
History
Germany
Name Spessart
Namesake Spessart
Owner Deutsche Marine
Port of registry Hamburg, Germany
Builder Kröger, Rendsburg
Launched 13 February 1975
Acquired 1976
Commissioned 5 September 1977
Renamed Okapi
Homeport Kiel, Germany
Identification
Status Active
General characteristics
Type Rhön-class tanker
Tonnage
Displacement 14,396 t (14,169 long tons)
Length 130.2 m (427 ft 2 in)
Beam 19.3 m (63 ft 4 in)
Draught 8.7 m (28 ft 7 in)
Installed power
Propulsion 1 shaft, controllable pitch propeller
Speed 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range 3,250 nmi (6,020 km; 3,740 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Capacity
  • 11,000 m3 (390,000 cu ft) (fuel)
  • 400 m3 (14,000 cu ft) (water)
Complement 42 (civilian)

Spessart (A1442) is the second ship of the Rhön-class tankers of the German Navy. She was commissioned at Kiel, Germany on 5 September 1977.

Construction and career

Spessart was originally built for civilian service by Kröger of Rendsburg in 1974. On 5 September 1977 she was commissioned into the German Navy, based at Kiel, Germany.

On 29 March 2009, as she was taking part in Operation Atalanta, Spessart was attacked by a 7-man pirate boat. In addition to the regular 40-man civilian crew, Spessart carried a 12-man security detail which exchanged small arm fire with the pirates, and repelled the assault. The German frigate Rheinland-Pfalz intervened, along with vessels from several other navies: HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën, Psara, Victoria, and USS Boxer. The pirates were captured after a chase lasting a few hours.

Gallery