Esso Orient docked at PAC. She was parked along the pier at Pulau Ayer Chawan, and as most ships look, a picture of stolid serenity. I was unimpressed, having been supertankers many times larger. But back at San Centre, Steve Huvane, Marine Manager, Marine & Supply jolted me into a stunning reality. “Although we cannot verify it, We believe it to be the largest product carrier in the whole world.” Yes — Esso Orient, with a total carrying capacity of 123,200 deadweight tons, is the size of a crude oil carrier. Bought from a Swedish Shipping Company two years ago, the vessel was converted and refurbished to carry oil products to Hong Kong. Her normal carrying capacity after conversion is 95,000 tons. Every twelve days, it docks at the PAC to be loaded with LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), fuel oil, diesel, kerosene and gasoline for shipment to the colony. A new modification to the ship is the setting up of segregated ballast tanks to carry water separately from its oil cargo. This prevents pollution of the seas when the water is discharged at PAC. The Esso Orient is one of a 7-tanker fleet managed by ESPL and owned by Esso Far Eastern Shipping Incorporated, an Exxon affiliate. The latest addition to the fleet, Esso Jurong, was delivered last month in Japan.