Zoroaster: The World’s First Tanker Ship

Oil transportation on the shipping lanes from Azerbaijan’s oil hub Baku to the European Markets posed challenges. This was when Ludvig Nobel, with his experiences in constructing tankers for the Russian Navy, thought of designing an oil tanker made of steel. In 1877, he placed an order at the Motala Works’ Shipyards in Norrkoping.

It was then that Zoroaster – the world’s first tanker ship came into being and revolutionised the shipping of liquid cargo. It was named after an Iranian philosopher called Zarathustra whose theses were famous among the Europeans during that period.

History of Zoroaster Tanker Ship

Before tanker ships were built, oil was shipped in casks and drums loaded onto vessels and transported across locations. This, however, was not only time-consuming but also a security hazard as oil could spill from these drums and cause a fire. Nonetheless, this is how it worked in the Soviet Republic, especially in the province of Baku, in Azerbaijan known for rock oil excavation.

After concluding that the method of oil transportation from production areas to refineries was unfeasible and risky, Ludvig Nobel proposed an alternative method. Instead of filling casks with oil and loading them onto ships, he suggested using a pipeline that could fill the excavated rock oil into the storage tankers built within the ship. Thus, the idea or concept of an oil tanker was born.

The idea of constructing oil tanks into the ship was explored since tanks had to be built in a proper place. If they were close to the engine and boilers, it could be dangerous. Proper ventilation and other safety measures had to be considered. In this regard, the contribution of Ludwig Nobel’s brother Robert Nobel is equally important.

Initially, Ludwig Nobel’s proposal was met with resistance and not many maritime professionals believed his idea could work. However setting aside the doubts of the maritime community, Nobel succeeded in constructing a 12-kilometre (km) long pipe to transport the oil from the drilling zones directly to the vessel in 1877.

Simultaneously, the Swedish innovator also ordered the construction of a vessel which included the above considerations in the same year at a Swedish shipbuilding yard and so Zoroaster – The World’s First Tanker Ship was built.

Salient Features of the World’s First Tanker

The world’s first tanker ship – the Zoroaster entered service in 1878. It was built with steel (Bessemer variance) while its oil tanker holds were made of iron. It had ballast tanks as well.

Zoroaster was 180 feet lengthwise, had a breadth of more than 35 feet and a draught of 10 feet. It could carry about 240 gross tons of crude lamp oil or kerosene between Astrakhan and Baku, along the Volga River and the Caspian Sea route.

The design of Zoroaster was studied and copied as the Nobel brothers didn’t patent it. After its success, the Nobel Brothers commissioned 8 more tankers for their corporation Branobel, with a few upgrades or modifications.

Each vessel was as efficient as their first tanker, which laid the foundation of oil tanker shipping for centuries to come. Zoroaster Tanker is thus considered the cradle of modern tanker shipping.

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About Author

Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.

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