The LNG tanker Laieta was christened by Mrs. G. Lopez Bravo, wife of Spain's minister of industry, and launched in El Ferrol del Caudillo, Spain, on December 21, 1968.
Built by Astilleros y Talleres del Noroeste, S.A. (Astano) for Naviera de Productos Licuados, S.A., (Naproli), the Laieta will transport liquefied natural gas from Esso's gas liquefaction plant, the world's largest, at Marsa el Brega in Libya to customers in Barcelona, Spain, and in La Spezia, Italy.
The Laieta is one of four LNG tankers being built to an original Esso design, which are among the largest such tankers in the world (the other three tankers are being built in Italy).
She will carry 250,000 barrels of LNG in four insulated aluminum tanks at a temperature of minus 259 degrees F., an amount equal to 750-million cubic feet of gas.
She is 675 feet long, with a draft of 28 feet, and is equivalent in size to a 37,000-dwt petroleum tanker. Her speed of 17 knots will permit the Laieta to make the 1,000-mile voyage from Libya to Spain or Italy in two or three days.
Laieta and her sisterships will be the vital link in one of the largest international sales of LNG ever made - 345-million cubic feet a day. Of this amount, 110-million cubic feet daily will be delivered to Gas Natural, S.A. in Barcelona, whose gas plant and distribution network are nearing completion, thus marking the introduction of natural gas into Spain.
An affiliate of Italy's Ente Nazionale Idrocarbure (ENI), will purchase 235-million cubic feet a day. Total investment in the international project by Standard Oil Company (New Jersey) approaches $350-million.