German tanker Spessart

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.

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	IMO number: 7362079 MMSI number: 211211850 Callsign: DRKN Pennant number: A1442
Status	Active
General characteristics
Type	Rhön-class tanker
Tonnage	6,103 GRT 10,800 DWT
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	1 MaK 12-cylinder diesel engine 5,880 kW (7,890 hp)
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)

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.^[1]

On 29 March 2009, as she was taking part in Operation Atalanta, Spessart was attacked by a 7-man pirate boat.^[2][3] 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.^[4] 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

• Spessart gallery
• 
  Spessart alongside to replenish Lütjens on 31 July 1980
• 
  Spessart alongside to replenish Lütjens on 31 July 1980
• 
  Spessart entering New York Harbor on 13 October 2004
• 
  Spessart at the deperming range in Wilhelmshaven on 20 January 2016
• 
  HMS St Albans, Spessart and HNoMS Roald Amundsen replenishing on 26 January 2017
• 
  Spessart underway on 18 February 2019