German tanker Spessart
{{short description|Rhön-class tanker}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = File:Dynamic Mongoose 150510-N-IY633-059.jpg | Ship caption = Spessart replenishes {{USS|Vicksburg|CG-69|6}} on 10 May 2015. }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = Germany | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Germany|naval}} | Ship name = Spessart | Ship owner = Deutsche Marine | Ship namesake = Spessart | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Kröger, Rendsburg | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 13 February 1975 | Ship acquired = 1976 | Ship commissioned = 5 September 1977 | Ship decommissioned = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship identification = *{{IMO Number|7362079}}
| Ship honours = | Ship fate = | Ship status = Active | Ship notes = | Ship homeport = Kiel, Germany | Ship registry = Hamburg, Germany | Ship renamed = Okapi }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = | Ship type = {{sclass|Rhön|tanker|3|ship}} | Ship displacement = {{convert|14,169|LT|t|order=flip|lk=on|abbr=on}} | Ship tonnage = * {{GRT|6103}}
| Ship length = {{convert|130.2|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|19.3|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship draught = {{convert|8.7|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship propulsion = 1 shaft, controllable pitch propeller | Ship power = * 1 MaK 12-cylinder diesel engine
| Ship speed = {{convert|16|kn|lk=in}} | Ship range = {{convert|3250|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|12|kn}} | Ship complement = 42 (civilian) | Ship sensors = | Ship EW = | Ship armament = | Ship capacity = * {{convert|11,000|m3|abbr=on}} (fuel)
| Ship armour = | Ship armor = | Ship aircraft = | Ship aircraft facilities = | Ship notes = }} |
Spessart (A1442) is the second ship of the {{sclass|Rhön|tanker|1}}s 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.{{cite web |url=http://www.snmg1.nato.int/SNMG1_ficheiros/Page2000.htm |title=FGS Spessart |publisher=NATO |access-date=25 March 2010 |archive-date=22 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090522061735/http://www.snmg1.nato.int/SNMG1_ficheiros/Page2000.htm |url-status=dead }}
On 29 March 2009, as she was taking part in Operation Atalanta, Spessart was attacked by a 7-man pirate boat.{{cite web|url=http://bruxelles2.over-blog.com/article-29666276.html |title=Erreur fatale: les pirates attaquent un navire... d'Atalanta! |language=French |publisher=Bruxelles 2 |last=Gros-Verheyde |first=Nicolas |date=30 March 2009 |access-date=18 November 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2009/03/gulf-of-aden-pi.html |title=GULF OF ADEN: Pirates fire on German ship, leading to five-hour chase |work=Babylon & Beyond |publisher=Los Angeles Times |last=Perry |first=Tony |date=30 March 2009 |access-date=18 November 2014}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.faz.net/s/RubDDBDABB9457A437BAA85A49C26FB23A0/Doc~ED588DCB9EBB44E3F845DBAE472AE8D15~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html |title=Deutsche Marine setzt Angreifer vor Somalia fest |publisher=Franffurter Allgemeine |language=German |date=31 March 2009 |access-date=18 November 2014}} The {{ship|German frigate|Rheinland-Pfalz|F209|6}} intervened, along with vessels from several other navies: {{ship|HNLMS|De Zeven Provinciën|F802|6}}, {{ship|Greek frigate|Psara|F-454|2}}, {{ship|Spanish frigate|Victoria|F82|2}}, and {{USS|Boxer|LHD-4|6}}. The pirates were captured after a chase lasting a few hours.
Gallery
File:800700 V 04 A1442 FGS Spessart Grosse Syrte 01.jpg|Spessart alongside to replenish {{ship|German destroyer|Lütjens||2}} on 31 July 1980
File:800700 V 04 A1442 FGS Spessart Grosse Syrte 02.jpg|Spessart alongside to replenish Lütjens on 31 July 1980
File:Spessart (A 1442) entering New York Harbor.jpg|Spessart entering New York Harbor on 13 October 2004
File:SPESSART 4114.JPG|Spessart at the deperming range in Wilhelmshaven on 20 January 2016
File:ROYAL NAVY PHOTOGRAPHERS RECOGNISED FOR PICTURE PERFECT SHOTS MOD 45162863.jpg|{{HMS|St Albans|F83|6}}, Spessart and {{HNoMS|Roald Amundsen|F311|6}} replenishing on 26 January 2017
File:7362079 Spessart 1975.jpg|Spessart underway on 18 February 2019
References
{{Commons category|IMO 7362079}}
{{reflist}}
{{Rhön-class tankers}}
{{Portal|Germany|Energy}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spessart}}