BP agrees to charter new tanker

BP agrees to charter new tanker U.S. Shipping Partners L.P. said it has entered into a long-term charter agreement with BP for a new double-hulled product tanker being built for U.S. Shipping Partners' tanker joint venture by General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego.
   The ship, due for delivery in early 2009, will be employed by BP in the U.S. domestic coastwise trade. The ship is the first in U.S. Shipping’s new series of nine vessels.