U.S. Shipping Partners obtains ship charter

U.S. Shipping Partners obtains ship charter U.S. Shipping Partners L.P. of Edison, N.J. said it has entered into a long-term charter agreement with “a major oil company” for a new double-hulled product tanker being built for its tanker joint venture.
   The vessel is due for delivery in late 2009 and will be employed in the U.S. domestic coastwise trade.
   Paul Gridley, chairman and chief executive officer, said the company has obtained long-term employment for four of the nine ships that National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. is building for it. The first of those 49,000 deadweight ton product tankers is scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2009, with subsequent tankers delivered every six to eight months.