Spessart entering New York harbour on 13 October 2004 |
|
| Career (Germany) | German Navy |
|---|---|
| Name: | Spessart |
| Owner: | Deutsche Marine |
| Builder: | Kröger, Rendsburg |
| Launched: | 1974 |
| Commissioned: | 5 September 1977 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Rhön-class tanker |
| Displacement: | 14,169 tonnes |
| Speed: | 16 knots (30 km/h) |
| Complement: | 46 |
Spessart (A1442) is a Rhön-class tanker of the German Navy. She was commissioned in Kiel on 5 September 1977.
Spessart was originally built for civilian service by Kröger of Rendsburg in 1974. On 5 September 1977 she was commissioned into the Deutsche Marine, based at Kiel.[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 frigates HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën, HS Psara, SPS Victoria, USS Boxer and the Rheinland-Pfalz (F 209) intervened and captured the pirates after a few hours of chase.