Luanda — Angola's Oil company Sonangol officially received Tuesday in Mokpo, South Korea, the second Suezmax-type oil tanker with a capacity of one million barrels of oil, increasing the fleet from 10 to 11 ships.

Named after "Njinga Mbande", sovereign of the Kingdom of Ndongo and Matamba, the tanker was built by the company Hyundai Samho Heavy industries.

For the vessel's godmother, according to a note reached ANGOP, the choice fell to the First Lady, Ana Dias Lourenço, who, in compliance with the ritual dictated by the ancient tradition of sailors, threw champagne onto the hull of the ship, cut the ribbon on the bridge and sounded the first horn three times, symbolising the cry of a baby's birth.

Sonangol Njinga Mbande is the second in an order for two ships of the same line, after the "Kulumbimbi", received last April, also with the capacity to transport one million barrels of oil.

Also according to the document, the fact that it is the first oil tanker operated entirely by an Angolan crew, captained by Anastácio Calunga, who, the day before, received a bust of Queen Jinga, is enshrined in the history of national maritime navigation.

The new vessel, under the management of Sonangol's Trading and Shipping Unit, has already started its first commercial venture.

In addition to the First Lady Ana Dias Lourenço, the Secretary of State for Mineral Resources Jânio Corrêa Victor, also took part in the ceremony the CEOs of Sonangol Gaspar Martins and Hyundai H.Shin. NE/NIC