** Mesta was owned and operated by Navigation Maritime Bulgare (NAVIBULGAR), Bulgaria until 2001
** On 7 May 2001 while on a voyage from Constantza, Romania to Varna, Bulgaria an explosion occurred aboard Mesta. At the time of the accident she was discharging ballast shortly after departing Constantza. A large fire ensued.
** 27 crew members were evacuated however it was later reported that two had been lost
** The fire was extinguished on 8 May and subsequent inspections revealed that she had suffered major holing in the side of No. 5 tank above the waterline
** Shortly following the explosion she was declared a constructive total loss and sold to Daglia Maritime of Panama. They changed her name to Best
** Shortly thereafter her broken hull was re-inforced and the ship was sold for scrapping
** Best arrived off Aliaga, Turkey on 5 November 2001 where she was beached for demolition
Ship type - Crude oil tanker
Gross tonnage - 43,265
Net tonnage - 26,342
Displacement tonnage - 75,274
L.O.A. - 237.01 meters (777'8")
L.B.P. - 225.03 meters (738'4")
Width overall - 37.27 meters (122'3")
Width moulded - 37.20 meters (122'1")
Draught - 12.923 meters (42'5")
Depth - 18.60 meters (61'0")
Number of cargo tanks - 13
Number of cargo pumps - 3 (6,000t/hr)
Cargo tanks volume - 90,796 cubic meters
Hose handling derricks - 2 (3 tonne capacity)
Builder - Kasado Dock Co. Ltd.
Country - Kudamatsu, Japan
Hull number - 272
Engine builder - Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (I.H.I.)
Country - Aioi, Japan
Number of engines - 1
Engine type - Sulzer 7-cyl (7RND90) diesel engine
Fuel - Diesel oil & heavy fuel oil
Diesel fuel capacity - 209.5 tonnes
Heavy bunker fuel capacity - 3,287 tonnes
Main engine horsepower - 20,300 bhp or 14,932 kW
Speed - 15.0 knots
Propeller - 1 variable pitch propeller
Steering gear - Standard rudder
Bow thuster - none