A chemical tanker is the multitasking force among the international cargo fleet. The chemical tanker is expected to be flexible and to be able to alternate between cargoes swiftly.

In today’s world, ship owners can lease their chemical tanker for up to five years, with little knowledge or control over the cargoes the chemical tanker may carry.

This puts the industry under even greater pressure to be able to switch smoothly from one kind of cargo to another.

M/t Turchese of Finbeta SpA. Courtesy of same.

The Problem

When cargoes are as incompatible as inorganic acids and edible oils, the processes to avoid cross-contamination are essential.

To avoid cross-contamination, an important measure is polishing the stainless surfaces to a smooth 2.2 micron finish. This process helps to prevent contamination.

The polishing process has, up until now, been a laborious task which had to be carried out on the chemical tanker by hand at the shipyard.

The solution

Stainless steel is the material of choice for chemical tanker compartments. It makes the cargo switches both easy and safe.

Stainless can withstand abrasive and corrosive washing from high-pressure water jets and hot seawater between unloading and reloading.

To solve the problem, Outokumpu has come up with a new process which will make hand polishing a task of the past. The company has introduced a new plate prefabrication and surface-treatment option.

The process has been introduced on two 9400dwt full-stainless steel chemical tankers under construction for the Italian shipowner Finbeta SpA.

Stainless chemical tanker compartments

Finbeta and Outokumpu have been working together to build chemical tankers for two decades. Finbeta were adamant that they would use Outokumpu’s stainless plate as prefabricated sections.

Prefabrication at Outokumpu’s plate operations produces tailor-made components, ready for assembly at the shipyard. It includes corrugation and welding of plate segments, welding preparation for the rest and now, polishing of the surfaces to 2.20 micron finish. Pre-polishing not only produces the desired smoothness but also a highly uniform outcome.

The finishing process is performed at the Outokumpu plate operations in Sweden. Outokumpu is the only stainless plate supplier to have this plate surface capability in house.

The results

Outokumpu’s full package of prefabricated and pre-polished plate sections is exceptional value for chemical tanker owners and builders because the entire package is offered in-house.