Chem News

Iran-allied Houthi militia launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a U.S.-owned tanker ship on Thursday night that hit the water near the vessel, causing no injuries or damage, U.S. Central Command said.The incident, the latest amid growing tensions in the Red Sea that has disrupted global trade and raised fears of supply bottlenecks, took place at around 9 p.m. Yemen local time (1800 GMT), according to the post on X, formerly Twitter.The Houthis, who control most of Yemen…

The Indian Navy will deploy guided missile destroyer ships in the Arabian Sea as a deterrent after an Israel-affiliated merchant vessel was struck off the Indian coast over the weekend.The navy was investigating the nature of the attack on the vessel, MV Chem Pluto, which docked in Mumbai on Monday, and initial reports pointed to a drone attack, a navy statement said."Further forensic and technical analysis will be required to establish the vector of attack, including type and amount of explosive used…

Operating on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from day one in service, the MV George III, the first of Pasha Group’s two new ‘Ohana Class’, Jones Act-qualified containerships, features a state-of-the-art engine, an optimized hull form, and an underwater propulsion system with a high-efficiency rudder and propeller. George III is the first LNG-powered vessel to fuel on the West Coast and the first to serve Hawaii. The 774-ft. Jones Act vessel surpasses the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2030 emission standards for ocean vessels.

The methanol-fueled chemical tanker Grouse Sun, owned by NYK Bulkship (Asia) Pte. Ltd., an NYK Group company based in Singapore, was delivered on April 19. The vessel was built at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Korea.Grouse Sun has been equipped with a dual-fuel engine that can use not only heavy fuel oil but also methanol. When navigating using methanol as fuel, the vessel has a new technology that suppresses the production of NOx (nitrogen oxides) by adding water to methanol to lower its temperature during combustion.

The methanol-fueled chemical tanker Seymour Sun, owned by NYK Bulkship (Asia) Pte. Ltd., an NYK Group company based in Singapore, was delivered on January 27. The vessel was built at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Korea.Seymour Sun has been equipped with a dual-fuel engine that can use both heavy fuel oil and also methanol. In addition, when navigating using methanol as fuel, the vessel has a new technology that suppresses the production of NOx (nitrogen oxides) by adding water to methanol to lower its temperature during combustion.

Bahri business unit will cement its position as world’s largest operator of chemical tankers in IMO2 MR class with 31 vesselsBahri said that its business unit Bahri Chemicals has concluded a long-term time charter agreement with Dubai-headquartered international shipping company United Arab Chemical Carriers Limited (UACC). As part of the deal, nine UACC IMO2 MR (medium range) chemical tankers will join Bahri Chemicals’ fleet from April 2021 onward, bringing the total number of vessels of the same class that it operates to 31.Eng.

NYK Bulkship (Asia) Pte. Ltd., an NYK Group company based in Singapore, signed a long-term time charter contract with Waterfront Shipping Company Limited (WFS) for two newly built chemical carriers, each equipped with a dual-fuel engine that enables the vessels to be powered not only by marine fuel oil but also methanol.Planned for delivery from the Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (Korea) in 2022, the vessels will be delivered to WFS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Methanex Corporation, the world’s largest producer and supplier of methanol.

The first of five Iranian tankers carrying fuel to Venezuela has moored at Venezuela's El Palito refinery, Iran's English-language Press TV reported on Monday.Iran is providing Venezuela with 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and components in a move criticised by U.S. authorities as both nations are under U.S. sanctions, according to the governments, sources and calculations by TankerTrackers.com."The Iranian oil/chem Handymax tanker, FORTUNE, which loaded 43 million liters of gasoline during mid-March at Port Shahid Rajaee, Iran, has now moored at berth 2 at the refinery of El Palito, Venezuela, situated west of capital city, Caracas," tweeted TankerTrackers.com.A second vessel, the Forest, entered the Caribbean Sea on Saturday. The three remaining vessels were crossing the Atlantic.

Taking technology from academia to market is a well-worn tradition across the maritime and subsea sectors. In this case the ‘innovative’ adhesive technology is actually born from the sea. There is a new underwater adhesive technology based on a glue used naturally by marine creatures. Mussel Polymers Inc. (MPI) – a startup created by Wardenclyffe Chemicals Inc., a technology development company – licensed this patented adhesive technology from the Purdue Research Foundation. The technology was created by Jonathan Wilker…

Florida-based marine services company Seacor Holdings said that its indirect wholly-owned tanker subsidiary SEA-Vista entered into an amended and restated $200 million credit agreement, which refinanced its existing credit facilities, with a syndicate of lenders led by JPMorgan Chase.The agreement provides for a $100 million revolving credit facility and a $100 million term loan facility, both of which mature in December 2024. The agreement allows SEA-Vista to use the borrowings for general corporate purposes, including acquisitions, and contains a $50 million accordion feature subject to lender approval.At closing, the revolving credit facility remained undrawn, and approximately $76 million of the term loan proceeds were used to fund the repayment of SEA-Vista’s original credit facility.

A focused Q&A with M.Sc. Chem. Eng. Anders M. Sørheim, Yara Marine TechnologiesHow important is material quality when selecting a scrubber system?If the intention of a scrubber installation is to operate the scrubber for the lifetime of the vessel, assuming a minimum of 10 years, then the material quality is imperative. A study performed by the American stainless-steel manufacturer ATI titled “Evaluation of Alloys for Marine Exhaust Scrubbers – Effect of Welding and a Crevice” confirmed the importance of correct material choice for scrubbers.

Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Group) has taken delivery of Takaroa Sun, a methanol carrier equipped with two-stroke dual-fuel engine tech that allows the vessel to be powered by methanol. Built in South Korea at Hyundai MIPO Dockyard, the new ship was funded through NYK’s green financing initiative established to support environment-friendly projects.Takaroa Sun was built with the MAN Energy Solutions second-generation B&W ME-LGIM two-stroke dual-fuel engine that runs on both methanol and conventional marine fuel.

Nippon Paint Marine has added to its NOA range of self-indicating epoxy coatings with a new system specially developed to protect chemical and product carrier tanks from corrosion and cargo contamination.NOA PC 700, a phenolic/novolac-based epoxy, is resistant to a wide range of chemicals, solvents and petroleum products, including those containing xylenes, methyl ethyl ketone, methanol, caustic soda and LSA fuel oil.Makoto Nakagawa, General Manager Sales and Marketing, Nippon Paint Marine Coatings…

Seabulk Tankers, a subsidiary of SEACOR Holdings, has announced the successful delivery of its first methanol parcel chemical shipment aboard the articulated tug-barge (“ATB”) Sea-Power/Sea-Chem I.The Sea-Power/Sea-Chem I loaded a 10,500 metric ton methanol parcel in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and discharged the parcel in Charleston, South Carolina and Chesapeake, Virginia. The vessel can load up to 30,000 metric tons of cargo into eleven segregations and is equipped with stainless steel cargo piping and MarineLINE 784 cargo tank coating. She is one of the most modern, fuel efficient, and capable chemical parcel vessels in the Jones Act fleet today.Methanol is a liquid chemical produced from conventional fossil sources as well as sustainable raw materials like biomass…

Seacor Holdings Announces Acquisition of Joint Venture Partner’s Interest in Sea-Vista.SEACOR Holdings Inc. announced that it has become the sole owner of its consolidated SEA-Vista joint venture, acquiring through a subsidiary the 49% interest that had been owned by an affiliate of Avista Capital Partners (the “Seller”). Purchase consideration consisted of $106 million in cash and 1,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Consideration Shares”).In connection with the purchase…

Private investment firm Auxo Investment Partners said it is partnering with the Andrie family with an investment in Andrie LLC, a Michigan-based Jones Act bulk transporter of specialty products including liquid asphalt, cement, light oil petroleum products, and calcium chloride throughout the Great Lakes. The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, marks Auxo’s sixth acquisition in 16 months, and builds on the firm’s December 2017 acquisition of M/G Transport Services, a leading dry-bulk transportation and logistics company based in New Orleans.Andrie, founded in 1988, is a company serving the Great Lakes, working extensively with large global customers.

Deal builds on Auxo’s December 2017 acquisition of leading dry-bulk transportation and logistics company, M/G Transport Services. Private investment firm Auxo Investment Partners announced today that it is partnering with the Andrie family with an investment in Andrie LLC, a Michigan-based Jones Act bulk transporter of specialty products including liquid asphalt, cement, light oil petroleum products, and calcium chloride throughout the Great Lakes. The deal, terms of which were not disclosed…

ABS released new guidance and software to assist chemical tanker owners, operators and shipyards: the ABS Guide for Materials and Welding for Stainless Steels and ABS CHEM software.The ABS Guide for Materials and Welding for Stainless Steels provides minimum requirements for properties, manufacturing processes and fabrication techniques applicable to common types of stainless steels used in the marine and offshore industries. This new guidance is particularly relevant to construction…

Thun Tankers will strengthen the existing fleet with m/t Wisby Teak, said a press release from the company.The Wisby Tanker owned vessel will enter the Gothia Tanker Alliancea leading European tanker network for coastal tankers, with immediate effect and be commercially managed by Thun Tankers.The highly manouverable, 7,000 deadweight tanker has been tailor designed to maximize deliveries into restricted ports. With an overall length of 99.9 meters the vessel is able to reach smaller load and discharge installations.With a pumping capacity of 1,000 m3 an hour, cargo heating, superstrip system, vegoil and chem resistant coating we are…

A 17,000 dwt product tanker that ran aground in the St. Lawrence Seaway last week has been refloated and pulled free from the edge of the waterway.The Marshall Islands flagged Chem Norma was refloated Sunday after running aground near Morrisburg, Ontario last Tuesday. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) said the ship is undergoing an inspection process to ensure that it is ready to resume its transit.The 145-meter Chem Norma, carrying refined petroleum products, went aground at 4:09 AM on Tuesday, May 29, due to an issue with its rudder. The vessel came to rest against the edge of a designated anchorage area and was not blocking any traffic. No injuries or pollution have been reported.Among the federal and provincial authorities involved in the response were The St.

Odfjell finalized the shipbuilding contracts with Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) CO., Ltd in China to build a pair of chemical tankers. The two vessels will be 38,000 dwt, both with 40 tanks and a cargo capacity of about 45,000 cbm. Both vessels will be prepared for dual fuel solution. This order follows the orders for four 49,000 dwt vessels with 33 stainless steel cargo tanks. The capital commitments will be about $116 million. The first vessel will be delivered in June 2020 and the following vessel three months later.

The Switch received an order from WE Tech to deliver its permanent magnet (PM) shaft generators to two 18,600 dwt chemical tankers currently under construction for Sweden’s Ektank AB. Sweden's Ektank AB is family-owned with a modern fleet of five chemical tankers in size ranging from 13,700 DWT to 17,000 DWT. The PM-based shaft generator is a powerful proposition for today’s cost and environmentally conscious shipowners. This deal is an example of how PM technology is set to revolutionize the maritime industry.

A dozen ships from the Swiss high seas fleet are being sold off as the global shipping crisis takes its toll on the quirky remnant of landlocked Switzerland's efforts to ensure supplies of essential goods at times of international unrest. Worried about the security of food and energy supplies during wartime, Switzerland launched its high seas fleet in 1941, putting Swiss flags on tankers and freighters it could call on at times of need. But as times changed and supply routes became more stable, Switzerland has limited its support since 1959 to debt guarantees for shipping lines able to reduce borrowing costs in return for pledges to make ships available if Bern needed them.