Chemical Compounds News

A new IMO resolution will see the phase-out of foam firefighting systems that use fluorinated foams containing perfluoro-octane sulfonic acid (PFOS) as the foam-producing component. The new rules come into effect under a rolling programme beginning in 2026, but Swedish maritime engineering specialist Scanunit believes that a proactive replacement strategy should be put into effect now.Foam firefighting systems on ships typically make use of a family of synthetic chemical compounds known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Ammonia, the same pungent solution used in fertilizers and cleaning agents, may one day be the key to transporting renewable energy around the world. There are currently a number of government and corporate projects assessing the feasibility of converting excess renewable energy from sources like wind, solar, tidal and nuclear into ammonia and then back into usable energy.In its purist form, ammonia or NH3 is composed of one nitrogen and three hydrogen atoms making it an ideal candidate to chemically bind excess renewable energy. Like several other chemical compounds, ammonia can be transported by chemical tanker in liquid form to end-users. Based on its near ambient liquification point, it may be more appealing to transport ammonia over longer distances than hydrogen.

Abadan, Arvandankar and Choabdeh ports experienced an increase of 56% in 2018, says Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO).Abadan ports and maritime management announced that the export of goods from the three ports of Abadan in the past year has shown a  growing trend.According to the information system, the exports from these ports increased by 39.471 tons in the same period last year which shows a growth of 56.3% in exports, it said.Agricultural products, meat and meat products, household appliances and light products, machinery and vehicles, raw materials and chemical compounds, construction materials, petrochemical, parts and accessories…

The Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association and its members are preparing to meet higher demand for gas scrubbing systems to bring SOx emissions in line with the targets set by the IMO’s 2020 fuel sulfur content proposals. As previously reported by this correspondent in Maritime Reporter and Engineering News (December 2016 issue, page 24; January 2017 issue, page 28), the IMO has come in for some severe criticism over its proposals to introduce a global marine fuels sulfur content cap of 0.5 percent (mass/mass) by the year 2020.

An international team of researchers led by Susan Solomon at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has identified the “first fingerprints of healing” of the Antarctic ozone layer, published this week (30 June 2016) in the journal Science. The team found that the September ozone hole has shrunk by more than 4 million square kilometers — about half the area of the contiguous United States — since 2000, when ozone depletion was at its peak. The team also showed for the first time that this recovery has slowed somewhat at times, due to the effects of volcanic eruptions from year to year. Overall, however, the ozone hole appears to be on a healing path.

There are roughly 30 liquified natural gas (LNG)-powered marine vessels currently active in today’s global seas, with some estimates showing approximately 30 new builds expected by 2014. With new commitments and orders for LNG-powered ships taking place every month, the potential that LNG-powered vessels will play an important part in shaping the future of the maritime industry is no longer speculation – it is now a fact. Helping to drive the switch from diesel, steam and even…

Taking another major step in sleuthing the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, a research team led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) has determined what chemicals were contained in a deep, hydrocarbon-containing plume at least 22 miles long that WHOI scientists mapped and sampled last summer in the Gulf of Mexico, a residue of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Moreover, they have taken a big step in explaining why some chemicals, but not others, made their way into the plume.

Scientists funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and affiliated with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have detected a plume of hydrocarbons at least 22 miles long and more than 3,000 ft below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, a residue of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The 1.2-mile-wide, 650-ft-high plume of trapped hydrocarbons was detected during a ten day subsurface sampling effort from June 19-28, 2010 near the wellhead. The results provide a snapshot of where the oil has gone as surface slicks shrink and disappear.

International marine lubricants supplier Total Lubmarine has developed a range of biodegradable products which will enable companies in the shipping industry to improve their environmental footprint without compromising performance or safety. Total Lubmarine is now offers: Carter Bio, a high-gear performance lubricant; Biohydran TMP, a hydraulic lubricant; and Biomultis SEP 2, an extreme-pressure multipurpose grease. Patrick Havil, Marketing Manager of Lubmarine, said, “It is simply not possible to guarantee a zero-risk of spillage with regard to onboard operations. The potential for lubricant leakage on board ship is high. It exists across so many traditional shipping-related activities involving everything from engine operation to thruster and stern-tube performance…