Three Tankships Chartered by BAHRI
Saudi Arabia's National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (BAHRI) & National Chemical Carriers Company Ltd. (NCC) ink long term charter deal. The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (BAHRI) announces that its 80% owned subsidiary The National Chemical Carriers Company Ltd. (NCC) signs time charter agreements for three chemical tankers with International Shipping and Transportation Company Ltd. (a subsidiary of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) for a period of 5 years, with an option of extension for another 5 year period. The value of these time charter agreements is approximately (SAR 480 Millions) for the first five years. The financial impact for the first and the second 45,000 DWT tankers will appear during the third and fourth quarter of the current year 2012 respectively.
Technology: New Nozzles Improve Northern Tug
Northern Transportation Company Ltd. of Hay River, Canada, recently completed a major refit of one of their quad screw pusher-towing tugs, the Edgar Kotokak. Vancouver's Robert Allan Ltd. provided design and engineering services for the refit which improved the operational efficiency of the tug. The refit included new CAT 3512B engines and replaced the open propellers and rudders with integrated Nautican Nozzles and Triple Rudders. Although total engine power increased from 4,500 to 5,640 hp on the Edgar Kotokak, and obviously bollard pull trials showed improvement, anecdotal evidence from the first month or so of operation seems to indicate that both the nozzles and Triple Rudders together with the new engines have improved the overall fuel efficiency.
