Chemical Tanker Vessel News

Time charter rates in the smaller chemical tanker vessel sizes are expected to remain stable over the next two years, but rates for the larger sizes, especially MRs, will decline due to the impact of falling clean petroleum products (CPP) freight rates, according to the latest edition of the Chemical Forecaster, published by global shipping consultancy Drewry. Weakened chemical tanker freight rates in the second quarter of 2016 have resulted in softer time charter rates. Drewry anticipates a modest improvement in the CPP market in the next two quarters, but expects chemical tanker freight rates to remain weak in the third quarter with a pick up in the fourth quarter of this year.

Ardmore Shipping Corporation took delivery of the newbuild product and chemical tanker vessel Ardmore Seafox on June 25, 2015, the company announced today. The 49,999 dwt, Eco-design IMO 3 tanker was built at Korea's SPP Shipbuilding Co., Ltd Sacheon Shipyard and is the second in a series of four SPP newbuilds scheduled to be delivered to Ardmore in 2015, following the delivery of sister ship Ardmore Sealion on May 26. The addition of Ardmore Seafox increases the number of Ardmore vessels on the water to 20 with a total tonnage of 819,519 DWT.

A U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) helicopter crew medevaced the captain of a tanker approximately 50 miles offshore of Corpus Christi Wednesday morning. Watch the video here. Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi command center were notified Tuesday at approximately 4:30 p.m. that the 50-year-old captain of the Weser, a 422-foot oil and chemical tanker vessel was experiencing severe pain in his leg with a possible blood clot. A Coast Guard flight surgeon concurred with the need for medevac.

A 19,800 dwt stainless steel chemical tanker vessel is the 60th ship being built with Germanischer Lloyd class at Qingshan Shipyard. The 10th anniversary of close cooperation between Qingshan Shipyard and Germanischer Lloyd is being celebrated on August 3 with a ceremony attended by more than 100 guests. Participants include the President of Chang Jiang Shipping Group Liu Xihan, the Vice Governor of Hubei Province Li Chunming, the Vice Mayor of Wuhan City Yue Yong and other representatives of local government and authorities. 27 vessels have been delivered since 1996, 33 ships are under construction and on order. In total, more than 750,000 dwt have been constructed with GL class at Qingshan Shipyard. Qingshan Shipyard has 3,800 employees and is located at the Yangzi River in Wuhan.