TYPES OF CHEMICAL TANKER
´Today we have three distinct type of chemical tankers:
1) Parcel chemical tankers:
- These have multiple small cargo tanks, sometimes 54 in number.
- Each tank has an individual deep well pump and a dedicated line to the manifold. They carry cargoes, which need their quality safeguarded.
- The tanks have various different coatings and some tanks are even made of pure stainless steel allowing significant flexibility.
2) Dedicated Chemical tankers: These usually carry a single cargo such as methanol, a particular acid, molten sulphur or phosphorus or sometimes even orange juice and wine!
3) Product cum Chemical tankers:
- They have fewer tanks compared to Parcel tankers.
- The tanks are of coated steel and they have one or more pumprooms.
- These ships usually carry the less difficult chemicals and also trade in clean oil products.
In general, ships carrying chemicals in bulk are classed into three types:
Type 1
Type 1 ship is a chemical tanker intended to transport Chapter 17 of the IBC Code products with very severe environmental and safety hazards which require maximum preventive measures to preclude an escape of such cargo.
Cargo tanks for the most dangerous products should be located outside the extent of the assumed damage and at least 760mm from the ship’s shell.
Maximum tank size is 1250 M3.
Double side width B/5 or 11.5 metres which ever is less.
DB depth B/15 or 6 metres at centre line, but not < 760mm
Type 1 offers highest limit of containment
Type 2
Type 2 ship is a chemical tanker intended to transport Chapter 17 of the IBC Code products with appreciably severe environmental and safety hazards which require significant preventive measures to preclude an escape of such cargo.
Tanks for Type II cargoes should be located at least 760mm from the ship’s shell and outside the extent of assumed grounding damage.
Maximum tank size is 3000 M3
Type 3
Type 3 ship is a chemical tanker intended to transport Chapter 17 of the IBC Code products with sufficiently severe environmental and safety hazards which require a moderate degree of containment to increase survival capability in a damaged condition.
Most chemical tankers are IMO 2 and 3 rated, since the volume of IMO 1 cargoes is very limited.
No limit for size of tank.