Chemical Tanker Notes

This book looks in turn at every stage of a chemical voyage, including:

• The importance of product identification and how this affects stowage, segregation and handling
• methods of tank cleaning and testing
• loading rates and temperatures, sampling, cargo calculations, deballasting, cargo tank vapour return systems
• conditions of carriage – heated cargo, nitrogen blanket cargo, recirculation, inhibited cargo
• preparations for arrival, pumps and discharge procedures, ballasting
• prewashing of tanks and piping systems.

The text is supported with over 40 ‘experience boxes’ based on the author’s own observations and experience. These provide additional practical guidance and highlight potential hazards when handling chemical cargoes.

There are many operations that are carried out simultaneously onboard a chemical tanker, such as loading, discharging, tank cleaning, gas freeing, ballasting, deballasting and so on. However, the main rule onboard any tanker is that all operations are to be conducted in a competent and professional manner.

Certain operations must be suspended if there is any threat or likelihood of loss of control.

The chemical tanker fulfils the most extreme idea of customer satisfaction by offering ‘Just in Time’ (JIT) transport of a multitude of liquid cargoes.

The availability of tankage, the substances being loaded or discharged and quite often the need for the tanks to be discharged, cleaned and then loaded with another substance all are causes of a series of logistical problems.

This book is designed to provide some answers on ‘what to do’ and ‘how to do it’ for officers and cadets on chemical tankers. The subjects are organised in the order that they occur, from the receipt of voyage orders to the completion of cargo discharge and the practice of pre-wash.

Chapter 1 The Voyage
1.1 Voyage Orders
1.2 Voyage Planning
1.3 Stowage Planning
1.4 Notice of Readiness

Chapter 2 Tank Cleaning
2.1 Cleaning and Disposal Procedures
2.2 Cleaning Methods
2.3 Cleaning
2.4 Planning Tank Cleaning Operations
2.5 Overhaul and Tests
2.6 Team Briefing
2.7 Precautions Against Unauthorised Discharge
2.8 Safe Cleaning
2.9 Visual Inspection of the Tank
2.10 Wallwash Tests
2.11 Preload Tests
2.12 Notice of Readiness

Chapter 3 Loading
3.1 Safety Precautions
3.2 Transportation Requirements
3.3 Tanks Inspection
3.4 Safety and Data Sheet
3.5 Loading and Deballasting
3.6 Cargo Tank Vapour Return Systems
3.7 Loading Rate
3.8 Loading Temperature
3.9 Sampling
3.10 Cargo Calculation
3.11 Disconnection of Manifolds
3.12 Cargo Discrepancy
3.13 Short Loading
3.14 Letter of Authorisation
3.15 Bill of Lading
3.16 Time Sheet
3.17 Loading Set of Cargo Documents

Chapter 4 Departure

Chapter 5 Conditions of Carriage
5.1 Heated Cargo
5.2 Nitrogen Blanket Cargo
5.3 Re-circulation
5.4 Inhibited Cargoes

Chapter 6 Arrival at Discharge Port
6.1 Reducers
6.2 Samples
6.3 Bill of Lading
6.4 Cargo Measurement and Calculation
6.5 Claims
6.6 Safety Precautions
6.7 Discharging Plan
6.8 Palm Oil
6.9 Paraffin Wax, Slack Wax

Chapter 7 Discharging
7.1 Pumps
7.2 Commencing Discharge
7.3 Main Discharge
7.4 Stripping
7.5 Blowing the Line
7.6 Inspection
7.7 Bill of Lading

Chapter 8 Ballasting
8.1 Ballast Eductors

Chapter 9 Prewash
9.1 New Ships
9.2 Existing Ships
9.3 Procedures
9.4 Inert Gas Generator

Chapter 10 Terms and Definitions

Appendices
Appendix 1 Compatibility Chart
Appendix 2 Alphabetical Listing of Compounds
Appendix 3 Exceptions to the Compatibility Chart
Appendix 4 Exceptions to the Compatibility Chart
Appendix 5 FOSFA List of Banned Immediate Previous Cargoes
Appendix 6 FOSFA List of Acceptable Previous Cargoes
Appendix 7 World Chemical Trade
Appendix 8 International Certificate of Fitness for the Carriage of Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk
Appendix 9 NLS Certificate
Appendix 10 Procedures and Arrangements Manual
Appendix 11 Cargo Record Book
Appendix 12 Cargo Hose Record
Appendix 13 Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plan (SMPEP)
Appendix 14 Guidelines in developing a SMPEP

Capt Vladimir Kunichkin has more than 30 years of experience on oil and chemical tankers, working his way through the ranks until achieving the position of Master with Knud I. Larsen Ship Management.

A strong interest in seafarer training led Vladimir to the position of training officer at the "LAPA" centre, specializing in training senior officers in chemical tanker operations.

Captain Kunichkin now holds the position of training manager with Tesmar.