All-stainless chemical tanker series for Odfjell

Bow Neon and Bow Palladium are the first of five 25,000dwt newbuilds purchased from New York-based Chemical Transportation Group (CTG). The three remaining units, Bow Platinum, Bow Titanium and Bow Tungsten, are due to follow out of the AVIC Dingheng yard in Jiangsu between January and May 2018.

CTG had originally ordered a series of 10 vessels of the design from the Chinese shipbuilder, but sold the final quintet at some US$40m apiece to Odfjell under a deal finalised in July 2017. The agreement between CTG and the Norwegian chemtanker and terminal specialist also encompassed the creation of a new pool for parcel tankers in the 25,000dwt category.

The Bow Neon type is arranged with 24 cargo tanks made from Duplex 2205 stainless steel, affording an overall capacity of approximately 27,500m3. Double-valve segregation confers the potential capability for 24 different cargo grades or products within a single load. The cargo flexibility is such that the intake can range from specialty chemical products and small parcels, to larger consignments of bulk industrial chemicals and full cargoes of clean petroleum products.

The total of 24 Framo deepwell cargo pumps comprises 10 units of 300m3/h capacity, and 14 of 220m3/h.

The main engine is a five-cylinder model of MAN’s two-stroke S50ME-B design, specified at a maximum continuous rating of just over 6,000kW, and providing for a service speed of 14 knots. The three gensets are driven by MAN 6L23/30H diesels.

25K POOL GROWS

The five tankers acquired by Odfjell, together with the first five of the series owned by CTG, have been assigned to the new Odfjell Chempool 25, under the commercial management of Odfjell Tankers. Technical husbandry of the Bow Neon and Bow Platinum has been entrusted to the Hamburg firm TB Marine Shipmanagement.

The 25k pool has also been joined by five chemtankers in the 25,000dwt category that already formed part of the Odfjell fleet. As a consequence, the Odfjell Chempool 25 is scheduled to have 15 compatible vessels at its disposal by mid-2018.

It is anticipated that the main areas of engagement for the new pool will be the Atlantic basin and South America, as well as Middle East/Far East trades.

At the time of the transaction, the 10-ship series of 25,000dwt parcel tankers awarded by CTG to AVIC had ranked as the most extensive stainless steel chemtanker programme worldwide.

Besides the three outstanding ships from AVIC Dingheng, Odfjell’s current newbuildings feature four 49,000dwt and two 38,000dwt fully-stainless tankers to be constructed in China by state-owned Hudong-Zhonghua, with deliveries due in 2019 and 2020. In addition, it has entered into long-term bareboat charter arrangements with Japanese principals covering two 35,500dwt stainless chemtankers at Shun Kurushima Dockyard and two of 36,000dwt at Fukuoka Shipbuilding.

PRINCIPAL PARTICULARS—BOW NEON