Mexican salt exporter orders eco-friendly ship

The ship has been designed to high environmental standards, because the principal Mexican salt producing area is situated within a highly sensitive nature reserve.

Daniel Couttolenc, director of operations, ESSA, said: “The shallow-draught 15,000dwt ABS-classed vessel will incorporate unique design features making it one of the most advanced and environmentally friendly ship-types in the world. This is a key consideration for ESSA as it strives to carry out operations in a manner that is sensitive to the very special environment it works within.”

The new self-unloading vessel, to be built at Nantong Rainbow, will replace part of ESSA’s existing tug-barge fleet to shuttle salt from its Guerrero Negro production facility to the Cedros Island export terminal off Baja California. It will be propelled by twin diesel-electric-driven azimuth thrusters and bow thruster, and has the highest ABS environmental class notation +A1, E, +AMS, +ACCU, POT +AT(BS+4.0), CPS, FL(25)*, RES*, SLAM-B*, ENVIRO+, UWILD, MLC-ACCOM. Delivery is scheduled for 2016.