CHEMICAL TANKERS

The safe and efficient operation by far the most complex of all tankers, the chemical tankers probably presents the biggest challenge in the industry. Not only are there hundreds of different, more or less noxious chemicals to be transported for which the tanks, coated or stainless steel, need to be prepared accordingly, but there are also particularly strenuous vetting inspections to be performed and passed before a chemical tanker is approved for a charter or even to load and/or discharge at a terminal. This requires a particular breed of officers and crew.

Our Officers and crew are hand-picked and especially trained at our own training facilities on courses which we have developed together with the major players in the chemical industry.

At present we operate chemical tankers of between 4,500 TDW and 22,500 TDW. Our experience on tank coatings and tank materials ranges from epoxy coated tanks to zinc silicate coating to Marineline coating and naturally stainless steel and stainless cladded steel tanks. We have a team of experts available on essentially a 24/7 basis to assist our Masters and Chief Officers should they be uncertain as to the right tank-washing or cargo handling procedures.

Starting in 2008, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement will also take on the first chemical tankers operating in the recently formed Hanseatic Tanker Consortium. By 2011 this fleet of newbuilding chemical tankers of 16,500 to 25,000 dwt will have grown to approximately 25 vessels.