new delivery UACC Masafi
The 45,000 dwt IMO II UACC Masafi spearheads the fleet
Chemical carriers support regional ambition
T
he Middle East and North Africa has experienced something of a ‘petrochemical rush’ over the last five years or so. The
growth in the region’s petrochemical industry since 2006 is equal to all the capacity that was built up over the previous six decades. United Arab Chemical Carriers Ltd (UACC)
was founded to capitalise on this growth. The Dubai-based company was established in August 2007 by liner owner and operator United Arab Shipping Co Ltd (UASC) and strategic investors from the Gulf Corporation Council. UASC is owned by six states in the Middle East, and is the largest container operator in the region. The company is represented in 52 countries. The business plan sees UACC drawing on its shareholders’ vast network and relationships with customers (including prominent petrochemical companies) to establish itself as one of the foremost global transporters of petrochemical cargoes. In 2008 UACC placed an order for 10 45,000
dwt chemical tankers at SLS Shipbuilding (now known as ShinaSB Yard), South Korea, at a reported cost of US$61 million apiece, with deliveries set for 2011 and 2012. Following productivity problems at the yard in 2010 and the downturn in the market, the order was reduced to six vessels.
18 I Tanker Shipping & Trade I October/November 2011
The belief that the Middle East’s market share of the world’s petrochemical business could rival its position in oil and gas underpins United Arab Chemical Carrier’s decision to invest in a series of sophisticated chemical carriers with high levels of operational flexibility
UACC MASAFI Owner
Manager IMO No Builder
Length, oa Length, bp Breadth
Draught, design Draught, scantling Deadweight
Speed, contract Main engine Output Class
UACC
Thome Ship Management 9489065
SLS Shipyard 183m 174m 32m 11m
12.15m
45,000 dwt 15 knots
MAN B&W 6S50MC-C8 9,960kW at 127 rpm DNV
This November, UACC is scheduled to take
delivery of the first vessel in the series. These 183m long, 32m wide, 45,000 dwt IMO II product and chemical carriers were built to a very high specification. “We were very proactive at the design stage because we wanted sophisticated ships that give us a high level of operational flexibility,” explains UACC president and chief executive officer, Jens Groenning. UACC Masafi is the lead vessel. The cargo tank arrangement was constructed utilising a single longitudinal corrugated bulkhead together with transverse corrugated bulkheads creating 10 pairs of cargo oil tanks and one pair of slop tanks, giving a total capacity of 53,664m³. The MarineLine cargo tank coating system helps to ensure the vessel can easily cross trade among clean petroleum products, vegetable/ palm oils, and commodity petrochemicals.” Water ballast tanks complete the wing and double-bottom tank with “arrangement, coated to PSPC specifications.” Particular attention has gone into ensuring
that the vessel is well suited for safe and efficient transportation of commodity chemicals. An extra cargo venting arrangement was specified in order to load/discharge two cargoes simultaneously. Some cargo tanks have increased specific gravity carrying capability, and the stainless steel cargo
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