Tank Cleaning Methods Onboard Chemical Tankers

Tank cleaning methods onboard chemical tankers
The tanks of Chemical Tankers may be constructed or coated

with various different types of materials and it is important to
check with the P&A manual and the Paint Manufacturers
Coating Resistance list prior to commencing Tank Cleaning
Operations in order to ascertain the tank coating materials and
any limitations with regards to temperature, use of cleaning
chemicals etc which may be applicable to the vessel.
Cleaning of tanks is usually the responsibilty of the ship. Tank

cleaning and the cleanliness involved have different standards
depending upon the previous cargo and the cargo to be
loaded. But the matter can be still more complicated, as
cleanliness for one and the same product may vary, depending
on who the receiver is and for what purpose the cargo is finally
intended.
Examples: glycol intended for cosmetics or pharmaceutical

purposes requires cleaner and completely odourless tanks than
does glycol intended for antifreezes; caustic soda for making
paper is more sensitive to iron contamination than caustic soda
for the aluminium industry.
tank cleaning process
Fig: Modern Chemical tanker tank cleaning process using

steam spray
It must be mentioned first that the majority of cleaning

operations on board chemical tankers are being carried out by
means of water washing only. Further chemical cleaning is
required for only a limited number of cargoes, but these cases
may be very important.
One must take into consideration the nature of the previous
cargo and the cargo to be loaded, time factor, available
equipment and cleaning chemicals etc.It is stated the
necessary degree of cleanliness for a number of products, in
line with what cargo surveyors normally require.
Generally speaking one should use mechanical tank cleaning

methods, that is usually washing with water, before applying
more expensive methods involving chemical cleaning agents.
The most expensive, and least safe, method is manual
cleaning, which should be kept to a minimum. Manual work
should preferably be reduced to inspection and possibly to a
final drying up of washing water only.
It is important to drain the tanks as much as possible in order

to deliver all cargo and to reduce pollution of the seas to an
absolute minimum. This will now be even more important with
the anti-pollution Convention of 1973
Examples on measures on how to obtain the best possible

cargo stripping:
i) Due regard to ship's trim and heel.
ii) Viscous cargoes may first be stripped from the various tanks
to one tank near the pump room and from there be pumped
ashore.
iii) Keep the cargo temperature sufficiently high so that the

cargo drains also from remote corners of the tanks, especially
in cold climates.
iv) Waxy deposits under the heating coils can sometimes be

melted out be means of filling with water and then applying
heat to the coils.
v) Sometimes steaming is allowed during discharge of
molasses, which facilitates draining of molasses from the
bulkheads.
vi) Vegetable oil tanks may in the last phase of discharge be

recirculated and hosed down with vegetable oil taken from the
cargo pump delivery side . Similarly phosphoric acid can be
recirculated to loosen sediments on the tank bottom.
vii) Drain cargo piping to shore. It is useful to have a small

stripping pump with 50 mm delivery line to the hose
connection for delivery of contents in the cargo piping to
shore.
viii) Before loading sensitive cargoes: mudboxes, valve bodies

and pump housings must be drained by opening the drain
plugs (with due regard to personal safety).
Tank Coating
The suitability of a vessel's particular tank coating for loading a

specific chemical cargo can be ascertained by reference to the
coating manufacturer's "resistance list" which may also advise
on special tank cleaning procedures.
The vessel's officers should have up-to-date knowledge of the

condition and integrity of the cargo tank coatings, since
degraded and/or perforated/missing coating may cause tanks
to be rejected for loading a particular chemical grade.
Practical examples on solving problems
The following text is intended as a general guide and will give

some practical examples on problems and methods. The
information given should not substitute your own or others'
good and proven methods! Also consult shippers and tank
inspectors coming on board.
Analyze the properties of the previous cargo and take

advantage of its "weak points", e.g as follows:
i) Water soluble? If the cargo is reasonably soluble in water

then chemical cleaning agents are unnecessary in most cases.
ii) Will an increased cleaning temperature cause a beneficial

reduction of cargo viscosity and lower surface tension or could
it cause the opposite: that cargo residues polymerize or
oxidize ("dry"). Polymerization and drying must be avoided,
therefore the first cleaning operation must be carried out cold.
iii) Is it possible to emulgate the cargo in water or in water

with emulgators added? Make a test on board.
iv) Will the product be affected by alkalies? Caustic soda is a

relatively cheap and easily available alkaline chemical.
v) Will the product dissolve in other easily available products

by which the tank walls can be treated? (Succesively
"upgrading" or "floatation" methods).
vi) Will cargo residues vaporize without leaving any traces?
vii) Can cargo remains be safely mixed with the cargo to be

loaded? In many cases it is not known what the next cargo will
be but sometimes this method can be applied.
Odour
Some products are very sensitive to foreign odours, usually

stemming from previous cargoes in the same tank. Examples
of sensitive cargoes are: glycols, glycerine, vegetable and
animal oils, molasses.
Odours remaining after a thorough tank cleaning are usually

best removed by steaming and/or ventilation of the tank.
Steaming "sweats out" cargo from pores etc. Cargo piping may
also have to be steamed out. Epoxy coatings should not be
heated above 60 - (80) degr.C, zinc silicates tolerate
somewhat higher temperatures. So called deodorant fresh air
sprays have an effect only on the atmosphere in the tank.
Usually the odours stem from cargo residues on the actual
tank walls and will therefore soon come back. The spray
method is more of a symbolic value with regard to the care of
the cargo.
Tank Cleaning reference Guide
"The Tank Cleaning Guide", 8th Edition, 2011 by Dr A. Verwey

lists over 400 liquid substances carried in bulk. The cleaning
charts recommends the tank cleaning procedure for each listed
product to clean from and to in a matrix form. The guide has
been developed from the rules and recommendations set out
in the various IMO publications relating to dangerous
chemicals in bulk and to ships carrying those chemicals.

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Tank cleaning methods onboard chemical tankers

The tanks of Chemical Tankers may be constructed or coated

Cleaning of tanks is usually the responsibilty of the ship. Tank

Examples: glycol intended for cosmetics or pharmaceutical

Fig: Modern Chemical tanker tank cleaning process using

It must be mentioned first that the majority of cleaning

Generally speaking one should use mechanical tank cleaning

It is important to drain the tanks as much as possible in order

Examples on measures on how to obtain the best possible

i) Due regard to ship's trim and heel.

iii) Keep the cargo temperature sufficiently high so that the

iv) Waxy deposits under the heating coils can sometimes be

vi) Vegetable oil tanks may in the last phase of discharge be

vii) Drain cargo piping to shore. It is useful to have a small

viii) Before loading sensitive cargoes: mudboxes, valve bodies

The suitability of a vessel's particular tank coating for loading a

The vessel's officers should have up-to-date knowledge of the

Practical examples on solving problems

The following text is intended as a general guide and will give

Analyze the properties of the previous cargo and take

i) Water soluble? If the cargo is reasonably soluble in water

ii) Will an increased cleaning temperature cause a beneficial

iii) Is it possible to emulgate the cargo in water or in water

iv) Will the product be affected by alkalies? Caustic soda is a

v) Will the product dissolve in other easily available products

vi) Will cargo residues vaporize without leaving any traces?

vii) Can cargo remains be safely mixed with the cargo to be

Some products are very sensitive to foreign odours, usually

Odours remaining after a thorough tank cleaning are usually

Tank Cleaning reference Guide

"The Tank Cleaning Guide", 8th Edition, 2011 by Dr A. Verwey

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