Castrol Marine Launches Two Double Hull Barges

Castrol Marine, one of the leading global suppliers of marine lubricants, has launched two new barges in advance of the latest ‘double hull’ legislation from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The barges serve several key ports and feature enhanced technology that improves service for BP and Castrol Marine customers. Double hulls add another layer of protection to a vessel, helping to ensure Castrol Marine’s lubricants are transported safely and securely around the world.

Keith Torrance, Castrol’s Global Demand & Portfolio Manager for Aviation, Marine and Energy, said: “The launch of these vessels demonstrates Castrol Marine’s commitment to delivering high quality lubricants, efficiently and safely. It’s important that we stay ahead of legislation to provide uninterrupted service, while passing on the benefits of the latest technology to our customers. Double-hull vessels also help to protect the environment by significantly reducing the chance of leakage.”

“The increased storage capacity, multiple tank configuration and higher pumping rate of the ‘Amal’ allows Castrol Marine to meet the growing demand for lubricants from the Fujairah anchorage. The ‘Victrol 10’ is also equipped with the latest technology, including automated flow computers which can read delivery notes mailed to the vessel to aid the delivery of the correct grade of lubricant,” Torrance added.

The ‘Victrol 10’ will operate out of the port of Antwerp in Belgium and the ‘Amal’ will operate in the United Arab Emirates ports of Fujairah and Khor Fakkan, as well as the Kalba anchorage areas.

‘Amal’ replaces the single hull ‘Farida’ and fully complies with International Maritime IMO ‘double hull’ legislation adopted by the Fujairah Port Authority, which came into effect on 1st January 2010. Similarly, the ‘Victrol 10’ was introduced to replace its single hull predecessor, the ‘Rotterdam’.

The Port of Fujairah, strategically situated approximately 70 nautical miles from the Strait of Hormuz on the eastern seaboard of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is ranked as the third largest port for bunker operations. Castrol Marine’s investment in infrastructure reflects the importance of Fujairah, from which a significant percentage of its lubricants are supplied.
The ‘Amal’ was originally built in 2000 and converted to double hull in 2009. She has bulk storage capacity of 522 kilolitres, an average pumping rate of 30 cubic metres per hour and an average speed of 6.5-7 nautical miles per hour.

The hull of the ‘Victrol 10’ was built in Romania and finished in Antwerp. The barge has 15 tanks and can carry 10 different grades of lubricant. A pumping rate of up to 100m3/hr is achieved utilising a 27m long bunker boom.

The ‘Victrol 10’ carries two different types of hose; one for the cylinder oils and one for all other grades. The hoses are of different sizes to prevent wrong connections. The manifold valves and the hoses are also fitted with electronic tags, which only allow the pumps to be started when the hoses are connected to the correct products. The ‘Victrol 10’ is also equipped with mass flow meters, which do not measure air, ensuring the delivered volume measurement is as accurate as possible.