VESSEL REVIEW | Bonita Ana – MOL Chemical Tankers' newest ship boasts advanced monitoring technologies

MOL Chemical Tankers (MOLCT) recently took delivery of a new chemical carrier built by Japan's Shitanoe Shipbuilding. Named Bonita Ana, the newbuild belongs to a series of ships ordered by MOLCT in 2021.

Enhanced low-emission navigation

Although fitted with a mono-fuel engine that operates only on either marine gas oil (MGO) or MGO blended with biofuel, the vessel can achieve three per cent fewer CO2 emissions compared to ships that run on very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), and the reduction is even greater when compared to ships with high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) engines. The use of the mono-fuel engine is in line with MOL’s Group Environmental Vision 2.2 achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

“The vessel has been designed with the intention to utilise modern connectivity to enable real-time monitoring and deeper analysis of ship operations, both at sea and on shore,” MOLCT told Baird Maritime. “At sea, senior officers can more reliably, systematically, and safely review navigation, propulsion, and cargo operations data from the ship’s office on digital platforms instead of having to be on-site and referring to manual logbook entries. At shore, with real-time monitoring, both technical managers and commercial operators can better visualise, appreciate, and support the ship’s crew.”

The newbuild has an LOA of 137.45 metres (450.95 feet), a beam of 22.5 metres (73.8 feet), a summer draught of 8.67 metres (28.4 feet), a moulded depth of 11.5 metres (37.7 feet), a deadweight tonnage of 14,943, and a gross tonnage of 9,381. The vessel’s 28 IMO Type II/III cargo tanks have a total capacity of 17,609 cubic metres (621,860 cubic feet).

“The ship offers diversity in cargo stowage alongside existing vessels in the fleet,” MOLCT added. “It is designed and built with the capability to transport both propylene oxide cargoes and isocyanate cargoes in line with the International Bulk Chemical Code (IBC Code). The vessel also boasts a future-proof design, and we look forward to increasing our commercial competitiveness in the region where it will operate.”

Monitoring systems to ensure operational safety

The ship’s main propulsion system consists of a combination of energy efficiency-enhancing fittings such as a pre-swirl stator (Eco-Stator), a non hub-vortex (NHV) propeller, and a propeller boss cap fin. The hull has also been designed using a newly adopted model that aims to improve the hydrodynamic linearisation around the propeller.

For monitoring of the hull, the propulsion, and the fuel efficiency, Bonita Ana relies on mass flowmeters (MFMs) installed in the fuel system. Data collected by the MFMs are transmitted along with the engines’ performance data via cloud infrastructure supplied by ZeroNorth.

Power meters for the generators and the cargo pumps allow the crew to monitor energy consumption as well as energy usage related to cargo handling operations. LED lighting is installed all throughout, and the lights are fitted with dimmers for adjusting brightness and ensuring improved energy efficiency.

CCTV cameras are placed at various onboard locations to contribute to safer ship operations, especially in the navigation and security aspects.

“Cargo-related parameters such as ullage, pressure, and temperature readings can be remotely monitored from the cargo control room (CCR) in addition to local instruments,” said MOLCT. “The nitrogen generation system has a maximum efficiency of 99.999 per cent, providing dry air and enabling nitrogen padding operations in most environments.”

For mooring operations, additional hardware has been fitted to enable remote control operations to enhance the safe operation of mooring winches. In the engine room, economisers have been fitted on the auxiliary engine exhaust to maximise waste heat recovery (WHR) and minimise fuel oil consumption by the auxiliary boilers. MOLCT said the positive effects of WHR were verified during sea trials.

The living spaces meanwhile feature a mixture of appropriate colours and surface finishings. MOLCT said these are aimed at enhancing the onboard living experience for the crew.

Bonita Ana is classed by NK and registered to Singapore. The ship is planned for operations in the trade lane between the US Gulf of Mexico, Colombia, and Caribbean countries.

“To effectively serve the market, having chemical tankers with lower deadweights and multi-tank configurations is key in this trade lane,” MOLCT told Baird Maritime.