Page 53: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Mar/Apr 2017)

52 54

In the port of Houston, Texas, three medium-sized tankers well past its allowed window. The demurrage quickly eats into are berthed adjacent to one another at this sprawling petro- what had been thought to be pro? table charter party. Slow de- chemical complex. The ? rst, a 70,000 ton shuttle tanker, is ballasting rates, owing to the necessity to ‘retreat’ in-line, is discharging a parcel of Brent Crude Oil. The second, a coast- determined to be the culprit.

wise product carrier, is taking on a parcel of gasoline destined Across the channel, crude tanker number one has a different for the East Coast. And the third, another crude carrier, is also problem. As discharge continues, the intake of murky, mud- discharging bulk crude oil. All considered quality vessels, op- dy ballast water also impacts its ability to get enough ballast erated by reputable and fully vetted owners, only one is expe- on in order to make a speedy departure from the berth once riencing what could be described as a satisfactory port call. ? nished stripping its tanks. It experiences ballast ? lters that

For the two poor performers, that’s got nothing to do with car- impede the ? ow of water into its segregated ballast system. go equipment, and everything to do with their newly minted Many hours after ? nishing discharge – and not before receiv- ballast water treatment systems. ing a raft of Letters of Protest for poor performance – it ? nally

As the product tanker loads cargo, it struggles to keep up departs the berth.

with the delivery volumes from shore. On at least one occa- In contrast, tanker number three discharges an entire 70,000 sion, cargo is interrupted for two hours and for the balance ton parcel of Bonny Light crude oil in just 22 hours, including of the lifting, a ship-imposed restricted loading rate – owing crude oil washing of 25 percent of its cargo tanks. Ballast was to restricted draft at the berth – kept the vessel at the berth loaded at maximum rated pumping capacity. Unimpeded by www.maritimelogisticsprofessional.com 53

I