VESSEL REVIEW | RF Ran – Ice-capable chemical tanker fitted with intelligent systems
Norwegian shipping company RFOcean recently took delivery of a new chemical tanker built by China's Wuhu Shipyard.
The Malta-registered RF Ran has an LOA of 113.6 metres (372.7 feet), a beam of 17.6 metres (57.7 feet), a draught of 6.8 metres (22 feet), a depth of nine metres (30 feet), a deadweight of 6,600, and 12 IMO Type II stainless steel cargo tanks with a total capacity of 7,500 cubic metres (1.6 million gallons).
The ship's hull has meanwhile been reinforced to Finnish/Swedish ice class 1A standards, allowing safe navigation in the Baltic Sea during winter ice and other seasonal ice regions. The vessel's design will permit navigation through North American inland waterways such as the Great Lakes and the St Lawrence Seaway.
Diesel-electric propulsion for greater reliability
RF Ran is equipped with DC propulsion technology that will enable the onboard generators to achieve an optimal operating state, thus potentially reducing her fuel consumption by as much as 10 per cent.
The propulsion system includes a 400kW and three 1,010kW main generators and a 130kW emergency generator. An electric motor drives the ship’s solitary propeller to deliver a service speed of 13 knots.
Diesel fuel is fed from tanks with a total capacity of 502.26 cubic metres (110,480 gallons).
Monitoring and management systems for improved efficiency
The ship is also equipped with a complete intelligent system integrating intelligent navigation, engine room monitoring, energy efficiency, and cargo management functions. The system can monitor various vessel parameters in real time, optimise routes, predict faults and manage the onboard cargo, thereby significantly improving navigation safety and operational efficiency.
The vessel is ready and partly fitted for the future use of methanol as fuel. There are also systems that help reduce NOx emissions to ensure compliance with IMO Tier III requirements.
RF Ran was built in compliance with Bureau Veritas class requirements.
