A tanker built to carry noxious liquid substances in bulk, constructed to IBC Code standards for cargo containment.
Quick facts
Regulation
MARPOL Annex II
In practice
Chemical tanker operations are the most complex of all tanker trades: chief officers must manage simultaneous loading or discharge of multiple incompatible cargoes through segregated pipelines, verify tank cleanliness by means of alkalinity or hydrogen peroxide wall-wash tests, and ensure that reaction between adjacent cargoes — even through common bulkheads — is assessed for heat generation risk. STCW requires officers and ratings to hold advanced chemical tanker endorsements. Port state control inspections of chemical tankers are especially thorough, covering the MARPOL Annex II Cargo Record Book, pre-loading checklists, and the condition of vapour return systems required for toxic cargoes.
Regulatory detail & full definition
Chemical tankers carry noxious liquid substances classified under MARPOL Annex II, spanning a wide range of industrial chemicals from clean petroleum products to highly toxic specialty chemicals such as sulphuric acid, methanol, and acrylonitrile. The IBC Code — the International Bulk Chemical Code — classifies ship types as Type 1 (greatest hazard, maximum survivability requirement), Type 2, or Type 3, prescribing tank location from the hull, material of construction, vapour control requirements, and cargo pump design accordingly. Each tank on a modern chemical tanker is typically constructed from stainless steel or lined with a specialist coating, capable of carrying a different cargo simultaneously.
Chemical tanker operations are the most complex of all tanker trades: chief officers must manage simultaneous loading or discharge of multiple incompatible cargoes through segregated pipelines, verify tank cleanliness by means of alkalinity or hydrogen peroxide wall-wash tests, and ensure that reaction between adjacent cargoes — even through common bulkheads — is assessed for heat generation risk. STCW requires officers and ratings to hold advanced chemical tanker endorsements. Port state control inspections of chemical tankers are especially thorough, covering the MARPOL Annex II Cargo Record Book, pre-loading checklists, and the condition of vapour return systems required for toxic cargoes.