Handysize product
carriers more than 20 years of age pose serious problems while fixing
up these vessels with oil Majors. Some of these vessels which have been
maintained in very high standards of shipboard maintenance with the
condition of tank coatings in excellent condition have been rejected
on account of their age factor.
However some of the sensible owners, realising the active age still
available with these vessels, have converted them from petroleum to
veg oil or molasses trades by retrofitting these vessels with TANK
HEATING COILS.
With comparatively smaller additional investment between 160 - 300,000
U.S. dollars the entire investment could be recovered in just one year
period and that too with higher charter rate than the conventional petroleum
product earnings.
The investment choice of 160 - 300,000 USD is left with the owners with
the option of using either carbon steel or S. S. hardware for retrofit
purpose. Owners who intend to trade their vessels for just 3 - 5 years
go in for smaller investment and for those who want their vessels to
trade between 5 - 8 years do not mind spending more for troublefree
longer span.
If the vessel's
plans are sent couple of months in advance the material can suitably
be identified and most of the retrofit in prefab condition can be kept
ready at our base. The choice thereafter is left with the Owners either
to lay up the vessel for 10 -15 days to carry out the entire retrofit
and commissioning thereafter or to carry out such retrofit by utilizing
our Riding Teams on a long sea passage.
