Milbros, a Veson Nautical solution and the industry’s most reliable and extensive database of liquid bulk products, has launched Milbros UV Graphs, a product aimed at revolutionizing traditional tank cleaning practices across fleets worldwide, according to the company's release.
Milbros UV Graphs have been developed to work with a spectrophotometer, a machine now being installed on ships that accepts a sample of the residue, or wash water from the tank. The machine measures the absorbance of light at different wavelengths, including the ultraviolet (UV) range.
Partnered with a UV graph, the data shows how much UV light is absorbed at specific wavelengths, helping to identify any remaining tank contaminants. At present, Milbros offers at least 250 of these UV graphs with the number expected to rise.
“Maritime shipping companies are facing increased pressure to limit their time at port and maximize cost savings,” Capt. Caspar Lavall, Principal Product Manager at Milbros says. “Milbros UV Graphs offers charterers, shipowners, and surveyors a safer, more efficient approach which maintains compliance while growing their bottom line.”
Capt. Lavall adds that chemical tanker cleaning is a rigorous component of safe cargo handling, and if not done correctly, can lead to environmental safety hazards, ruined cargoes, delays, and unnecessary costs.
These costs can include the recleaning of tanks that are contaminated, but over cleaning of tanks is also common. UV Graphs can ensure that neither scenario that affect the turnaround time of vessels whilst in port.
The use of UV Graphs complements traditional chemical tanker cleaning methods which require crews to enter confined spaces to sample various sections of the tank, exposing them to harmful chemicals. Using a UV Graph reduces the number of tank entries by allowing operators and crew to perform most of the inspections remotely.