The 38,000-dwt chemical and product carrier Johnson Chemstar, the first of two technically sophisticated vessels built by Kockums Shipyard, Malmo, Sweden, was delivered this year to J.O. Odfjell Johnson A/S, Minde, Norway.

Reportedly one of the largest and most technically advanced in the world for the global shipment of chemicals, the vessel was designed to conform to all international safety and environmental regulations, both on the books and pending.

The vessel's hull was designed and built with segregated ballast tanks and double bottom. The center section contains 28 stainless-steel 316LN tanks that are classified for the transport of IMCO type II cargo. There are 10 zincsilicate-coated wing tanks that are classed for IMCO type III cargo. Each tank is equipped with its own stainless-steel piping and deep-well pumping system. The capacity of the pumps varies from 100 m3/h to 400 m3/h, depending on the size of the tanks. All cargo handling is controlled from a separate room in the deckhouse.

The Johnson Chemstar is powered by two independent Lindholmen S.E.M.T. Pielstick medium-speed turbocharged diesel engines, model 12PC2-5V. Each engine is coupled via a reduction gear to a KaMeWa controllable-pitch propeller—MCR: 11,500 kw, 15,800 bhp, 520/100 rpm. The epicyclic reduction gears are two Stal-Laval CPG—compact planetary gear type units.

The auxiliary machinery is powered by three V12A/126 four-stroke turbocharged V-type diesel engines from Hedemora Verkstad, Sweden. They deliver 1,074 kw at 1,200 rpm. Three ASEA alternators, type GBL 560MB, serve the auxiliary diesels, and the shaft alternators are two ASEA type GBL, producing 1,500 kva, 440 v, three-phase, 60 hz, at 1,800 rpm.

The ship is fitted with a bow thruster to improve maneuvering. The hydraulic system — seven Frano electrohydraulic units manufactured by Frank Mohn A/S, Bergen, Norway, are connected to 38 cargo pumps, three ballast pumps, two windlasses, seven mooring winches, two deck cranes, two F.O. transfer pumps, and one tank cleaning pump.

The Johnson Chemstar was dual classed by the American Bureau of Shipping and Det norske Veritas.