Solar Solve screens to be installed on Ukrainian Rover Tanker

In mid-July, South Shields based Solar Solve Marine, dispatched a consignment of SOLAROLA sunscreens to a UK based customer for installation at the navigation bridge windows of UBC AMOSOV, a revolutionary new Ukrainian registered and owned inland river tanker.  Her length overall (LOA) is 104.9 meters and her width is 11.4 meters.

The vessel is currently in the Black Sea area, where she mainly trades and when not moving cargos in Rivers and Inland Waterways she is part of a revolutionary new STS (Ship-to-Ship) operation for loading sunflower oil, as reported in The Odessa Journal on 19^th May of this year.  A section of the report read:

After a year of planning and preparatory work, United Barge Company, Seven Ports and Stark Shipping, working together, carried out Ukraine’s first STS (Ship-to-Ship) operation for loading sunflower oil from the UBC Amosov river tanker, to the SC Draco, a Medium Range sea tanker, in open sea, at Ochakov roads (Banka Trutaeva), Nikolaev port.  It was the first time in Ukrainian history that such an operation involving sunflower oil had taken place.

This is the first operation of this kind in Ukrainian history. If grain refuelling has long become commonplace, then this is a real breakthrough for oil. Requirements for STS operations by ship owners of the tanker fleet are an order of magnitude higher than when loading bulk carriers, which required considerable efforts to ensure the necessary level of safety for tankers to stand next to each other, including ensuring Yokohama Fenders, the safety of the loading process using specialized hoses and finding the Sigurd auxiliary vessel in close proximity throughout the entire process of reloading, and compliance with environmental safety standards.

Mark Weatherburn, Solar Solve’s Technical Administrator, worked on the project and commented:

“When the first ship-to-ship transfer took place there were no sunscreens at the navigation bridge windows of UBC AMOSOV and we don’t know for sure if solar glare was a significant problem at the time.”

 He continued:

“However, we do know with great certainty, that once these new Type Approved SOLAROLA sunscreens are installed and brought into use, they will greatly enhance the operational environment for the personnel on the navigation bridge by further improving the health and safety conditions in which they work.”

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