Bow Bahia

Bow Bahia is one of Ahrenkiel chemical tankers, which are sailing all over the world, but mostly in the Atlantic ocean and The Mediterranean Sea. The ship was built in 1996 in the ship-yard Estaleiros Navais de Viana do Castello S. A. in Portugal. The whole series of chemical tankers of Ahrenkiel were built in the ship-yard in Portugal. The chemical tankers of Ahrenkiel are some of the best qualited and very good tankers sailing. Bow Bahia is also in very good condition and very good looking. The risk of prolusion with such kind of cargo is very big, but the ships of Ahrenkiel are certified by Germanishe Lloyd Register and this makes the crew very reliable and ready for inspection in every port. Inspections from ISM, Port State Control and Lloyd are a daily work for the crew of chemical tankers, which is very important for the condition of the ship.

Bow Bahia has deadweight of 5,846 metric tons. The gross tonnage of the vessel is 3,726 metric tons and the net tonnage is 1,668 metric tons. The vessel has a length of 99.98 meters and the beam is 16.5 meters. Bow Bahia has a draught of 6.79 meters. The cargo capacity, which this vessel has is 5,947 cubic meters, when it is loaded to 98%. Bow Bahia is one of the very good ships of chemical tankers fleet. The main engine of the chemical tanker is MAN B&W 7S35 MC with a power of 4,165 kW at 145 rpm. This engine is giving enough power for the ship to fight the waves and to sail with maximum speed of 16.4 knots, under ballast, and economy speed of 15 knots with cargo on board. But this engine cannot be used in the ports, mostly while maneuvering, or just loading and discharging cargo. So then the officers start auxiliary diesel generators. They are two Caterpillar CAT 3508 – DI-TA generators. They are giving a power of 653 kW each, which is enough for the systems on board. As IO mentioned, the ship has bow thrusters, which are very useful for maneuvering in ports. They have a power of 300 kW each, and the control over them can be transfered to the wings, for easier and better maneuvering of the vessel. Mooring of Bow Bahia is very easy, because the engines help to winches and this makes them very strong.

But when the ship is at sea the main work comes to the officers (except tank cleaning of course). The engine control room is operated by 2 officers – Chief Engine and 2nd engine, and also 2 motormen. The control room offers a good information about the whole engine and indicators are giving a signal even for a little mistake. For vessel built in 1996 this is very good, and some of the systems are innovative. The night watch of the machine room is trasfered to the bridge, where officers are watching over the machine indicators. The cargo operations are made by officers in the cargo control room, situated just in the front, left part of superstructure. There are all systems and indicators of the manifolds, cargo tanks and pressure in them. If the vessel is carrying a dangerous cargoes the tanks are filled with inert gas, but this can be done only from the shore. The vessel has own inert gas system, which can only compensate the losing of the gas while changing of the temperature of the cargo, but cannot fill the tanks by itself.
That is Bow Bahia, one of the best vessels of Ahrenkiel Group. It is chemical tanker wearing very dangerous cargoes many times, but very safety for the environment.

Ship's Facts
Name: Bow Bahia
Type: Chemical Tanker
Lenght: 99.98 m
Beam: 16.5 m
Draft: 6.79 m
Deadweight: 5,846 m.t.
GT: 3,726 m.t.
Year: 1996
Speed: 15 kn
Engine: MAN B&W
Power: 4,165 kW