BASF Develops Tanker to Secure Supply When Rhine River Level is Low

   By Joshua Stein 
 

BASF SE said Thursday that it has developed a new tanker that can travel through low levels of water on the Rhine River in western Germany.

The German chemicals company said the tanker will be able to transport a cargo of 650 metric tons even when the water depth falls to 1.6 meters (5.2 feet).

The vessel's cargo capacity can increase to 2,500 metric tons at average low water level, equivalent to twice the capacity of conventional inland vessels, BASF said.

BASF said the tanker will secure supply levels to the site in Ludwigshafen regardless of the conditions and will be commissioned for the end of 2022.

In 2018, BASF was hit by low Rhine levels, which led to a reduction in capacity utilization at the company's plants, and a loss in earnings of around 250 million euros ($302.7 million).

The company developed the ship's design in a consortium including Technolog Services, Agnos Consulting, shipping company Stolt Tankers and the University of Duisburg's development center for ship technology.

Write to Joshua Stein at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 21, 2021 04:57 ET (09:57 GMT)

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