What is Green Delayed Petcoke? Is it hard on ships’ holds?

Green Delayed Petcoke is hard on ships’ holds, requiring careful cleaning and good bulk carrier hold protection. Let’s look at the reasons why, and what you can do to protect your ships’ holds.

Petroleum coke, shortened to petcoke, is produced when crude oil is processed into fuels like gasoline. This refining byproduct has a high fixed carbon content made up of hydrocarbons and low levels of inorganic compounds. It comes in various forms, including powdered, granular, needle-like, calcineable, and green. 

Green petcoke, also known as raw or delayed petcoke, is unprocessed coke fresh out of the coker.  Canada produces its supply from the oil sands in Alberta. From there it makes its way to Vancouver ports for shipping worldwide.

Some types of petcoke, like the calcined variety, are fairly dry and easily cleaned from a ship’s cargo hold. Green delayed petcoke, however, is high in oil content. The stubborn stains it leaves behind are challenging to clean. The longer it’s left, the more difficult it becomes. As soon as possible, thoroughly remove all of the residue with a high-pressure sprayer. Afterwards, a cargo hold barrier should be sprayed in place to protect the steel.

Products for managing petcoke residue removal and ships’ hold protection.

• RBM HoldBlock®--protects the ship’s steel from dirty cargoes like green delayed petcoke.
• RBM HoldWash-HD®--a heavy duty all-purpose cleaner that easily breaks down hydrocarbons but will also remove RBM HoldBlock®.
• RBM Application Set--a low-volume, low pressure diaphragm pump. The set comes with all the necessary hoses and nozzles along with an extendable 40’(12m) carbon fibre wand.
• RBM HydroBlaster--a stainless steel water cannon that is extremely powerful and an excellent cleaning tool.
• RBM Protective Package is all you need for applying the solutions we provide including coveralls, gloves, googles, & particulate masks.

RBM HoldSolutions® provides cargo ship holds protection against corrosive bulk materials such as sulphur, coal, petcoke, salts and fertilizers. Contact us to place an order or ask any questions.