Seagoing Russian chemical tanker leaves port

The Captain Babushkin, a tanker of the river-sea category, set out yesterday from here bound for Rotterdam carrying 50 containers of monoethyleneglycol.

As reported to Rosbalt by the press service of the Volga Steamship Line, this is the first Russian multimodal shipment of chemical cargo sent abroad to employ water transport. The Captain Babushkin was specially refitted last year to handle chemical shipments: the holds were fitted with powerful ventilators, heat sensors and controls for the remote testing of air in the holds. A carbon-dioxide-based system of fire control has been installed in case of accidents, and special protective uniforms for the crew have been prepared.

Until now, shipments of chemicals from Russia to places outside the country have gone by rail to the Finnish port of Kotka. There they have been loaded on ships through a special terminal for chemical shipments.