Lab-Tested, Shell Approved: MarineLINE® Moves to List of 'Approved' Methods for MEG Carriage via Shell Cargo Handling Sheet

Monoethylene glycol (MEG) is an important Shell cargo used in consumer applications where purity is critical. Prior to the 7th revision of Shell's Cargo Handling Sheet, MEG could not be loaded into lined cargo tanks due to contamination concerns, making stainless steel the accepted industry standard.

MEG is a vital ingredient in the production of polyester fibers, film, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resins, and engine coolants, used in everything from clothing and upholstery to food and beverage packaging. Because of its sensitivity, MEG can become off-spec through prolonged air exposure or contamination from prior cargoes such as benzene, which traditionally tends to absorb into tank linings and recontaminate later cargo.

Advanced Polymer Coatings conducted a study to evaluate whether MarineLINE® would absorb benzene and potentially impact the purity of a subsequent MEG cargo. MarineLINE® panels were immersed in benzene, washed according to standard onboard cleaning procedure, and then immersed in MEG at elevated temperatures for varying lengths of time,  designed to simulate a realistic cargo transition scenario.

UV wavescan analysis was used to compare transmission curves between clean MEG and MEG exposed to the benzene-conditioned panels after 21 days, alongside stringent analytical testing capable of detecting benzene down to less than 0.05 mg/L.

Stringent analytical testing down to less than 0.05 mg/L showed no benzene detected in the MEG following the cargo transition simulation. UV scans comparing clean MEG to the post-benzene, post-cleaning MEG sample showed closely matching transmission curves, supporting the analytical findings.

The results demonstrated that, unlike the industry's default assumption that all tank linings absorb prior cargoes, MarineLINE® did not carry over benzene contamination into the subsequent MEG cargo at detectable levels.

Following the study with Shell's chemists, MarineLINE® was added as an approved method for carrying MEG alongside stainless steel, supporting high-purity cargo requirements while giving operators greater vessel flexibility. This allows Shell to carry MEG in MarineLINE®-coated tanks rather than dedicated stainless steel, saving time and cost while expanding what a single vessel can carry.

When the next cargo demands purity, MarineLINE® helps minimize chemical absorption and supports cleaner, more confident cargo transitions.