4 key group marine chemicals for vessels

Marine chemicals are often underestimated by shipowners until problems occur: boiler scaling, reduced efficiency, or engine corrosion leading to skyrocketing repair costs.

In fact, using the right type of marine chemical Vietnam products not only protects equipment but also improves vessel performance.

This article highlights four essential groups of marine chemicals every vessel should carry, helping shipowners reduce technical risks and choose the right solutions with confidence.

Boiler and Cooling system chemicals

In marine environments, boiler feed water faces serious risks such as scaling, corrosion, and foaming. Scaling from calcium and magnesium salts deposits on heat transfer surfaces and significantly reduces efficiency – a 3.2 mm layer of scale can cut heat transfer by up to 15%.

This condition often leads to overheating, steam pipe deformation, or even boiler failure – a critical threat to both safety and vessel operations.

Corrosion, on the other hand, is mainly caused by dissolved oxygen and low pH, especially in condensate and return systems. This can result in tube failures, leaks, and boiler shell damage – accounting for nearly 50% of downtime and tube failures in industrial boilers.

To effectively control scaling, corrosion, and foaming, specialized marine boiler chemicals are the most reliable solution. They not only prevent equipment damage but also deliver clear economic benefits by reducing maintenance and fuel costs.

Key examples:

Oxygen scavengers (e.g., hydrazine, sodium sulfite) – remove dissolved oxygen, the main cause of corrosion.

Studies show: just 1 mm of corrosion can reduce boiler tube lifespan from 10 years to only 3–5 years. Using oxygen scavengers helps cut boiler tube replacement costs by up to 40% over the vessel’s lifecycle.

Alkalinity control agents (e.g., NaOH, carbonate) – maintain alkaline conditions and form a protective magnetite film on metal surfaces.

At pH 10–11.5, corrosion rates drop to <0.1 mm/year, compared to >0.5 mm/year in lower pH conditions.

Scale inhibitors – prevent calcium and magnesium salts from crystallizing and sticking to boiler tubes.

A 1 mm scale layer increases fuel consumption by 1.5%, while 3 mm can raise fuel costs by 15%. With the right marine scale inhibitors, deposits are dissolved and easily removed during blowdown, keeping efficiency stable.

Anti-foaming agents – control unstable boiling and prevent carryover of impurities into turbines or engine cylinders.

This not only protects machinery but also reduces the risk of emergency shutdowns, which can cost hundreds of thousands of USD for every hour of vessel downtime.

Marine fuel treatment chemicals

As shipowners and operators know well, fuel can account for up to 60% of operating costs. This means fuel efficiency makes a huge difference to overall business performance.

By using marine chemical Vietnam solutions such as fuel additives and treatment chemicals, fleet operators can improve both fuel quality and combustion performance – gaining financial as well as environmental benefits.

Fuel-related risks in marine operations

In real-world operations, marine fuel often contains impurities such as water, asphaltenes, carbon residue, sulfur, and heavy metals (vanadium, nickel). When burned, these contaminants create several serious problems:

• Carbon deposits and soot formation on injectors, cylinders, and turbines, reducing combustion efficiency.
• High-temperature corrosion, caused by vanadium oxides combining with sulfur to form vanadium pentoxide, which has a low melting point and attacks metal surfaces.
• Increased emissions of SOx, NOx, and particulate matter (PM) – leading to non-compliance with IMO MARPOL Annex VI regulations.
• Reduced engine lifespan – studies show fuel deposits can increase annual engine maintenance costs by 20–30%.

In fact, just 0.5% of free water in fuel oil is enough to damage high-pressure fuel pumps, causing mid-voyage engine failure. This can force vessels to anchor for emergency repair – costing tens of thousands of USD per day.

Benefits of marine fuel treatment chemicals

Using marine fuel treatment chemicals delivers comprehensive benefits for both operations and the environment:

• Improved combustion efficiency – fuel additives reduce consumption, saving 2–4% annually. Considering fuel accounts for 60% of ship operating costs, this is a major financial advantage.
• Reduced carbon deposits and corrosion – extending engine life and lowering the frequency of system cleaning.
• Lower emissions – combustion enhancers help cut CO₂ per nautical mile and reduce harmful gases such as CO, NOx, SOx, THC, PAH, and black smoke. This supports more efficient operation of exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers).
• Enhanced fuel stability and compatibility – minimizing sludge formation during storage and reducing fuel loss from sludge discharge.

Marine cleaning and maintenance chemicals Vietnam

Throughout its operational lifecycle, a vessel faces numerous factors that reduce efficiency.

Biofouling – the accumulation of marine organisms such as barnacles, algae, and microorganisms on the hull and propeller – is considered one of the biggest causes of increased hydrodynamic resistance.

Even a thin layer of fouling can raise fuel consumption by 10–20%, translating into hundreds of thousands of USD in additional annual operating costs for large container ships or oil tankers.

The impact is not limited to the hull. Internal technical systems on board are also at risk.

In heat exchangers and pipelines, inorganic scale (mainly CaCO₃, Mg(OH)₂) and microbial deposits build up over time, reducing heat transfer areas.

This can cause engine overheating or poor cooling performance – often leading directly to emergency shutdowns or higher periodic maintenance costs.

To address these challenges, specialized marine cleaning chemicals and maintenance solutions are developed:

• Hull and propeller cleaning – cleaning agents combined with mechanical methods remove biofouling, maintain smooth surfaces, reduce frictional resistance, and help vessels achieve service speed with lower fuel consumption.
• Heat exchanger and pipeline cleaning – descaling and biocidal chemicals ensure stable seawater flow, extend the lifespan of heat exchangers, and reduce the need for manual disassembly and cleaning.
• Corrosion protection for metal surfaces – treatment solutions form a protective film on steel surfaces, minimizing direct exposure to chloride-rich seawater – the main factor causing pitting and stress corrosion cracking.
• Engine room and deck cleaning – biodegradable degreasers effectively remove oil residues, sludge, and hydrocarbon spills, keeping workspaces clean, reducing fire and explosion risks, and ensuring compliance with IMO environmental safety standards.

In practice, marine chemical products for cleaning and maintenance deliver not only immediate technical benefits but also long-term economic value: optimized fuel costs, reduced unplanned downtime, extended equipment lifespan, and compliance with increasingly strict international environmental regulations.

Marine wastewater and Oil spill treatment chemicals

In maritime operations, wastewater and oil spill management are constant challenges. Although the Oily Water Separator (OWS) onboard is designed to meet the MARPOL Convention requirement (maximum 15 ppm oil in discharged water), in reality, many technical factors make the system less effective.

Bilge water treatment

In real-world operation, bilge water is not just ordinary wastewater. It is a complex mixture of oil, fuel, cooling chemicals, detergents, and other mechanical impurities.

When emulsifying agents from dirty oil or cleaning chemicals are present, oil disperses into microscopic droplets, almost “invisible” to mechanical separation. This makes it difficult for the OWS system to treat effectively, leading to oil content in discharged water exceeding the MARPOL 15 ppm limit.

The consequences are severe:

• Vessels may be detained at port.
• Shipowners face fines of hundreds of thousands of USD, or even legal prosecution.
• The reputation of both the shipowner and the master can be seriously damaged.

Adding to this, using port-based bilge water treatment services is extremely costly, ranging from 10–25 USD per cubic meter. This is essentially “burning money” every day, while treating bilge water onboard with marine chemical Vietnam solutions costs only a fraction of that.

Even a small mistake in wastewater management can become a nightmare of legal, financial, and commercial risks – including loss of shipping contracts, blacklisting, and damaged credibility with partners.

In this context, marine chemicals for bilge water treatment provide a far more effective and practical solution compared to relying solely on mechanical systems.

These chemicals break emulsions, separate oil from wastewater, and prevent the formation of oily films inside pipelines and tanks. As a result, treated water meets discharge standards without the high costs of shore-based services.

Key benefits of Bilge Water Treatment chemicals

• Sustained OWS performance – chemicals accelerate oil separation, reduce equipment load, prevent clogging, and extend service life.
• Cost efficiency – instead of paying tens of USD per cubic meter at port, ships only need a small amount of chemical for onboard treatment.
• Regulatory compliance – IMO/ISO-certified products with transparent SDS documentation make inspections easier for shipowners.
• Safe and eco-friendly – new-generation water-based products contain no harmful solvents, ensuring safety for crew and protection of the marine ecosystem.

With these advantages, marine chemical Vietnam solutions for wastewater and oil spill treatment are not only a technical safeguard but also a cost-saving and compliance strategy for modern shipping operations.

Ballast water treatment chemicals

Ballast water plays an essential role in stabilizing and balancing ships during voyages. However, along with operational benefits, ballast water also brings major challenges for shipowners, captains, and operators.

One of the biggest risks of ballast water is carrying Invasive Aquatic Species (IAS). When a ship takes in seawater from one area and discharges it in another, microorganisms, algae, plankton, and even harmful bacteria can spread into new ecosystems.

This causes imbalance in the marine environment, affecting fisheries and coastal ecosystems in many countries.

That is why the International Maritime Organization (IMO) issued the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWM), requiring ships to install and operate approved treatment systems.

However, real ship operations create many barriers. Ballast water in each region has different characteristics: polluted seas have high density of microorganisms and organic matter; brackish water easily forms sediment and scale; while deep seawater poses corrosion risks.

Mechanical or UV treatment systems, though effective, have limitations in terms of investment cost, power consumption, and efficiency in turbid water with silt and suspended solids.

In addition, compliance requires maintaining operational records and periodic testing certificates – all creating extra pressure for crew and operators.

In this context, ballast water treatment chemicals become a practical and flexible solution. Specialized marine chemicals can disinfect, control microorganisms, prevent scaling, and reduce corrosion inside ballast tanks and pipelines.

Thanks to this, ships can maintain IMO/USCG compliance while minimizing technical risks and long-term maintenance costs. More importantly, internationally certified chemicals with full SDS documents give shipowners confidence when dealing with inspections and authorities.

Oil spill response chemicals

In ship operation, the risk of oil spills is always present – from small leaks in the engine room to major incidents during oil transfer. These accidents cause not only economic loss but also serious impacts on the marine environment and the shipowner’s reputation.

According to MARPOL Annex I, every oil tanker must have a Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP), which requires ships to maintain proper equipment and oil spill response chemicals. During a Port State Control (PSC) inspection, any shortage of equipment or chemicals may lead to detention or severe penalties.

In practice, oil spill response chemicals play a key role in isolating, dispersing, and removing oil from the water surface. Specialized products such as dispersants, absorbents, and cleaners are designed to immediately minimize the spread of oil, giving the crew time to contain the situation and carry out recovery.

Benefits of using the right marine chemicals

The biggest benefit of using marine chemicals proactively is ensuring international compliance. This not only helps shipowners avoid fines of up to hundreds of thousands of USD for environmental violations but also maintains smooth operations without detention or delays.

At the same time, marine chemicals reduce operational risks. When systems are treated properly, the chances of malfunction or unexpected breakdowns are significantly lower, cutting unplanned repair costs and improving fleet efficiency.

Beyond cost savings, the right marine chemical solution protects corporate reputation. A compliant, stable, and environmentally friendly fleet builds trust with clients, partners, and financial institutions – all crucial for long-term competitiveness.

Contact MARICO – Supplier of marine chemical Vietnam

In ship operation and management, choosing the right marine chemicals is not only about system performance but also about reliability and safety. MARICO provides comprehensive solutions with the Unimarine chemical portfolio – a trusted international brand used by many leading shipping companies.

Key advantages:

• Transparent documentation & full SDS: enabling captains and shipowners to meet class and port authority inspections with confidence.
• ISO 9001:2015 & TÜV certified: ensuring consistent quality in every batch.
• IMO compliance: all products meet international maritime standards.
• Water-based formulas: safer for crew, eco-friendly, and aligned with the global “green shipping” trend.

As a trusted marine chemical Vietnam supplier, MARICO is committed to supporting customers with dedicated technical consultancy, on-time delivery, and optimized solutions tailored to real operational needs.

Contact MARICO today for detailed advice on the Unimarine product range and find the most suitable marine chemical solution for your vessel.