Outokumpu’s plate prefabrication and surface-treatment capabilities have been put to work on two 9400dwt full-stainless steel chemical tankers under construction for the Italy-based shipowner Finbeta SpA. The two companies’ cooperation in stainless chemical tankers goes back two decades. For their ongoing shipbuilding project, Finbeta made a thorough screening of shipyards to find one fully capable of stainless chemical tanker building, with the precondition to use Outokumpu’s stainless plate as prefabricated sections. Prefabrication at Outokumpu’s plate operations produces tailor-made components, ready for assembly at the shipyard. It includes corrugation and welding of plate segments, welding preparation for the rest and polishing of the surfaces to 2.20 micron finish, performed at the Outokumpu plate operations in Sweden. Outokumpu’s full package of prefabricated and pre-polished plate sections facilitates tanker building by allowing the customer to procure the entire package of stainless plate products and services from one house. The product and service package from Outokumpu also includes 1300tns of duplex 2205 (1.4462) plate and 650tns for each of the two vessels. Deliveries are set to commence in late 2008. The supply includes comprehensive training by Outokumpu in plate handling at three different stages of the process.