Why are coconut oil and palm-kernel oil useful for making marine soap?

Marine soap is specifically formulated to be effective when used with seawater. Coconut oil and palm-kernel oil are highly valued for this purpose because they are rich in lauric acid.123

Soaps derived from these oils are uniquely capable of lathering in the presence of salt water, whereas many other types of soap would fail to produce a lather under such conditions. The high concentration of saturated fats, particularly lauric acid, contributes to the solubility and cleaning performance of the soap in high-mineral environments like the ocean. Because palm-kernel oil closely resembles coconut oil in its chemical composition, it serves as an excellent alternative for similar industrial applications in soap manufacturing.234

Would you like to know more about how different fatty acids affect the properties of soaps and detergents?