DNV GL Highlights Trends in Container and Bulk Shipping

A wide range of topics of current issues in the maritime industry was recently discussed at two trade events to container ships and bulk carriers of the classification society DNV GL. It focused on, among other exhaust emission requirements, shipbuilding trends and the new rules of DNV GL. Some 150 industry representatives attended the Forum and the Container Ship Bulk Carrier Forum in Hamburg in part.

With the construction of large container ships is Business Director Jost Bergmann employed. Because of rising economies of scale transport costs per container falling, the shipowner demand continues for ever larger ships. From marine construction point of view it would be no problem to build an 24,000-TEU freighter shortly, so Bergmann. Based on a current 19,000-TEU design, such ships could a container stowage longer and higher, and two rows are most likely wider. For stability reasons and requirements for the steel thickness, the broadening is generally easier to implement than an extension, Bergmann said. However, the wider and wider ships encounter already restrictions in the waterway and port infrastructure. Thus, conditions apply, for example in the Suez Canal for the cross-sectional area of a ship. A beam of 65 meters thereby allows only a draft of 15 meters. This is an acceptable design draft, but for the maximum draft (scantling draft) of a large container ship over 20,000 TEUs a difficult run. “We come in ship sizes slowly borders,” Bergmann therefore concluded on the Container Ship Forum.

Marcus IHMS, container ship expert at DNV GL, explained the benefits of route-specific container stuffing RSCS (Route Specific Container Stowage). Can RSCS means the acceleration behavior of containers are calculated in different weather and sea conditions, thereby optimizing the loading on deck and the loading capacity can be increased as a whole. “RSCS is not just a trend, it has become an industry standard,” said IHMS on the Container Ship Forum. On more than 400 ships container stowage plans and lashing computers were already certified by DNV GL – the requirement to obtain the introduced in May 2013 class characters. Furthermore, IHMS explained the advantages of free software StowLash tab. It examines and optimizes the container stowage on board, taking into account internal and external fuse types and various methods such as twist locks, lashing rods or bridge fittings.

An update to the exhaust emission regulation was senior project engineer Jörg lamp. He expects to use that most shipowners to meet the stringent sulfur requirements in North and Baltic Seas in January 2015, marine gas oil (MGO). New Fuel Change-Over of DNV GL Calculator helps you determine when switching from heavy MGO combustion, the optimal lead time, when the ship a sulfur emission control area (SECA) drives. The computing software considered here bunker specifications, fuel temperatures, engine and fuel consumption layout. Thus, efficiency and safety are increased when fuel switching.

On the subject of SECA Wolfenden Rehder Veritas Petroleum Services in new fuels with low sulfur content , which should be an alternative to MGO. In its application, however, aspects such as microbiological contamination, flash point, lubricity, stability or the need for tank cleaning should be considered, he said. On the other hand, the low-sulfur distillates are around 20 to 50 dollars cheaper than marine gas oil.

Another urgent environmental issue is the ballast water treatment . “Shipping is the largest source of invasive marine species whose spread worldwide resulting in estimated losses of seven billion euros annually,” said Ralf Plump, emission expert at DNV GL. He explained the current regulatory situation in US waters due to the requirements of the US Coast Guard and described the ratification status of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention. 43 states have signed this so far – the equivalent of 32.54% of the world fleet, with the required quorum is 35%. While waiting important maritime countries like Panama, Greece and China from yet. Italy and Indonesia, however, to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) declared that they want to sign the Convention in the near future – so that they would enter into force. Furthermore Plump gave an overview of marketable ballast water treatment plants. 53 systems have yet received a full Type Approval by the IMO.

About the potential of vettings for dry cargo ships spoke DNV GLs bulker expert Sönke Pohl on the Carrier Bulker forum. The well-known from the tanker vetting is a risk management process, which is carried out by charterers and terminal operators and shall evaluate the technical condition and management of a ship. “Unlike certification and classification Vetting is a private, voluntary procedure, which ship operators to undergo,” Pohl said. Can help the so-called Condition Assessment Program (CAP) DNV GL, which is established in the tanker industry already long and could play a greater role for risk management in the dry cargo in the future. CAP assessed include the ship’s hull, ballast tanks, marine engines and vehicle devices.

Finally, said Holger Jefferies, DNV GL Class Development Program Manager, via the new common rules . It will be published in July 2015 and come into force in January 2016 and. “It will be an extensive set of rules that is simple and intuitive to use. Ship Type Specific rules are summarized by vessel group, while additional class characters are listed separately in order to make them more transparent, “said Jefferies. Ship manager may participate by attending technical working groups, consultations and training about the rules of the implementation process.
Source: DNV GL