“The focus has been on reducing the fuel consumption while giving owners different options to meet the future expected environmental regulations. The concept design is ready for the owners’ preferred choice, whether that it is to run on heavy fuel oil using emission treatment systems or to switch to low- sulphur fuels or LNG,” says Hu Jin-Tao, the president of SDARI.
The Green Dolphin concept design is a five-cargo-hold CSR double-hull bulk carrier that meets current and future expected air and water emissions regulations. The design aims to be fuel- efficient and maintenance-friendly, with high operational flexibility.
“Recognizing that there is more to profitable shipping than just compliance, we have consulted widely with owners and yards to ensure that Green Dolphin can be tailored to suit individual operational needs,” continues Hu Jin-Tao.
Green Dolphin’s main dimensions also suit the majority of the world’s ports which receive Handysize bulk carriers.
The hull design has been a combined effort by SDARI and DNV. The hull is designed to provide improved overall performance at different loading conditions, speeds and sea states.
The propulsion efficiency is increased through the fitting of a wake equalizing duct in front of a large-diameter, slow-rotating propeller. A rudder transition bulb and rudder fins reduce the hub vortex and recover rotational losses.
The Wa¨rtsila¨ two-stroke low-speed RT-flex50 main engine is Tier II compliant and can easily be retrofitted to dual-fuel engine in the near future. Multiple fuel tanks allow for strategic purchasing of heavy fuel oil, low sulphur fuel and distillates. “Design variants are available for fuel switching systems, installation of selective catalytic reduction and exhaust gas scrubbing systems and, in the near future, the use of LNG as fuel” says Giulio Tirelli, business development director of Wa¨rtsila¨ – Ship Power. “The concept design also includes shaft torque and exhaust gas monitoring equipment to maximize the fuel consumption optimization possibilities while constantly monitoring emissions,” he adds.
A heavy ballast condition is achieved without using a cargo hold for ballast water and the cargo holds are equipped with compressed air, power and wash water supply. Wash water holding tanks are also included. Wide hatch openings and fully electrical deck equipment improve the loading, discharge and cleaning efficiency so port turnaround time can be minimized. A ballast water treatment system is included as well as holding tanks and treatment systems for sewage and bilge water.
“We have achieved a concept design that is not only fuel efficient, safe and robust today, but is also prepared for the future, with the various design alternatives that an owner can select to comply with environmental regulations,” says Michael Aasland, DNV’s business director for bulk carriers.
ABOUT SDARIEstablished in 1964, Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI) is a ship design consultant owned by China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). SDARI has extensive experience in designing various types of ships, e.g. bulkers, container ships, tankers, multi-purpose vessels, RoRo vessels, offshore engineering vessels, etc, and has accumulated more than 800 as-built designs in the past four decades. SDARI provides the entire range of services from conceptual development to workshop drawings, and is the market leader in ship design and development in China.
ABOUT DNVDNV is an independent organization with dedicated risk professionals in more than 100 countries. Its purpose is to safeguard life, property and the environment.
DNV serves a range of industries, with a special focus on the
maritime and energy sectors. Since 1864, DNV has balanced the needs of business and society based on independence and integrity.
Today, DNV has a global presence with a network of more than 10,000 professionals in 300 offices in 100 countries. The company’s headquarters are in Oslo, Norway.
ABOUT WA¨RTSILA¨Wa¨rtsila¨ is a global leader in complete lifecycle power solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising technological innovation and total efficiency,Wa¨rtsila¨ maximizes the environmental and economic performance of its customers’ vessels and power plants. In 2011,Wa¨rtsila¨ had total net sales of EUR 4.2 billion and approximately 18,000 employees. The company has operations in nearly 170 locations in 70 countries around the world. Wa¨rtsila¨ is listed on the NASDAQ OMX in Helsinki, Finland.
RINA updates GREEN PLUS notation to cover transshipment terminals
International classification society RINA has updated its industry-leading GREEN PLUS notation to include new potential sources of pollution involving seagoing ships and ships operating at fixed locations.
GREEN PLUS is awarded to new vessels that make a significant investment in design solutions, onboard equipment and operational procedures which contribute to an improvement in environmental performance beyond the minimum levels required by regulation. Now GREEN PLUS includes, for the first time, specific reference to dispersion of cargo dusts from solid bulk cargo storage, spillage/leakage of substances from areas on weather decks, hot water discharge, dirty water from areas on weather decks, noise, visual impact, and light pollution assessment and mitigation. Special consideration is given to barges without machinery spaces.
The importance of monitoring the impact on the local environment of ships mainly operated at fixed offshore locations has also been included in GREEN PLUS through the introduction of environmental risk assessment, and through the periodic monitoring of air and seawater quality and of terrestrial and marine flora, including migrant animals.
The new GREEN PLUS rules, together with other important new rules and amendments, were approved by RINA’s Technical Committee at its June meeting today.
Nicola Coccia, the current Chairman of Gestioni Armatoriali SpA and of Terminal Napoli SpA, has been appointed Chairman of RINA’s Technical Committee.
Committee members are:
- Prof. Ing. Antonio Campanile, Professor of Offshore Structures, University of Napoli Federico II;
- Dr.ssa Annamaria Cruciani, Division 4 Internal Maritime Safety, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport;
- Ing. Andrea Frabetti, Product development Director - Ferretti Group;
- Ing. Domenico Impagliazzo, Division 4 Internal Maritime Safety, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport;
- Ing. Giorgio La Valle, CEO Marine Engineering Services (MES);
- Ing. Luigi Matarazzo, Deputy Chief Operating Officer - FINCANTIERI ; y Ing. Roberto Martinoli, CEO Grandi Navi Veloci;
- CF Sergio Simone, Head of the Ship Design Office - ItalianNavy General Staff;
- Cap. Antonio Talarico, Director General P.L. Ferrari & Co.S.R.L.;
- Ing.Tiziano Zarbo, Managing Director E&C vessel management, maintenance and upgrading Vice President – SAIPEM.
RINA is a multi-national group fully capable of supporting its clients in the development and management of the various phases of their activities, using its innovation potential, competence, integrity and experience to help produce a successful outcome to a variety of initiatives.To guarantee the most advanced level of technical competence and speed of intervention, the RINA Group operates through a network of companies dedicated to different sectors, covering Marine, Infrastructures & Real Estate,Transport & Logistics, Food & Agriculture, Environment & Sustainability, Finance & Public Institutions, Business Governance and Energy.With a turnover of around 300 million Euros in 2012, over 2,100 employees, and 130 offices in 42 countries worldwide, RINA meets the needs of its clients and is recognised as an authoritative member of key international organizations and an important contributor to the development of new legislative standards.
Leading the way with EEDI
Forward-looking shipyards need to gear up for the implementation of IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index. The Index is intended to improve energy efficiency of ships at the design stage and will be mandatory for new ships contracted for construction or major modifications after 1 January 2013 or delivered after 1 July 2015. That is not far away, and yards building bulk carriers need to have designs ready which maximize the energy saving benefits of EEDI while also delivering high cargo capacity and safe speed and power.
“We want to help yards and owners prepare for the next generation of vessels,” explains Bernard Anne, managing director of BureauVeritas’ Marine Division,“The new vessel designs will be defined by two issues, the implementation of the Harmonized Common Structural Rules and energy saving. That is why we are investing a lot of time and money in being a part of all the changes that harmonizing the common structural rules will bring in. We can update our rules and tools and give the yards good solid advice quickly. We also have to advise yards now on the EEDI of new designs. Our attestation of the EEDI performance of new designs will help give yards and owners confidence in ordering new tonnage.”
The interim guidelines for voluntary certification of the EEDI (MEPC 1. Circ. 682) allow new designs of ships contracted before the due date to be verified against the EEDI, provided that all rules and criteria of MARPOL Annex VI are strictly and fully verified. These include model tank test, sea trial measurements and results, light weight and displacement checks and the correct calculation methodology.
Earlier this year Bureau Veritas issued its first attestation of compliance with EEDI to the ultramax geared bulk carrier JS Amazon, the lead ship in a new generation of CROWN63 vessels developed by China’s Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group with the bulk carrier expert Setaf-Saget.
The 63,300dwt vessel is designed for the carriage of bulk
cargoes, including coal, iron ore, grain and cement, as well as a range of dangerous cargoes. Its GHG (Green House Gas) performance when measured in accordance with IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index is twenty per cent better than the requirement under MARPOL Annex VI and already reaches the Phase II requirement set for the years 2020/2024. Its deadweight was achieved as a result of an advanced design fully compliant with the Common Structural Rules. The vessel can carry 5.2% more cargo than other bulk carriers of comparable size.
Says Anne, “This vessel marks the start of a new series of ships which will be exemplary contributors to a greener and cleaner world, shaping the image of shipping for the future. It also represents a celebration of the achievement of outstanding new design concepts and the reinforcement of strong and successful, long- established levels of co-operation. Bureau Veritas, Sinopacific Shipbuilding
Group and bulk carrier expert Setaf-Saget have been working together for many years in the best kind of partnership — one built on trust and a long-term commitment to shipbuilding quality and innovation. BV has been delighted to work with Greenseas, the in-house design office of the Sinopacific Group, which has a proven ability to deliver high-quality designs for energy-efficient ships.
“EEDI is aimed at producing ships which are ahead of industry standards, with optimized fuel consumption and the highest standards of quality and safety to meet the demanding criteria for bulk carriers engaged in worldwide service today. The CROWN63 series demonstrates to the shipping industry, and to the world, that the shipping and shipbuilding industries can bring to the market an exemplary generation of new ships which are safeguarding the future of our planet.”
Energy saving in the Crown 63 design was achieved by introducing an enhanced hull form, fitting an electronically controlled main engine driving a larger and slower running propeller and the fitting a rudder with an advanced profile.A rudder bulb is also fitted, studied together with a propeller cap to produce the most effective aft water flow.
The MAN B & W 5S60ME-C8.1 Tier II x 1set ME electronically controlled engine was selected because it delivers lower specific fuel consumption over a wider range of operating parameters and improved emission characteristics with lower NOx and smokeless operation. The NCR (normal continuous running) is fixed at 80% MCR, which gives the master an important power reserve available to face deteriorating weather conditions.
Compared to typical similar size ultramax designs the combination of increased deadweight and increased fuel efficiency reduces the loaded fuel consumption per tonne mile per day by almost 20%. The power reserve ensures that the energy savings do not compromise safety.
Quality of ‘Ship Safety Assurance’
The problem of ‘ship safety assurance’ arises in various situations, and the issue is mainly with the maintenance of ship structure. In case of large ships, the core factor lies with ship construction safety criteria, resultant safety standards, and ship design. Shortcomings in the standards may result in ships being launched with inherent flaws with the resulting problems in ship operations usually assigned to poor ship maintenance.
The IMO-discussed concept of GBS-Safety Level Approach assumes that IMO (International Maritime Organization) instruments will be defined by goals/objectives and functional
requirements, most likely in the quantitative form, and that the safety level will be transposed to ships by other IMO Codes, class rules and industry standards. Such an approach in developing safety standards should improve ship safety assurance at sea. The question of ship maintenance, though on the lower level of safety assurance than design, is the obvious second element affecting ship safety.
The maintenance of the ship structure is, among others, influenced by class periodical surveys comprising: surveyors’ decisions, processing of information gathered during the survey by the classification society, and final decisions regarding renewal or confirmation of the ship class. The surveyor and the organization are involved in the process of the ship survey and there is interaction between them.
Commonly used reporting system rely on check-lists filled in by surveyors confirming the inspection of the given item leaving the society with an abridged picture of the actual ship condition as check lists do not carry detailed information.
Polish Register of Shipping (PRS) adopted the following goals in developing the SURVEY system to change the situation and provide the society with a better picture of the ship condition:
- tailor the list of survey items to the type of ship, type of survey, age of the ship etc.;
- compel surveyors to regularly feed the system withsurveyor’s comments/notes/with descriptions, illustrated by pictures and films, of the technical condition of each surveyed item and repair specification, if applicable;
- conclude with the assessment of technical condition of each item;
- compel surveyors to be aware of both the particular (on each survey item) and general (on the condition of the hull, machinery etc.) decisions/conclusions;
- retain in the PRS database the detailed information on the ship’s technical condition (that in the previously used checklist system often remained in the memory of particular surveyors performing the given survey); and
- monitor and verify the survey performance of the surveyor in progress and on completion.
Implementation of the SURVEY system brought radical changes in PRS ship supervision. It met with a certain state of ‘mental inertia’ of surveyors who failed to feed the system with all the expected information about the technical condition of the surveyed ship. Both the changed procedures and the large number of survey items generated initial resistance at the pilot stage.
The system underwent modification, a user-friendly hierarchy in the list of survey items was introduced indicating the desired detail description on the one hand and proposing, where
possible, records for the items on the other. Easy access to survey items from other documents, such as a list of non-compliance, recommendations, or certificates, and ongoing evolution of the system as a single source and record database are now starting to generate acceptance among surveyors, who found it helpful in their work.
The SURVEY system is today the sole system used in Polish Register of Shipping to monitor and verify ship survey performance in progress and on completion, and to report on the survey. The system — thanks to feedback from field and head office surveyors — will continue to evolve and provide added value to the quality of ship safety assurance.