TANKER OPERATOR MAGAZINE (JUNE 2011)
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Transcript of TANKER OPERATOR MAGAZINE (JUNE 2011)
JUNE 2011 www.tankeroperator.com
TA�KEROperator
Features:� UK flag success� Slow steaming� Innovative Aframax� LSFO almost on us� Tank machine washing � Condition monitoring
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June 2011 � TANKEROperator 01
ContentsNews Focus � Bunker purchases
� EEDI in heavy weather
UK Report� Plenty of optimism
� UK flag gains
� UKHO speaks of ECDIS
� Research tradition
� Tonnage tax worries
Denmark Report� Slow steaming is here
� MR sector optimism
08
Front cover photo D’Amico’s 2009-built Aframax Mare �ostrumseen berthing at Fawley refinery in the UK. GLrecently unveiled a revolutionary new Aframaxdesign concept aimed at maximising earningswhile at the same time reducing opex andemissions.
24
20
LawWhat is an ‘approval’?
Technology26 Ship description� New Aframax design
29 Emission control� Regulations fast approaching
� ICS on GHG
� Continuous monitoring
� Monitor bunker deliveries
36 Emergency response� AWT extends offering
38 Fire detection� Advanced fire detection
39 Tank servicing� Machine washing discussed
� Pump room systems
� Colfax reinvents itself
45 Repair & maintenance� Harris Pye success
� Condition monitoring
� Goltens looks to the future
12
26
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People, energy, the environment and the ability ofmaritime technology to reinvent itself alongside anew paradigm formed the basis of BIMCO’s generalmeeting sustainability session in Vancouver earlierthis month.Seafarers’ competence and the environment also took centre stage at therecent Nor-Shipping jamboree.
These and other issues, such as piracy, are certainly keeping theshipping industry’s ‘brains trusts’ working overtime.
For example, at BIMCO’s Vancouver gathering, members were toldof changing population trends, energy constraints and the need tohusband the environment. It was pointed out that climate change offersbusiness opportunities, as well as the well documented challenges.
Indeed, GL’s Hermann Klein – never a shrinking violet - outlinedhow the shipping industry could harvest the “low hanging fruit” fromtechnological and operational advances, which help to produce moreefficient ships, which at the same time protect the environment.
Today, we have to contend with oil price volatility partly caused bythe political instability currently being seen in the Middle East andNorth Africa. OPEC recently declined to increase output, which thebears will interpret as a bad move for the tanker sector.
However, it is the major demographic changes that could affectworld trade in the long term. Forecasters are saying that we could see areversal of population increases in leading economies, such as Japan,China and much of Europe. The problem is that these areas could runout of young workers, which would have a severe impact on economicgrowth.
Despite the move to alternative fuels, such as biofuels, gas andalternative energy sources, fossil fuels look like remaining the mainstayof energy supply. This was bought home by the Japanese earthquakeand resultant tsunami, which has maybe led to the beginning of the endof the world’s nuclear power ambitions.
Klein suggested that many answers to the demand for greatersustainability could be provided by better designed ships, with manyimprovements relatively easy to put in place, such as dimensional andhydrodynamic changes, greater focus on optimising efficiency, andlowering speeds to save fuel.
Fuel prices, he suggested, remained a huge driver for longer termenvironmental and technical change, citing the example of a 12,000-teucontainership, which would use $1 bill of heavy oil at today’s prices of$600 per tonne, some 10 times more than its capital cost. However, hewarned that while there were great improvements possible, the growth inthe world fleet pointed to the need for more radical ideas on sustainability.
Governments had been largely ineffective in devising fair policies forimproved sustainability in shipping, with a general lack of regulatorydirection, which, speakers at the BIMCO event suggested put the onusupon the industry to produce workable solutions. Pressure would comefrom consumers, shippers, charterers who would increasingly demandcleaner, greener maritime transport systems.
Unlimited liability?At a recent lunch in London hosted by industry orator and lawyer ClayMaitland, concerns were expressed about the increased possibility ofowners and P&I clubs taking a big hit on the question of liability shouldanother disastrous oil spill occur.
He said that he would like to see cargo owners and charterers takemore responsibility and also more of the liability. He also criticised theseemingly unwillingness of private industry to spend money on safetymanagement systems, including the implementation of the ISM Code inadvance of a major loss. He was talking of the Deepwater Horizonsinking, other major casualties, losses and disasters at sea and on land.
Maitland said that he was also worried about the increasing size oftankers and containerships, which could greatly increase the size of thefinancial penalty imposed by liability in the event of an oil spill. “This islikely to be infinitely greater today than it was at the time of the SeaEmpress, Braer and even Exxon Valdez. Bear in mind that unlimitedliability ‘up to the sky’ is a reality. It has enormous implications forshipping,” he warned.
Risk management requires investment. Thus far, the oil industry –with respect to offshore drilling – has not responded to the PresidentialCommissions sensible suggestion that it establish an independent safetyinstitute to audit industry operations much as the nuclear industry didafter the Three Mile Island disaster in the US.
Commercial interests in shipping largely dominated by drybulkcarriers, containerships and tankers, has not taken the hint either,Maitland said. “We need to embrace a much more effective managementaudit and oversight system that the one currently exists, under theMARPOL Convention,” he said.
The current oversight in ISM Code implementation is largelydependent upon recognised organisations (ROs) and while someundoubtedly do an effective job – casualties are way down – a paperexercise simply won’t do, he said.
“The USCG report into the Deepwater Horizon overlooks this fact,while recognising that governments – specifically the US – do not havethe money to do the job effectively. One wonders what will happen whenthe next oil spill occurs, particularly if it involves a tanker,” he said.
COMMENT
Food for thought
TO
TANKEROperator � June 201102
TANKEROperatorVol 10 No 7Tanker Operator MagazineLtd2nd Floor, 8 Baltic Street EastLondon EC1Y 0UP, UK www.tankeroperator.com
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INDUSTRY - MARKETS
TANKEROperator � June 201104
Demand growth in the country hasprogressed at an unprecedentedpace over the last decade, apattern universally anticipated to
continue. This additional demand will increaseChina’s dependence on imported crude withbeneficial knock-on effects for the tankerindustry.
Oil and Gas Journal estimates that Chineserefining capacity stood at 8.1 mill barrels perday as of 1st January 2011, exhibiting growthof 54% over the last decade. Braemar said thatwith a developing, urbanising and growingpopulation whose oil consumption is everburgeoning, the company did not expectgrowth of either parameter to taper in the nearfuture.
Capacity growth projections for the nextfive years vary from a low of 2 mill barrelsper day, up to a maximum of 6 mill bpd.Braemar anticipated that expansion ofbetween 35% and 45% of current capacitywill be achieved over this period.
Feeding this refinery growth will increaseChina’s crude import demand, as domesticproduction remains flat. Of course, additionalthroughput hinges on potential utilisationrates, which in turn feeds from demand,whether it stems from domestic needs, or isinternational with subsequent product export.
Domestically speaking, China’s GDPgrowth is unlikely to fall below 7% over thenext five years. Energy is critical to thisgrowth and consequently oil demand is set torise rapidly. Therefore, Braemar projected thatutilisation rates will be maintained at a highlevel.
China’s reliance on crude import isclimbing. It imported 54% of crude feedstockin 2010, exceeding its preferred level of 50%for the second year in a row. The Braemarmodel output anticipates that reliance willintensify further over the next decade,
reaching 66% in 2015 and 70% in 2020.
PipelinesThe country has invested substantial amountsin pipeline construction in recent years, withconsequences for imports. While the pipelinesoffer a substitute for seaborne crude trade andcould therefore be interpreted as deleterious tothe tanker industry, Braemar argued that thiseffect will not be pronounced, as the volumeof crude that will be imported via thesepipelines is dwarfed by the additional cruderequirement generated by the expansion of therefining industry.
The construction of a 440,000 bpd pipelinefrom Western Myanmar to China’s Yunningprovince began in September 2010 and is duefor completion by the start of 2013. Thepipeline will improve China’s access toMiddle East oil, bypassing the congestedMalacca Straits. Crude that would otherwisehave transited the 5,000 mile route from RasTanura to Zhanjiang will now travel only3,250 seaborne miles to the new terminal atKyaukpu, which will be able to acceptVLCCs. On a round trip basis a voyage is cutby about 10 days.
Assuming the pipeline operates at fullcapacity, 22 mill tonnes of oil will take theshorter route, a total reduction of 38,000 milltonne/miles per annum, or two VLCCs per year.Thus the effect on the tanker industry appearsminimal. The crude to be imported stillrepresents additional demand; the primaryrefinery the pipeline will serve is new andtherefore these imports are incremental. Furtherincreasing accessibility of mainland China tocrude has the potential to spur the creation ofmore refineries and therefore crude demand.
The Eastern Siberia Pacific Ocean pipelineis an instrumental component in augmentingRussian crude exports to China. Phase one ofthe project is complete and runs from the oil
fields in Eastern Siberia to Skovorodino inRussia’s Far East with a capacity of 600,000bpd. Crude is then either transported to Chinathrough the Daqing Spur Pipeline or via rail tothe export terminal at Kozmino.
Phase two, scheduled for completion in2012, will bypass the rail component of thesupply chain and increase capacity, initially to1.2 mill bpd and at some subsequent point to1.6 mill bpd. It is envisaged that oncecomplete, 300,000 bpd crude will betransported to China, 600,000 – 700,000 bpdwill be used by Russian refineries and theremaining 600,000-700,000 bpd will be boundfor international destinations.
RefineriesRosneft and CNPC are building a 260,000 bpdrefinery at Tianjin, 70% of the feedstock forwhich will be delivered via the ESPOpipeline. Assuming a 90% utilisation rate, thisindicates that this refinery will consume halfof crude that will transit the pipeline with theremainder headed for other refineries in theregion. With refinery capacity expansionprojected to achieve somewhere between 2mill and 6 mill bpd over the next five years,Braemar thought that refining capacity growthcould absorb ESPO imports without anoticeable effect on the crude tanker industry.
Furthermore, with 600,000-700,000 bpdforecast to be exported from Kozmino,potential for new routes exists. These routeswould likely benefit the Aframax market, and,to a lesser extent- Suezmaxes.
As of 1st May, 2011, the double hull VLCCfleet stood at 530 vessels, of which 9.1% wereChinese owned (48 vessels). Of the 158 vesselorderbook (29.4% of the trading fleet), 19(12.0%) are Chinese owned. Assuming 100%delivery, the percentage of Chinese ownedvessels will increase to 9.7% of the fleet byend 2014.
China to remain thedriving force for
crude tanker marketsChina’s demand for imported will continue to be one of the key influences on the tanker
market, according to industry experts Braemar Shipping Services plc.
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INDUSTRY – MARKETS
June 2011 � TANKEROperator 05
Of the 48 vessels in the Chinese fleet, 30(62.5%) have been built in the last five yearscompared to 38.6% of the non-Chinese fleet.Over the next four years, based on the currentorderbook the Chinese fleet will expand by39.6%, whereas the non-Chinese owned sectorwill grow by 28.8%.
Strong tonnage growthThese figures illustrate the strength of ChineseVLCC ownership growth in conjunction withthe country’s increased dependence on oilimports and the momentum with which it isprojected to continue in the next three years.
Looking further ahead, beyond the currentorderbook, medium to long term growthremains to be seen; will Chinese ownednewbuild orders slow with the 50% importtarget ticked off, or will Chinese ownerscontinue to invest in order to gain an evenbigger slice of the pie?
The Chinese government’s goal is for 50%of seaborne oil imports to enter the country onChinese vessels. Braemar’s tanker modeloutput suggests that 84 dedicated VLCCswould have been sufficient to meet 100%Chinese demand in 2010. As of the end of theyear, there were 48 Chinese owned VLCCs(including five single hulls) suggesting thatChinese vessel capacity is easily sufficient tomeet the 50% goal.
Braemar said that it anticipated demand togrow to 130 vessels in the next four years,with Chinese vessel supply set to increase to73. Again these projections indicate thatChinese vessel supply will, in theory, besufficient to service 50% of seaborne imports.
The company’s analysis of VLCC spotfixture data suggests that, in 2010, 50.4% ofVLCC cargoes were transported on Chineseowned vessels, a 35.4% increase from the15% recorded in 2004. In Q1 2011, however,a 3.4% decrease has been observed with thefigure standing at 47%, marginally below thetarget of 50%.
It is believed that China will succeed in itsaim of carrying half of its import of Chineseowned vessels and has the capacity to exceedthis. However, given the sheer scale ofChinese demand, significant potential willremain for China-bound cargoes on the spotand timecharter markets. Chinese VLCC
ownership has become more widespread in thelast five years and the current orderbookindicates that this will continue in the short tomedium term, Braemar concluded.
MEG liftings increaseRemaining with VLCCs, Gibson Researchreported that recent spot crude oil cargoliftings out of the Middle East Gulf (MEG) onVLCCs have recently been higher than in theboom period of 2008, when OPEC productionreached its peak.
In April 2011, there were 118 spot loadingsin the region and an even higher number ofloadings was recorded in May, amounting to123. Both are noticeably higher than themonthly average of 95 spot VLCC fixtures inJuly 2008.
This momentum has continued into Juneand given some respite for the strugglingVLCC market. As a result, tightness intonnage supply following an intense fixingpattern over the past two months has resultedin slightly firmer rates.
Despite fixtures for June not yet being fullydeclared, it is evident that chartering activityto some of the key areas of consumption is onthe increase. China is obviously a key playerin the improved MEG VLCC volume andalthough the June laycans thus far reported arelower than in May, we are likely to see a fewmore VLCC cargoes to India, Gibson said.
By the 10th of the month, there werealready 11 fixtures reported, continuing thesteady increase in loadings seen over the firstfive months of this year. Significantly, 56Indian fixtures have been concluded over thisperiod, nearly twice as many as recorded forthe corresponding period last year.
However, despite this considerableimprovement in fixing activity, rates had onlyimproved fractionally by the second week ofJune, as increases in tanker supply haveswamped the greater demand for spot tankers.In addition, there has also been a greaterwillingness by oil companies to re-let theirvessels.
With another 35 VLCCs expected to bedelivered over the remainder of this year(assuming delays to the current orderbook)and OPEC’s decision not to provide any‘official’ support in terms of additional
barrels, this may suggest that there are furtherchallenges ahead for the VLCC market.
However, energy analysts expect asignificant increase in oil demand of between1.5 and 2 mill barrels per day in the thirdquarter of this year. This will only lead tofurther pressures on Middle East oil producersto raise production and if that occurs, it willtighten the market further.
But for the VLCC owners to witness anoticeable improvement in rates, a large-scaleincrease in the Middle East exports is needed toovercome the challenge of constantly growingsupply and the competition faced from theSuezmax sector, Gibson concluded.
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Chinese owned fleet �on Chinese owned Total
Fleet 48 9.1% 482 90.9% 530 Orderbook 19 12.0% 139 88.0% 158 Total 67 9.7% 621 90.3% 688
The VLCC fleet as of May 2011
Source: Braemar Shipping services
TO
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This month saw the launch of anew edition of the essentialmaritime publication Training andAssessment On Board written byLen Holder and sponsored byVideotel Marine International. Fully updated, it takes into account recentchanges in international regulations andadvances in teaching techniques using newmethods and technology.
Rules alone do not make training effective.It requires the dedication, interest and skill ofeveryone involved - shore managers; seniorofficers on board; trainers and trainees.
This book, based upon the experience ofmanagers and trainers over many years, aimsto make training more effective and enjoyable.Following its advice should make it easier togain official approval from nationaladministrations.
Training future seafarers in an industryunder financial, time and manpower pressuresneeds good organisation. This book is a vitalguide for seafarers and managers and explainshow to make best use of the resources andtime available to ensure the competence of
managers, officers and crew members. This handy-sized full colour, 82 page
publication is full of photographs, charts andexamples. It is also available as an eBook,allowing easy use on ships, in the office, athome and while travelling. Users can use thesearch facility to locate relevant texts whenplanning training programmes or drills.
Provided free to all Videotel clients, thebook will be used in their shipboard librariesand VOD computers. It will act as a centralsource of advice on all training andassessment carried out on board, not only aspart of voyage training but as part of career
development of junior staff and continuingprofessional development of middle rankingand senior personnel.
The book is available from publishersWitherby Seamanship International atwww.witherbyseamanship.com, and at allgood maritime chart and book stockists.
Training and Assessment On Board 4th Edby L A Holder, Extra Master, MPhil, TrainingConsultant, published by WitherbySeamanship International. Book: £30 ISBN:978-1-85609-451-1, PP 82, colour illustrated.eBook: £24 ( excludes any applicable taxes)ISBN: 978-1-85609-452-8.
TANKEROperator � June 201106
INDUSTRY – BOOK REVIEWS
This book from the pen of bunkerindustry expert Nigel Draffin is avaluable source of informationand guidance on the process andmethods of buying and sellingbunker fuels.
It assumes a little knowledge of vessels,commerce and marine fuel and is intended asa ready reference for those who need tounderstand how the commercial side of thebusiness really works.
Any commercial deal between a seller andbuyer can be frustrated at any stage of theprocess, and bunkering can be particularlyprone to contractual problems. In CommercialPractice in Bunkering, Draffin deftly guidesthe reader around the pitfalls, using simpleand sometimes entertaining language toexplain often complicated issues.
The book examines every aspect of thecommercial deal, from the buyer’s enquiry tothe supplier’s offer, terms and conditions, thecontract and each party’s obligations.
It takes the reader through the enquiry,(offers, costs, payment terms, negotiations),pre- and post-fixing, ownership profiles andresponsibilities, sellers’ terms and conditions,
finance (credit, insurance, hedging, prices),and the use of bunkering software and theInternet. It also covers defaults and claims andde-bunkering.
Importantly, and for the first time in print,the book also dissects the latest edition ofbunker quality standard ISO 82127:2010 anddraws comparisons with its predecessor, ISO8217:2005.
Commercial Practice in Bunkering is full ofexamples of clauses drawn from real contractsand practical advice on how to navigatearound them. There is also a chapter on thecosts – and potential financial penalties – ofincreasingly stringent internationalenvironmental regulations.
As can be expected with a book written byDraffin, this publication also includes a vastamount of informed detail on some of thoseareas of bunkering that are often ignored,sometimes to great cost and inconvenience.Once again, he has included an extensiveglossary, comprehensive indices andappendices, as well as a very useful ‘where togo for help’ section.
This is Draffin’s fourth title on bunker fuels,following An Introduction to Bunkering
(2008), An Introduction to Fuel Analysis(2009) and An Introduction to BunkerOperations (2010).
The author has been involved in shippingfor over 45 years and with the commercialbunker market for over 25 years. He is afounder member of the International BunkerIndustry Association (IBIA) and has servedseveral times on its council of managementand executive board. In April 2011 he becamevice chairman of IBIA.
He is co-ordinator of IBIA’s educationworking group and author of IBIA’s BasicBunkering Course. He is the technical directorof the Oxford Bunker Course and director ofthe Oxford Bunker Course (Advanced), amember of the Institute of Marine EngineeringScience and Technology IMAREST and PastMaster of the Worshipful Company ofFuellers. He is also senior broker andtechnical director of US-based bunker brokerLQM Petroleum Services.
Commercial Practice in Bunkering by NigelDraffin M.I.Mar.E.S.T. First Edition, 2011,Published by Petrospot Limited, PP 155 + 22prelims. Price £60 / €65 / $100 + P&Pwww.petrospot.com/books
TO
‘Commercial Practice in Bunkering’
‘Training and Assessment On Board - 4th Edition’
This book is a vital guide for seafarers andmanagers and explains how to make best use of the resources and time available to ensure the competence of managers,
officers and crew members.
“
”
TO
p2-25:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:24 Page 6
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TANKEROperator � June 201108
INDUSTRY – NEWS FOCUS - BUNKERS
Called Fuel Insight, it providesincisive real-time information onbunker deliveries worldwide asan aid for effective procurement
and benchmarking.Launched at Nor-Shipping last month, Fuel
Insight is a subscription-based web applicationthat taps into DNVPS’ ‘live’ bunker qualitydatabase – claimed to be the most extensive in
the shipping industry. It distils complex data on fuel prices, ISO
8217 fuel specification parameters andregulatory compliance into accurate insightsfor supplier evaluation and purchase decision-making, helping ship charterers, operators andowners optimise costs and reduce risks.
Bunkers make up a large percentage of avessel’s operational costs. As fuel prices
continue to soar, many shipping companiesare now facing considerable pressure on theirbottom lines.
Moreover, volatile fuel quality trends,supply chain developments and increasinglystricter environmental regulations are alsocomplicating the fuel management function.
“The launch of Fuel Insight is therefore avery timely one”, said DNVPS’ former
What is claimed to be the most advanced data analytics product for bunker fuel
was unveiled at �or-Shipping by D�V Petroleum Services (D�VPS).
Getting the best valuefrom bunker
purchases
Eirik Andreassen (left) was appointed DNVPS managing director on 1st June, replacing Tore Morten Watterhus (right) who will relocateback to Oslo to become DNV’s director of technology & services, governance and global development division starting 1st September.
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INDUSTRY – NEWS FOCUS - BUNKERS
June 2011 � TANKEROperator 09
managing director, Tore Morten Wetterhus.“At today’s extremely high bunker prices,
getting the best value in fuel purchases is amust, especially for shipping companiesstruggling to stay afloat. Fuel Insight can helpbunker buyers and fleet operators decide onsources that yield optimum value, based onthe test results of delivered bunkers capturedin our database,” he said.
Fuel Insight further benchmarks variousbunker performance indicators of individualvessels and fleets against industry averages.By integrating this data analytics tool intotheir overall fuel management process, vesseloperators may identify significantimprovement opportunities that translate tosubstantial cost savings.
Besides fuel buyers, Wetterhus said bunkertraders, brokers and suppliers can also useFuel Insight as a quality control tool tomonitor their own products.
Following extensive discussions with theshipping industry, DNVPS has developed fivekey features in Fuel Insight:
Price Correction Calculator - estimates thecorrected bunker prices quoted by suppliers,taking into account their historical fueldelivery performances in density deviations(values reported in Bunker Delivery Notes(BDN) as compared to tested results),sediment content and fuel energy. The energycomponent is included by comparing theenergy content of delivered bunkers to theglobal energy average for the fuel gradeconcerned.
From the calculated price correction, afinancial loss or gain (in US dollars) and aquantity loss or gain (in metric tonnes) areinstantly listed to give an easy to readbenchmark.
Reporting Benchmark - compares theselected supplier’s BDN values for density,sulphur and viscosity against lab-testedresults.
Statutory Benchmark - evaluates thecompliance record of the selected supplier’sdeliveries in relation to sulphur and flashpointregulatory requirements.
Financial Benchmark - is similar to theprice correction calculator, except that thereporting is on a 0-100 scale, instead of USdollars, or metric tonnes.
Technical Benchmark - analyses thetechnical quality of the selected supplier’sproducts by evaluating critical ISO 8217bunker quality parameters weighted accordingto their levels of importance.
The score for each of the four benchmarksranges from 0 (worst) to 100 (best). Whenappraising the overall performance of the
selected supplier according to thesebenchmarks, Fuel Insight users can assigndifferent weights (low, medium or high) toeach, or exclude any of the benchmarks. The overall score, ranging from 0 to 100,is an arithmetic average of all selected scores.
Addressing the actual bunker price, DNVPSsaid that it currently does not cover bunkerprices, although the organisation said that itwas “looking into that”.
“Fuel Insight performs a 'correction'on prices offered to users. This correction is based on fuel suppliers' performance,according to the quality, regulatorycompliance and technical considerations of the bunkers delivered to vessels. Bunker prices are entered into Fuel Insightby the users directly,” a DNVPS
spokesman explained. According to BIMCO deputy secretary-
general Lars Robert Pedersen, “BIMCO has avested interest in supporting a wide range oftechnical solutions that enable our members tolive up to their present and future obligationson shipboard emissions.”
BIMCO’s senior marine technical officerPeter Rasmussen continued, “BIMCO hasbeen sparring with the dedicated DNVPS teamon the setting up of Fuel Insight, and a rangeof selected BIMCO owner members who arealso DNVPS clients have been involved intesting the application.”
BIMCO members who are frequent users ofDNVPS services will be provided withcomplimentary access to designated parts ofthe Fuel Insight application.
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INDUSTRY – NEWS FOCUS - EEDI
For any given ship and technology,EEDI is a restriction on installedpower. Concern about the impact ofthis restriction on the heavy
weather performance of the fleet has led to theinsertion of the following sentence into theIMO’s draft regulation –
‘For each ship to which this regulationapplies, the installed propulsion power shallnot be less than the propulsion power neededto maintain the manoeuvrability of the shipunder adverse conditions as defined in theguidelines to be developed by theorganisation’.
This vague sentence raises a number ofobvious questions including:1. What do we mean be manoeuvrability?2. What are adverse conditions?3. What happens if the power requirement
mandated by this sentence is larger than the maximum allowable installed power under EEDI?
Recently, IACS and others have taken a verypreliminary stab at (1) and (2).[1] With respectto (2), IACS argues for either Beaufort 9which has a mean return period of about aweek in the North Atlantic, or Beaufort 10with a mean return period of about a month.They define manoeuvrability as the ability toturn into the wind from any heading and thenmaintain a positive advance speed.
But IACS immediately drops the turningrequirement assuming that, if the ship canmaintain a positive advance speed in headseas, it will be able to make the turn and thenmaintain course. IACS claims that implementingthe turning requirement — some time in thefuture — will require further research.
MEPC 62/5/y is vague on what the advancespeed should be, but in an accompanyingdocument, MEPC 62/INFxx, the same authorswrite; “Results for interviews withexperienced masters showed that they reducespeed up [sic] to a minimum to avoid damages
to the hull and cargo. This minimum speed foradverse conditions has been stated to bebetween four knots, which is considered to bethe minimum needed to ensuremanoeuvrability, and up to eight knots for alarge container vessels.”[2]
Indeed it is the author’s experience that theminimum steerage way speed in calm waterfor a large tankers is at least four knots.
MEPC 61/INFxx then concludes with acalculation of the advance speed of a standardVLCC in BF10 head seas. They find that thisfull-powered ship can barely make three knotsat which point it is torque limited. Nocalculations were done to ensure that the shipcould maintain course at that speed.
In a separate submission, the InternationalChamber of Shipping (ICS) largely supportsthe IACS position, but argues that to be safewe need an explicit requirement for aminimum trial (calm water) speed.[3] ‘Basedon experience’, ICS suggests a minimumspeed of 14 knots loaded and 14.5 knotsballast, which is not much lower then currentpractice for bulk carriers and smaller tankers.
CTX commentaryCTX agrees with IACS et al, that for thepurposes of this regulation ‘adverse conditions’should be defined to be at least BF9 (SS8). Anyship worthy of the name should be expected tohandle conditions, which on major trade routesit can expect to encounter once a week.
And using BF10 as the criterion with aNorth Atlantic return period of about a monthwould certainly not be overly conservative.
IACS’ suggested criteria formanoeuvrability is not unreasonable, butminimal. IACS only requires the ship to beable to turn into the weather and then maintaina positive speed into the weather. If this is allwe are going to require, than it certainlyargues for the BF10 weather condition.
CTX comes down on the side of BF10 (SS9).
IACS’ inexplicable assumption that, if theship has the power to generate a positiveadvance speed, then it will be able to turn andthen maintain course is both flat wrong andunnecessary. Tools are available to compute,or at least estimate, whether or not a ship canturn and then maintain course and this shouldbe part of the analysis.[4]
For most ships, meeting the turningrequirement is much tougher then maintainingpositive speed in head seas. In 2003, wecommissioned SSPA to do a full set of polardiagrams for our VPlus class using theSeaman software.
The VPlus is an extremely powerful (36,000kW), extremely large (440,000 dwt) ULCC.SSPA found that at full power and BF10, theship could turn into the wind from any initialheading and then maintain seven knots intothe weather. But when power was reduced to85% rev/min, about 60% the VPlus’ MCR, theship could no longer turn into the wind inBF10, even though if she could have done so,she could have maintained four knots. Whenpower was reduced to 80% rev/min, about50% power, she could not turn into the windin BF9. We can be confident that the VPlus’heavy weather capabilities are superior to justabout any commercial ship in existence.
If we are not going to computemanoeuvrability directly, then we must beconservative on the required advance speed,which in this case would point to a requiredspeed of at least five knots, preferably more.But in its sample analysis of a standard, non-EEDI compliant VLCC, IACS had to lowerthe required speed to three knots, and eventhen the ship just barely squeeks under theengine’s torque limit.[5] It is unlikely that thisship can maintain course at this speed andextemely unlikely that she can make the turn.
What this analysis shows is what wealready knew that existing, non-EEDIcompliant ships have very marginal heavy
Jack Devanney at the Center for Tankship Excellence has analysed the effect on EEDI of
heavy weather in the light of possible restrictions these conditions can cause*.
Ignorance is bliss:EEDI and heavy
weather
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weather performance. Any reduction in power
is a dangerous.
This example is also strong support for the
ICS position of a required calm water speed of
at least 14 knots.
But then we have another problem. CTX
estimates that in order to meet Phase 3 EEDI
requirement, a VLCC designer will have to
reduce power to the point where the ship will
have a loaded calm water speed of 12.4
knots.[6]
The difference in installed power between
these two speeds is about 5,000 kW. There
will be no legal VLCCs. EEDI will have
outlawed by far the most efficient means of
moving oil.[7]
The fundamental problem here is that we
are enacting draconian regulation with little or
no understanding of its consequences. With
respect to heavy weather performance of
EEDI compliant tankers, a single flawed
analysis of a single, non-EEDI compliant ship
is all we have.
This is preposterous!!!
*This article is another in a series of paperswritten by Jack Devanney Center forTankship Excellence, US, [email protected].
References
1) IACS et al, Minimum propulsion power to ensure safe manoeuvring in adverse conditions, MEPC 62/5/y, 2011-05-6.
2) IACS et al, Minimum propulsion power to ensure safe manoeuvring in adverse conditions, MEPC 62/I�Fxx, 2011-05-6.
3) ICS, Minimum propulsion power to ensure safe manoeuvring in adverse conditions, MEPC 62/xx, 2011-05-dd.
4) In the real world, it is the turning ability — or lack thereof — that causes casualties. See Aegean Sea, Iron Baron, Pasha Bulker, and Ocean Victory. Go to CTX Casualty Database and search on the ship name.
5) Using towing tank (calm water) propeller performance in this situation is optimistic. We are modelling only the effect of the increase in the angle of attack and not all the other problems which vessel motion and a seaway impose on the prop, including all sorts of additional cavitation.
6) The Impact of EEDI on VLCC design and CO2 emissions.7) Kruger has identified a number of situations where EEDI conflicts with existing
safety requirements. For example, he studied an EEDI compliant version of the �orthern Expedition, an efficient 21 knot RoPax operating in the Prince Rupert Strait. Canadian rules reasonably require twin screw and the ability to return to port at six knots in Beaufort 8 on a single screw. Kruger finds that an EEDI-compliant version of this ship must have an installed power of less that 3,400 kW per shaft. But the return to port requirement mandates between 5,100 and 8,700 kW per shaft depending on the specification of the wave pattern associated with BF8.
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TANKEROperator � June 201112
UK shipping set fairproviding there is a
following windWith 137 members and associate members, the UK Chamber of Shipping represents
917 ships of 26.9 mill gt and is still recognised as the voice of the UK shipping industry.
Despite the worst maritime
recession in living memory, the
most recent figures (2009)
showed UK shipping’s turnover
was still over £11 bill, with its direct
contribution to UK GDP remaining above
£6 bill.
However, the slowdown in world trade did
lead to excess capacity and squeezed rates,
with the greatest impact being felt by the
tanker/gas sector with revenues down from
£3.7 bill in 2008 to £2.5 bill in 2009. But with
the UK fleet remaining efficient and
competitive, there were still plenty of reasons
for optimism, the Chamber said in its annual
report for 2010-2011.
During the first 10 years of the Tonnage
Tax system, the owned and managed fleet
has more than tripled in tonnage terms, while
the UK flag fleet has grown six fold, the
Chamber said.
The domestic maritime industry employs
more than 45,000 UK nationals with more
than 900 young officer recruits joining each
year, which was twice as many as seen 10
years ago.
However, the UK fleets were not immune
from the effects of the recession, with both
owned and registered fleets suffering reversals
to the decade long growth trend.
Figures from year-end 2010 were not
available at the time the Chamber compiled its
annual report. The mid-year data showed that
reductions – over a six-month period – were
39 vessels of 1.4 mill dwt for the UK flag
fleet and six vessels of 500,000 dwt for the
UK-owned vessels.
Over the 10-year period, the fleet’s value
added had more than tripled and grew by an
average rate of 11.7% per year. Last year, the
operated carrier’s fleet was nearly three times
the size of that seen in 2000, with the Red
Ensign fleet nearly six times larger.
Employment issuesAlthough enjoying a good relationship with
the incoming UK coalition Government, the
Chamber will continue to put pressure on a
number of issues deemed as vital to the
growth of the industry, especially on
employment issues.
For example, the Chamber said that the
Equality Act would undoubtedly create
challenges for shipping employers. The
organisation also expressed concern over the
Seafarers’ Earning Deduction and the potential
impact of the government’s austerity measures
on seafarer training.
As for the increase in piracy, the Chamber
said that concerted military action was needed
against the ‘mother ships’ operating in the
Indian Ocean in the coming months.
‘Politicians need to give their armed forces
the freedom to take more explicit measures to
take these floating pirate bases out of
operation,’ the Chamber said in the report.
As for the situation with taxation, the
Chamber has formed a Taxation and
Economics Committee. The organisation said
that this watchdog role had become
increasingly necessary, as the current tax
regime was becoming surrounded by a growing
body of case-law and narrowly legalistic
interpretation of its provisions – limiting
eligibility and casting doubt on the reliability of
clearances already given by HMRC and
imposing sudden new requirements for tonnage
tax companies to conduct their technical
management in the UK.
‘Left unchecked, there is a clear risk that
such technical constraints, each logical on its
own terms, could unpick the inclusive and
Container man Michael Parker is the newpresident of the UK Chamber of Shipping.
“Left unchecked, there is a clear risk
that such technical constraints, each logical
on its own terms, could unpick the inclusive
and facilitative overall intent”
- UK Chamber of Shipping
“
”
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June 2011 � TANKEROperator 13
facilitative overall intent’, the Chamber said.
In addition, HM Treasury has embarked
upon a separate review of all existing special
tax reliefs, allowances and exemptions for UK
businesses and individuals. The inventory
includes tonnage tax, the Seafarers’ Earning
Deduction, duty-free bunker fuel and the zero
rating for VAT on passenger fares.
A report was sent to the Chancellor in
March 2010. The most significant issues for
shipping were the confirming of the validity
of both the tonnage tax and the SED.
However, some concerns were expressed over
the value of the SED relief and suggested that
there could be scope for simplifying it.
Tonnage taxAt the end of March this year, the Chamber
said that the Office of Tax Simplification had
recommended that the UK tonnage tax be
retained. However, there are uncertainties and
inconsistencies at the EU level and in the way
that some government departments interpret
and implement state aid requirements, the
Chamber warned.
The organisation also said that the Office of
Tax Simplification could be about to review
the Seafarers’ Earning Deduction. In addition,
the Chamber promised to work with the UK
Government towards a realistic application of
the Equality Act enabling UK flag operators to
continue to remunerate non-UK seafarers in
line with standard international shipping
practices at rates closer to those in seafarers’
home countries.
At the April 2011 AGM, Shell’s Jan
Kopernicki stepped down as president and
was replaced by CMA CGM UK’s Michael
Parker. His deputy is Helen Deeble of P&O
Ferries.
In his inaugural speech, Parker said that his
priorities during his time as president were –
� The business climate.
� Employment and training.
� Maritime security.
� The environment.
As for the piracy threat, Parker said that all
operators must commit to ensuring that their
officers and seafarers are thoroughly trained in
the well-proven Best Management Practices.
“From governments, we need clear guidance
to the military to act against mother ships and
bring captured pirates to trial,” he said.
Turning to the environment, he said that
many key industry players, now saw this as a
business opportunity, which is important as it
leads to innovation and investment.
On CO2, he said that the Chamber
recognises the need for incentives to
encourage emission reductions.
“The international debate has been
bedevilled by a lack of practical understanding
of the possible solutions. This needs to be
addressed before governments are asked to
decide.
“So we are taking the lead to foster deeper
understanding by all parties of the main
measures under consideration – a global
emissions trading scheme, or ETS and the so-
called levy, or compensation fund approach,”
Parker said.
“One thing is clear, the eventual solution
must be international and must be developed
and overseen by the IMO,“ he said.
Maritime clustersThe Chamber said that it works closely with
two initiatives that bring together
organisations and individuals within the UK
Maritime sector.
One – Maritime UK – has seven members –
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INDUSTRY - UK REPORT
the UK Chamber of Shipping, Baltic
Exchange, Maritime London, Passenger Ship
Association, Institute of Chartered
Shipbrokers, UK Major Ports group and the
British Ports Association.
During 2010-2011, Maritime UK
successfully managed to persuade the new UK
coalition government to repeal the decision of
its predecessor to charge for back-dated port
business rates.
The grouping also developed relationships
with hundreds of UK MPs, who signed a
pledge to support the UK’s maritime services
ahead of last year’s election.
A new list of statistics was published in
April. It was compiled by Oxford Economics
on behalf of Maritime UK. The ‘think tank’
assessed the economic impact of the UK
maritime services sector, which included
ports, shipping and maritime services.
The report excluded sectors such as North
Sea oil and gas extraction, the manufacture of
marine equipment and the naval defence
industry.
Oxford Economics estimated that the
maritime services sector created 227,000 jobs,
or 0.8% of total UK employment. This figure
implied that the industry was a larger
employer than, for example, either the
accountancy or general medical practice
industries.
On this basis, it was estimated that the
maritime services sector made a direct £13.1
bill value-added contribution to GDP, or 0.9%
of the UK total. Therefore, the maritime
services sector made a larger contribution to
UK GDP than both the civil engineering and
electricity distribution industries.
In addition, the report noted that the
maritime services sector directly generated
over £3.1 bill (or 0.6% of total government
revenue) for the UK Exchequer, through a
combination of taxes paid by both employees
and firms in the industry.
Service providers source goods and services
from UK-based suppliers, which, in turn, have
their own suppliers (some of whom will be
based in the UK) and so on. In addition,
people employed by the maritime services
sector and its suppliers will spend their wages
on other goods and services in the UK
economy. Such effects are typically referred to
as the indirect and induced impacts, Oxford
Economics explained.
Including direct, indirect and induced
impacts, the maritime services sector was
estimated to support 531,000 jobs or 1.8% of
total employment. Moreover, once these
multiplier effects are accounted for, the sector
made a value added contribution of £26.5 bill
(1.9% of total) to UK GDP.
Sea Vision supportThe second initiative is Sea Vision UK. It
started the year with a newly appointed full
time director – Ewen Macdonald - and
funding to support development over the next
three years.
Sea Vision focuses on education and careers
activities with particular emphasis placed on
the 13-22 age group.
The funding support comes from Lloyd’s
Register Educational Trust (LRET), which
was formed in 2004. It was established to
fund advances in transportation, science,
engineering and technology education,
training and research worldwide.
LRET also works to encourage
organisations with similar aims to work
together and share best practice, rather than
operate independently.
incelaw.com
CRISISMANAGEMENT
“Ince & Co leads the market in dry and wet shipping and international trade
TO
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INDUSTRY - UK REPORT
Tankers make up a large
percentage of vessels
flying the UK flag.
UK flag continues to flourish
As at the end of May 2011, the
number of vessels flying the UK
flag stood at 1,478 of 17.83 mill
gt - an increase of more than 11
mill gt from April 2001.
March and April 2011 proved to be successful
months for the registry in terms of vessels
joining. As well as several large containerships,
companies, such as Zodiac Maritime Agencies,
registered bulk carriers and a VLGC.
This takes the UK flagged Zodiac fleet to
89 ships of 4.6 mill gt, resulting in the
company remaining the UK flag’s largest
customer with around 26% of the UK fleet in
terms of gross tonnage.
Other notable registrations included the CPOAustralia, a newbuild oil/chemical tanker of
29,636 gt owned by CPO Tankers of Hamburg.
Capt Roger Towner, registrar general for the
UK Ship Register (UKSR) said: “The UK
Ship Register is one of the best performing
flags in the major Port State Control regimes,
as demonstrated by our high position on both
the Paris and Tokyo MoU White Lists and we
remain committed to safer lives, safer ships
and cleaner seas.”
Currently, tankers represent about 8.1% of
the UK fleet in terms of the number of vessels
and 8.3 % in gt.
In total, there are 120 tankers under the UK
flag with a total gross tonnage of just under
1.5 mill. These are broken down into - 55
chemical/products tankers; five crude oil
tankers; six LPG carriers; five nuclear fuel
carriers; 45 oil products tankers and four
lighters.
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency
(MCA), the flag administrator, explained that
the UK flag does not have a separate
department for dealing with tankers.
However, a spokesman said that MCA
surveyors and policy branches have significant
knowledge and expertise of working with all
tankers types.
He said that the UKSR prides itself on
providing a high level of customer service to
all UK shipowners and operators and this is
still very much a selling point.
For example, when a new company
registers ships with the UK flag, it is
appointed a customer account manager who is
available 24/7, plus a customer service
manager, both of which play a key role in
providing customer service.
The UK has its own surveyors who
undertake a mixture of statutory Port State
Control work and survey work. In addition,
seven classification societies are recognised
who are able to undertake survey work on its
behalf. However, the MCA retains the ISM
and ISPS functions.
The seven class societies that are recognised
are - LR, GL, BV, ABS, ClassNK, DNV and
RINA, all of whom are audited by the MCA’s
class monitoring team to ensure that high
standards are maintained and that the
administration’s reputation for quality and
high position on the Paris MoU White List is
not jeopardised through ship detentions.
At present, the MCA is looking to further
develop and co-ordinate overseas survey work
in order to work more efficiently and provide
value for money for customers, the spokesman
said. “Furthermore, it is important that the
MCA maintains the quality of the surveyors
through training and experience of survey
work on board a range of ship types of
varying ages,” he explained.
The UKSR also operates an alternative
compliance scheme (ACS). Under this
voluntary scheme, the survey and certification
process is streamlined by minimising duplication
of effort with the classification societies.
When a ship is registered under the ACS it
allows the classification society to perform all
statutory surveys required under SOLAS,
MARPOL and Load Line Conventions with
the exception of ISM, ISPS and ILO 178,
without a formal ‘appointment’ by the UKSR.
Entry into the scheme is conditional upon
Port State Control and class criteria being met.
Under the scheme, the UKSR issues the ISM
DOC, ISM SMC, ISSC, COI and Safe Manning
Document. The ACS classification society issues
all other international convention certificates.
On 1st June Debasis Mazumdar became the
head of UKSR’s customer service team
manager. He was previously MCA ISM/ISO
policy manager. He was a seagoing Chief
Engineer and worked for 10 years as an ABS
senior surveyor prior to joining the MCA
seven years ago. During his time at the MCA,
Mazumdar has worked as a marine surveyor,
Port State Control officer, ISM/ISO/ISPS lead
auditor and customer service manager.
The UK is a member of the so called ‘Red
Ensign Group’. The group is comprised of the
UK, UK Crown Dependencies (Isle of Man,
Guernsey and Jersey) and UK Overseas
Territories (Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin
Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands,
Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena and the Turks &
Caicos Islands) who operate shipping registers.
Any vessel registered in the UK, Crown
Dependency or UK Overseas Territory, is
deemed a ‘British vessel’ and is entitled to fly
the Red Ensign flag.
The 1995 Merchant Shipping Act provides for
British possessions to be categorised according
to the tonnage, size and type of vessel which can
be registered. Under the Merchant Shipping
(Categorisation of Registries of Relevant British
Possessions) (Amendment) Order 2008, these
registers are divided into the certain categories.
Those registries looking after larger deepsea
vessels are listed as Category 1 registers.
These include the UK, Bermuda, British
Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar and
the Isle of Man.
...the UKSR prides itself on providing a high
level of customer service to all UK shipowners
and operators and this is still very much a
selling point.
- Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA)
“
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INDUSTRY - UK REPORT
The UKHO explained that ECDIS is
an evolving technology and the
new regulations surrounding its
mandated use can seem confusing.
The purpose of this guide is to clarify the
process that leads to adoption of ECDIS by
shipping companies, in step with the SOLAS
regulations.
“We believe that the mandation of ECDIS
puts a powerful tool into the hands of
seafarers that can mean safer and more
efficient voyages and at the same time help to
protect the marine environment. Our own
research suggests that shipowners need to start
planning their strategy for the transition to
ECDIS now to get the best results.
“We believe the timing is right to harness
fully the technology that has been available
for some time. We have been working with
our colleagues within the hydrographic
community to ensure that there is
comprehensive SOLAS carriage compliant
digital chart coverage of major shipping routes
and ports in an integrated offering that also
meets the international mariners’ stated
requirements for service and updating.
Evidence for this comes from our wide-
ranging SOLAS users and the take-up
of subscriptions from trial licences in our
AVCS service.
“The timescales for implementation of
mandation are practical and allow for
increased training in the use of ECDIS,
something that we believe is now the most
critical issue to be considered. Accordingly,
between now and 2012, there are a number of
steps and considerations to be made by users
to ensure that there is a smooth transition from
paper to digital navigation,” said the UKHO’s
Rear Admiral Ian Moncrieff.
Step 1 - Find out how your fleet will be
affected. Fitting of ECDIS will become
mandatory in a rolling timetable that begins in
July 2012. The legislation will be phased by
vessel type and size to eventually apply to
almost all large merchant vessels.
The timetable for newbuilds is based on the
date the vessel’s keel is laid. Existing vessels
will be required to fit ECDIS in advance of
the first survey after the implementation date.
There are no requirements for existing cargo
vessels of less than 10,000 gt.
Flag states may exempt vessels that will be
taken permanently out of service within two
years of the implementation date.
Step 2 - Consider your implementation
strategy. It is important to recognise that the
transition from paper to electronic navigation
is a fundamental change in the way ship
navigation will be conducted, not simply a
case of fitting another piece of hardware to
ensure compliance with a carriage
requirement.
To successfully fit ECDIS on a vessel or
across a fleet and operate it in a safe and
efficient manner requires consideration of a
number of interrelated elements.
As well as decisions on the purchase and
installation of the ECDIS equipment thought
must be given to training and to the
amendment of bridge procedures. Last, but
important is the selection of a chart service
that best meets operational needs and fulfills
the carriage requirements.
All of these factors need to be taken into
account when developing the implementation
strategy for your fleet. It will depend on the
types of vessel in your fleet, as well as the
mix of new and existing vessels and the
trading pattern they operate.
Step 3 - Choosing the correct ECDIS fit.
There is a large range of ECDIS equipment
available, from those that are part of an
integrated bridge system, through to small
standalone units that could be more
appropriate for retrofit to vessels that have
limited bridge space.
The IMO standards require that vessels
must carry a backup to ECDIS that can take
over the chart-based navigation functions in
event of system failure. The fitting of a second
ECDIS, or the carriage of paper charts are
widely accepted as back-up that will meet
requirements.
Depending on the vessel’s flag state, other
solutions such as the carriage of a chart radar,
or other type-approved electronic back-up
may be accepted. A company will have to
decide whether to fit its vessels with single, or
dual ECDIS systems.
Fitting a dual system will allow a
significant reduction in the paper charts
carried (in some cases down to zero). If using
paper charts as a back-up to a single ECDIS it
UKHO’s Michael Cauter.
UKHO in thevanguard of ECDIS
mandationThe UKHO has issued guidelines to ECDIS entitled ’10 steps to ECDIS Mandation’. One
of the main reasons for this is that the IMO’s SOLAS rolling timetable begins in July 2012.
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INDUSTRY – UK REPORT
is likely that the operator will be required to
carry a full (or only slightly reduced) folio.
However, if a company intends to install
and operate with ECDIS, it will need to work
closely with the Maritime Authority that the
vessel is registered with to ensure compliance
with all the requirements.
Step 4 - Choose the right chart solution.
Only official electronic navigation charts
(ENCs) from an authorised supplier meet
SOLAS carriage requirements for charts in
ECDIS. These must be kept fully up to date
for the latest Notices to Mariners (NMs).
An operator should look for a chart service
that is compliant with the new regulations,
provides the best coverage for the areas of
operation, provides flexibility both in terms of
the charts purchased and their licence periods
and includes a regular update service.
Also look for a chart supplier that can
provide official raster navigational charts,
such as ARCS, for areas where ENCs are not
available. This will enable navigation with
official data at all times.
Step 5 - Get your crew trained. Training is a
key element in the successful and safe
transition to electronic navigation. Flag states
will normally, as a minimum, require that
ships officers attend an approved generic
ECDIS operator training course based on the
IMO standard model.
In addition, the ISM Code requires that
ships officers have familiarisation training for
all safety equipment fitted on board. This
requirement can be met through type specific
training provided by the ECDIS manufacturer.
As a minimum, an operator should be able to
satisfy a flag state and any independent audit
authorities that its crews are competent in the
use of ECDIS to maintain safety of navigation.
The UKHO is developing training material,
including computer based packages, to assist
the mariner to read and interpret ENCs with the
same confidence they have with paper charts.
Step 6 - Get flag state certification. It is
essential to understand flag state’s requirements
for certification. Under existing regulations an
operator will need to obtain a certificate of
equivalency to allow ECDIS to be used to fulfil
the SOLAS chart carriage requirement.
The certificate is proof that the vessel has a
type approved ECDIS, fitted in accordance
with IMO requirements and an approved
back-up system. An operator should check
that the flag state will accept the type-
approval certification for the ECDIS
equipment needed to be fitted.
Where an ECDIS has been fitted, this
should be indicated on the record of
equipment attached to the vessel’s safety
equipment certificate; this will also give
details of the backup that is to be used.
An operator should also talk to its
classification society and insurance/P&I club to
see if they have any further specific
requirements. Flag state requirements may
change following the adoption of carriage
requirements for ECDIS, so it will be important
to remain in close contact with them.
Step 7 – Demonstrate compliance for Port
State inspection. As well as having to satisfy
the initial requirements of a flag state when
installing ECDIS, Port State Control will be
checking to ensure compliance with the
new regulations.
Inspections might require physical
demonstrations of competency by crew, as
well as evidence of inclusion of ECDIS
operation procedures in the on board safety
management systems. This is in addition to
basic certification as described in Step 6.
Some commercial operators’ vetting
schemes will have similar demands and non-
compliance with their requirements could put
a vessel off-hire.
Step 8 - Co-ordinate shoreside and
shipmanagement. Close co-ordination between
ship and shore is vital for successful
implementation. Identify all the stakeholders –
class society, insurers, charterers – and include
them in the plans as early as possible.
It is worth conducting a full analysis to
determine how ECDIS on board the vessels
could change ways of working on shore.
Practical areas to look at include
management of chart data and passage
planning. Successful implementation will
require a re-write of a company’s safety
management system, which is likely to be
best achieved through structured consultation
between on board and ashore staff.
Step 9 - Start now! There is a lot to do so
don’t wait for the deadline. Arranging
training and acquiring certification can take
three months but up to six months could
be necessary to implement a strategy
depending on whether the vessel is a
newbuilding or retrofit.
The sooner the strategy is adopted, the
sooner an operator will have a realistic
expectation of costs and issues. If a ship is
affected by the first phase adoption in 2012,
start planning now.
Step 10 - The aim is safety but the result can
also be efficiency. ECDIS has been shown to
contribute significantly to safety of life at sea,
but it can also increase operational efficiency
that in turn can lead to bottom line savings.
Navigators and superintendents regularly
report a steady flow of benefits from using
ECDIS. Updates to chart data can be
virtually instant. Navigation tasks and bridge
workload can be optimised, situational
awareness improved and stress reduced when
navigating in congested waters where most
accidents occur.
ECDIS also offers data reporting and
auditing tools that can eliminate redundant
practices and improve voyage planning,
delivering tangible fuel savings. Early
adopters will be the ones that see the
advantages soonest.
Asian baseLast month, the UKHO opened its first
overseas office in Singapore to provide local
support for Admiralty distributors and a
rapidly-growing customer base across Asia.
The number of vessels throughout Asia
using electronic navigation technology is
rising quickly as shipping companies take
advantage of both the improved safety
benefits and operational efficiencies available.
The introduction of the ECDIS mandate from
2012 is expected to further increase demand.
Michael Cauter, the UKHO’s deputy CEO,
said; “Today, Asia is the engine of the
shipping industry: the region holds eight of
the world’s 10 busiest ports, manufactures
the majority of new commercial vessels
and provides more merchant crew than any
other continent.
“It’s hugely important for the UKHO to be
in a position to easily engage with this vast
and vibrant maritime community as the
industry shifts to digital navigation. By
establishing a base in Singapore, Admiralty
will be at the heart of the conversation, and
best placed to respond swiftly to the needs of
our growing number of customers across
Asia,” he said.
The Admiralty team in Singapore works in
close collaboration with distributors across Asia
to ensure their customers have access to
Admiralty advice and expertise on digital
navigation strategy, as well as local product
support. In addition, the office provides a
platform for ongoing engagement with the Asian
maritime market, ensuring that developing
requirements from customers in the region
become an integral part of future Admiralty
plans for products, service and support.
The UKHO has worked closely with many
of the Asian Hydrographic Offices over the
last 30 years in the development of first paper,
then digital charts of the region to help
improve the information available to mariners.
Registered as Admiralty Hydrographic Asia
Pacific Pte, the office is based at 1 Fullerton
Road, Marina Bay. TO
p2-25:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:36 Page 17
TANKEROperator � June 201118
INDUSTRY – UK REPORT
One of the latest projects involves
the BMT Group, which itself can
trace its history back to the
British Ship Research
Association (BSRA). Today, the group is
involved in international maritime design,
engineering and risk management consultancy
and recently announced its involvement as an
industrial partner in a three year research
project aimed at limiting the environmental
impact of carbon emissions from the world’s
shipping.
Current estimates show shipping’s share of
global emissions could increase to 20-30% by
2050 as the fleet increases on the back of
world trade growth, especially in the so called
developing countries, or non-OECD nations.
This research project, ‘Low carbon shipping
– a systems approach’, has been started to
help the shipping industry to reduce levels of
emissions in order to comply with new
legislation and mitigate global warming. To
start with, the project has received £1.7 mill
from the Research Councils UK (RCUK)
Energy Programme, part of the £530 mill that
the programme is investing in research into
low-carbon technologies.
BMT will be involved in two main work
packages:
� Technologies for low carbon shipping
(including innovation in retrofit solutions),
and
� Energy efficient ship operations (including
human factors).
BMT will be part of a multi-disciplinary
consortium made up of researchers from five
universities and international industrial
partners such as Lloyd’s Register, Shell and
Rolls-Royce. BMT claimed that it is well
placed to play an important role in delivering
these work packages, with its track record in
on board performance monitoring of fuel
efficiency and emissions, energy efficiency
design indexing, performance impacts of hull
roughness and fouling and the design and
engineering of more efficient propulsion plant.
BMT’s sector director for transport, Dr Phil
Thompson, said “This is a very exciting
opportunity to make a real difference to the
design and operation of ships. We have to
drive down costs and we have to drive down
emissions. We at BMT are delighted to be
using our experience in such an important
research project by developing innovative
design solutions. After all, a more efficient
ship is a greener ship.”
Research councilsThe Research Councils UK Energy
Programme aims to position the UK to meet
its energy and environmental targets and
policy goals through research and training.
The Energy Programme is investing more than
£530 mill in research and skills to pioneer a
low carbon future. This builds on an
investment of £360 mill over the past five
years.
Led by the Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the
Energy Programme brings together the work
of EPSRC and that of the Biotechnology and
Biological Sciences Research Council
(BBSRC), the Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment
Research Council (NERC), and the Science
and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
EPSRC is the main UK government agency
for funding research and training in
engineering and the physical sciences,
investing more than £850 mill per year in a
broad range of subjects – from mathematics to
materials science and from information
technology to structural engineering.
BMT’s Dr Phil Thompson.
The UK is also strong in research and has been since this country was a world leader in
shipbuilding, ship design and marine equipment manufacturing.
UK carries on itsmaritime research
tradition
Low Carbon Shipping - the studyconsortiumThe following universities areinvolved in the project:University College London,Newcastle University,University of Hull, University ofStrathclyde and University ofPlymouth.
Industry and governmentpartners include; BMT, Shell,Rolls-Royce, Lloyds Register,UK MoD, IHS Fairplay, JamesFisher, David MacBrayne, UKMajor Ports Group, Clarksons.
TO
p2-25:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:36 Page 18
INDUSTRY – UK REPORT
June 2011 � TANKEROperator 19
Leading accountant and shippingadviser, Moore Stephens, warnedthat companies operating withinUK tonnage tax could considerleaving the UK, as a result ofHMRC's decision to unilaterallyreinterpret the regime rules.Sue Bill, a tax partner with Moore Stephens,
said; "Given the substantial increase in the UK
fleet since 2000, it is widely considered that
UK tonnage tax has been a success. At the
outset, the regime promised clarity and
stability, but HMRC's unilateral
reinterpretation of the rules could be
detrimental."
HMRC's decision to reinterpret the
legislation results from comments in the 2004
EU guidelines on state aid to maritime
transport. The changes, set out in HMRC's
tonnage tax manual, focus in particular on the
strategic and commercial management tests that
are fundamental to qualification for the regime.
HMRC said that this followed ‘10 years of
experience and legal advice received'. But, as
Bill pointed out, "The Revenue has not
consulted with the shipping industry. And,
although HMRC's interpretation is widely
disputed, it has not released a detailed
explanation of this legal advice.
"The UK government has emphasised the
need for a stable UK tax regime to both support
British business and to encourage international
businesses to operate and stay in the UK.
Throughout the regime's history, it has taken
care to ensure stability and to minimise as far
as possible any unexpected changes, treating
fairly those shipowners operating within
tonnage tax. But the reinterpretation by HMRC
means that some groups no longer qualify for
the UK regime despite having previously
received HMRC clearance.
"These fundamental changes may have a
detrimental effect on UK shipping as
internationally mobile shipping groups consider
leaving the UK. They do not appear to arise
from government policy, but from changes in
HMRC's views that were finalised without
consultation with the shipping industry.
"In considering their effect, HMRC needs to
ensure that it continues to act fairly and
reasonably by protecting shipowners who
elected into the regime for a 10-year period
based on the original HMRC rules and
clearances, which in some cases now no longer
apply, at least in HMRC's view. HMRC should
also now consult on the reasons for its changed
interpretation of the tonnage tax rules.
"It is time for HMRC to work in concert
with the shipping industry in order to safeguard
British shipping," Bill emphasised.
HMRC should consult on tonnage tax – accountant states...the reinterpretation by HMRC means that
some groups no longer qualify for the
UK regime despite having previously
received HMRC clearance.Moore Stephens, accountant and shipping adviser
“
”
TO
150 YEARS
p2-25:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:36 Page 19
TANKEROperator � June 201120
INDUSTRY – DENMARK REPORT
“For sure, there were a lot of
things we needed to
address, but we believe and
we have proven that it is
good and worthwhile. It is something we want
to drive in the industry.” senior director of
Maersk Tankers Tommy Thomassen said
recently in a briefing on the challenges and
benefits of super slow steaming.
Where many tanker operators are adopting
significantly slower speeds on a ‘needs must’
basis, the Danish owner believed running
tankers more slowly will be a permanent
adjustment. While the take-up by charterers is
pretty limited so far – not only do they foot
the fuel bill, but they are often paid for
cargoes on delivery, Thomassen and his
colleagues believed the merits of slower
tanker speeds will catch the attention of major
charterers, although the process will take time.
No shipping company is believed to have
done more research than Maersk on the
viability, challenges and benefits of slower
ship speeds. Pioneered in the group’s
container ship arena by Maersk Line, radical
fuel savings have proved possible on
electronically-controlled engines but even
mechanically-controlled propulsion units can
be operated, with careful sterwardship, at 35-
40% of engine load.
Super slow steaming is described by
Maersk as operating at 40% of maximum
continuous rating (MCR), or less. Because of
the exponential relationship between power
and speed, however, running a VLCC’s main
engine at 40% load can still give a speed of 10
to 12 knots, depending on the specific ship.
But fuel consumption and, of course,
emissions are dramatically reduced as a result.
Slowing a VLCC down from 15 knots to 10,
for example, can typically halve fuel
consumption from 80 tonnes a day to 40
tonnes. That’s $26,000 per day at $650 per
tonne.
Of course, unlike the liner business where
carriers pay the fuel bill, it is the charterer
who usually pays for bunkers in tanker
contracts. Thomassen conceded that thus far,
there has been relatively little interest from oil
shippers in cutting speeds to save fuel and
reduce emissions. But this is partly a result of
tradition and the charterparty system, he
believed. “There are few incentives in the
current commercial value chain. That is where
we doing our footwork now.”
Thomassen said the company is in
discussion with charterers but it will take time
to “massage the message” into industry.
Charterers are adopting sustainability
strategies and assessing ways in which they
can reduce their own carbon footprints but
“there isn’t one customer or oil major who can
do this on their own. It’s a very complex
Overcapacity and bunker prices in the high $600s may be sound reasons for
‘super slow-steaming’. But some believe that running ships more slowly is
not only down to economics – there is the environment at stake.
Permanent sea change?
p2-25:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:48 Page 20
commercial market”. For the moment,
therefore, the company is mostly super slow
steaming its vessels on ballast hauls.
“What our customers buy from us is
minimum risk,” Thomassen explained, “so
concerns about super slow steaming are not
only internal concerns. For example, if we had
an engine failure as a result of low load, they
would sure be concerned about that. So those
are the things we are discussing together and
showing them the results.”
The project first began in November 2008
and much of the early work was carried out by
ship operating specialists working for Maersk
Line. Initially, the move to cut ships’ speeds
was as much a strategy for absorbing surplus
capacity in the wake of the global slowdown
and a huge orderbook, but as operating
economics came under increasing pressure,
cutting fuel bills across the company’s 500-
odd containerships was also a major priority.
The super slow steaming framework for
tankers, finally implemented in May 2010,
was developed in parallel with other cost-
saving initiatives on board the company’s
ships. Much has already been done to reduce
fuel consumption, raise efficiency and cut
emissions to sea and air on board the light-
blue ships. But there is no let-up in the
group’s drive for more sustainable operations
– indeed, the strategy forms a vital part of its
customer liaison, its marketing strategy and its
dialogue with charterers.
Thomassen described the work that went
into the company’s super slow steaming
strategy for tankers, which has now been
implemented across its eight-strong �autilus-
class of 300,000 dwt VLCCs, equipped with
Wärtsilä 7RTFlex84T main engines. Reduced
speeds will also be adopted on board the
company’s four VLCC newbuildings from
STX, the first such vessels to be equipped
with waste heat recovery. Number one of four
was delivered at the beginning of May.
Three vessels, under construction at
Hyundai Heavy Industries and recently bought
from Great Eastern, are likely to incorporate
fuel-saving features. “We are in the process of
reviewing the detailed technical
specification,” said Thomassen, “among
others to identify potential for adding fuel
reducing and CO2 footprint-improving
features.”
As well as liaising with engine builders and
related equipment suppliers, an early
challenge in the preparation of the framework
was to persuade the company’s engineering
personnel that such a move was technically
feasible. All Thomassen’s engineers and
superintendents were telling him that it wasn’t
possible and would never work, he recalls,
and they warned that it would lead to many
problems.
“I have been an engineer myself for many
years,” Thomassen said, “and I have also
worked with engineers for many years.
There’s an old saying that most people are
more comfortable with known problems than
with new solutions. And in this instance, that
is for sure true.”
The tanker group’s aim to cut CO2
emissions by 15% between 2007 and 2015 is
thought to be one of the shipping industry’s
INDUSTRY – DENMARK REPORT
June 2011 � TANKEROperator 21
Maersk Tankers’ Tommy Thomassen.
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p2-25:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:48 Page 21
TANKEROperator � June 201122
INDUSTRY – DENMARK REPORT
most ambitious. However, all emissions are of
course in the spotlight and Maersk has
introduced a highly sophisticated real-time
performance-based monitoring system, closely
integrated between engineers on board ships at
sea and superintendents managing the process
from the Copenhagen head office.
Specifically on slow steaming, Thomassen
freely admitted that work carried out in the
container line has proved invaluable. “We
have benefited hugely from being part of a
large group. Maersk Line has spent a lot of
time on implementing slow steaming on their
vessels and a lot of time dealing with the
technical issues. It has certainly been very
worthwhile and beneficial for us to piggy-
back on their work.
“We have set some quite ambitious targets
– CO2 reductions and a reduced
environmental impact in line with our
sustainability action plan – and in order to
achieve these, we have no choice but to look
at optimising our speed and reducing the load
on main engines. This is a very important part
of achieving our CO2 reduction targets,” he
explained.
So what has actually been involved in
drawing up the super slow steaming
framework? “We ran dedicated tanker
workshops,” Thomassen said. “We went out
and collected our specific engine condition
data. And we talked a lot with the engine
makers, Wärtsilä and MAN.” Technical staff
then presented the strategy to the company’s
commercial personnel “and then we believed
we had the framework for super slow
steaming so that we could deal with it on a
day-to-day basis.”
“One thing we wanted to test out was how
low could we actually go (in terms of engine
load)”, Thomassen continued. “A lot of
technical tests were done on this and it took a
lot of time. The result was quite astounding
actually. We could run down to 9% low load
on our electronically controlled Wärtsilä
engines. Very impressive!”
Technical adjustments included cylinder
lubrication, air supply and consumption and
turbocharger maintenance and, yes,
Thomassen said the framework has involved
more work for engineers at sea, as well as
superintendents ashore. On board, they are
given a checklist of items to inspect and
photograph, before and after, prior to entering
slow-steaming operation.
“But there’s no rocket science in this,” said
Thomassen. “It’s just never been interesting.
Now we tell them, it’s do-able and it’s
interesting. And I can tell you, when we were
talking about going below 35% load on these
engines, our engineers were running out of the
room. This is not do-able, they said, and if
you make us do it, we will quit our jobs.
Anyway, it was do-able, and we did it! They
are still there, by the way, and if you ask
them, they are so proud. They are some of the
best salesmen of the message.”
Brighter outlook for the MR sectorSteadily rising demand for products and easy
chemicals combined with a rapidly declining
orderbook should provide the fundamentals
for a firmer market in the products tanker
trades.
Earnings for medium range (MR) product
tankers are already showing positive signs this
year, according to executives at Lauritzen
Tankers, which runs a 14-ship fleet of MRs,
ranging from 37,255 dwt to 53,715 dwt and
has a further seven 50,000 dwt ships on order
at Guangzhou in China. The fleet, a
combination of owned, timechartered and
managed vessels, is operated within Hafnia
Management, a products tanker pool headed
by Anders Engholm of which Lauritzen was a
founder member in 2010.
Erik Donner, head of Lauritzen’s tanker
concern, said that global demand for energy
has been increasing steadily over the last
couple of years by about 3% , but due to the
vast delivery volume of new ships, rates
remained largely unaffected by rising demand.
“The fleet could not be absorbed and earnings
went down,” he told TA�KEROperator, “but
that situation is changing.”
“We still expect to see an increase in global
oil and energy demand and therefore the need
for transportation. Combine that with the
relatively limited orderbook, it will have a
positive effect on earnings. We see light at the
end of the tunnel,” he commented. “I don’t
expect it to go up dramatically or quickly, or
to the levels we saw before August 2008, but
we will see gradual increases in earnings.”
Donner and his colleagues saw various
positive signs, demonstrated by firmer rates
for the company’s MR vessels over the first
quarter. First, the orderbook which today
represents about 9% of the existing fleet, will
fall quickly over the next two years – to 6-7%
next year and just 1% in 2013.
Second, in the short- to medium term,
recent events in Japan are likely to generate
more business for MRs, as regional refineries
make up the country’s energy shortfall.
Products shipped on short hauls from
refineries in Taiwan, South Korea and
Singapore are likely to mean a significant
number of short-haul voyages lasting between
four and eight days, ideal for vessels in the
MR sector, he said.
Three, there are new Middle East refineries,
which have been subject to delays but which
are due to come on stream in the coming
months. Although they will mostly benefit
larger vessels in the LR categories on long
haul trades to east and west, Donner says the
MR sector will certainly stand to gain too.
This is because extra products tanker demand
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p2-25:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:48 Page 22
INDUSTRY – DENMARK REPORT
June 2011 � TANKEROperator 23
will create more opportunities across all sizes:
and it is easier to optimise the operation of
MRs – by triangulation and the minimising of
ballast hauls – than of larger LR-class vessels,
which are less flexible.
“Refineries built upstream will increase
tonne/miles for our kind of ships,” said
Donner. And he predicts that cargoes will
move not only to Asia, but also to Europe, the
US and South America. The company’s fleet
has an average age of less than three years.
Donner says the company’s strategy is to keep
and maintain a modern fleet for the
optimisation of earnings.
Pool heavyweight off the blocksAnders Engholm is head of Hafnia
Management, borne out of a series of high-
level defections from Danish tanker pool
operator TORM last year. His enthusiasm for
the future of this sector is both rare and
refreshing
“My new job is very hands on,” said the
Hafnia boss. “Everyone sits in the same
room.” In contrast, he explained, clever
people at TORM sat is non-productive
meetings instead of talking to customers and
developing the business.
Certainly, the fledgling Hafnia set-up has
got off to a flying start, managing two
products tanker pools in the medium-range
(MR) and LR1 (Panamax) sectors. Engholm
insisted that the business model implemented
in the two new pools is very different to the
TORM set-up. Disagreements there between
senior managers and its one major
shareholder, Gabriel Panayotides, allegedly
proved increasingly disruptive.
In contrast, Hafnia – which owns no vessels
itself – has five shipowning partners holding
60% of the shares while managers hold the
balance. Engholm believed this is a fairer
structure less likely to generate conflicts of
interest, which should ensure that all pool
members are treated fairly.
In a joint venture with Mitsui OSK (MOL),
Hafnia is now managing Straits Tankers LR1,
which officially opened for business in
Singapore on 1st May. It is headed by an ex-
TORM colleague of Engholm’s – Soren
Steenberg – while MOL’s Kazuhiro Takahashi
is chief operating officer.
Engholm acknowledged that today’s is a
tough market but said that Straits Tankers’ 27
Panamax tankers – from MOL, Nordic
Tankers, United Arab Chemical Carriers
(UACC), Marinvest and Gotlandsbolaget of
Sweden and Norway’s Tailwind – instantly
gave the new entity critical mass. Fleet
optimisation, minimising ballast hauls and
other benefits accruing from scale economies
improved productivity and reduced the
effective level of operational breakeven.
The number of ships also enabled the Straits
Tankers executives to enter into cargo
contracts of affreightment (coas) with leading
oil major and oil trading partners. Such
arrangements raise efficiency and further
strengthen operating profitability, said
Engholm. And, in contrast to most normal
arrangements, pool managers take
commissions from net, rather than gross
revenues. In an era of rapidly rising bunker
prices, this is a significant development.
But while critical mass may have been
achieved already in Straits Tankers, more
ships are still needed in the MR pool and
Engholm admitted that this is a key priority.
So far, the Hafnia MR pool consists of 13
vessels in the water, with eight newbuildings
due to join the pool in due course. Owners
include J Lauritzen, Italy’s LGR di
Navigazione, Rederi AB Gotland of Sweden
and Denmark’s Kirk Capital. Engholm said
more units were needed so as to optimise the
benefits of pool operation to bring the total
number to 30-40 ships, or more.
Today’s market may be depressing for many
products tanker operators. But Engholm is
certainly not one of them. He concedes it’s
pretty tough but points to the rapidly declining
orderbook, which should have shrunk almost
nothing by the end of next year. Scrapping is
running at record levels; additional demand is
being generated by new refinery capacity in
the Middle East and India; earthquake and
tsunami-related cargoes are required in Japan;
and, of course, energy demand growth in Asia
generally and China in particular continues
apace. Engholm affirms that he has certainly
seen markets worse than this.
But, for the moment, much of the chief
executive’s time is spent in the air, travelling
to meetings to tell the story, promoting the
pooling concept to possible new partners.
Although present owners are committed to
organic growth, he says, new participants are
needed, particularly in the MR pool.
Few are likely to be better placed than him
to tell the story – until 1998, he worked for A
P Moller Maersk before leaving to join
TORM. Over the following 11 years or so, he
helped to oversee TORM’s fleet development
from seven ships to 70, an achievement of
which he is justly proud.
However, he also admitted that in pool
operations, there comes a point of diminishing
returns. So much depends on relations and, if
the pool grows too big, it becomes unwieldy
and difficult to manage.
That will not be happening in the new
Hafnia pools.
Hafnia Management’s Anders Engholm.
TO
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TANKEROperator � June 201124
INDUSTRY – LAW
There are few reported English
decisions relating to oil major
approvals. Oil majors operate a
system of vetting and approvals to
ensure that the vessels they use or trade, or
buy cargoes from are of satisfactory quality.
Owners and operators of tankers seek and
collect as many written approvals as possible
from top name oil majors, which are often
required by charterers. Given the importance
of such approvals in tanker charterparties for
the purposes of trading a tanker profitably, the
observations of the Judge in this case on the
meaning of ‘approved’ as provided for in the
charterparty are worth noting.
Dispute background This dispute arose out of a voyage charter for
the carriage of vacuum gas oil (VGO). The
charterer was a trader in petroleum products
and had chartered the vessel to carry VGO
from the Black Sea to the US Gulf, with
an option to top up, discharge, or reload
at Antwerp.
At Antwerp, the vessel was inspected by
Shell and Conoco. Shell had, according to the
charterer, agreed to buy the cargo subject to
vetting. However, the inspections established
that a low suction sea chest valve needed
repair prior to sailing. There was no drydock
available at Antwerp so the class surveyor
issued an interim certificate allowing the
deficiency to be repaired at the next port. As a
result, however, the charterer claimed that
Shell had rejected the vessel and refused to
buy the cargo. Chevron also allegedly refused
to deal with the vessel.
A claim was made by the owner for
demurrage and port costs that arose during the
voyage. The charterer counterclaimed that,
due to the bad reputation the vessel gained in
the market following the events at Antwerp, it
had been unable to sell the cargo on
satisfactory terms.
The charterer sought to claim damages for
the difference in price it had allegedly agreed
with Shell and what the cargo actually
realised. The success of the counterclaim
depended in part on whether the owner had
warranted that the vessel had the requisite oil
major approvals referred to in the charterparty
and, if so, whether that warranty had been
breached.
The Commercial CourtThe recap stated under vessel information that
“TBOOK WOG VSL IS APPROVED BY:
BP/LITASCO/STATOIL – EXXO� VIA SIRE”.
The recap also incorporated Clause 18 of the
Vitol standard chartering terms, which stated
as follows: “Owner warrants that the vessel is
approved by the following companies and will
remain so throughout the duration of this
Charterparty…”. In the recap, next to the
reference that incorporated Clause 18, it was
stated “TBOOK VSL IS APPROVED BY:BP/EXXO�/LUKOIL/STATOIL/MOH”.
The owner argued that the wording in the
recap overwrote and replaced the wording in
the standard Vitol Clause 18 so that ‘WOG’
(‘without guarantee’) applied, meaning that
there was simply an indication, without a
contractual commitment, that the listed
approvals were in place at the outset of
the charter.
The Judge, however, agreed with the
charterer’s interpretation that the parties were
adding to, not replacing, the standard term.
The fact that a continuing warranty qualified
by ‘Tbook’ (‘to best of owner’s knowledge’)
might prove unworkable in a commercial
situation, as contended by the owner, was of
no significant weight, in the Judge’s view. It
was not unusual for commercial parties to
‘make what are in retrospect bad bargains’.
He added that there was also no express
reference to deletion of Clause 18 in the recap
as there was for a number of other standard
Vitol clauses and he concluded that this meant
Judgement of themeaning of the word
‘approval’ Transpetrol Maritime
Services Limited v SJB
(Marine Energy) BV (MT
Rowan), 2011 unreported).*
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Markusnet Type MS is designed for man overboard recovery on all types of ships, offshore installations and dams with less than 40 metre height from water level upto rescue deck or platform.
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p2-25:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:48 Page 24
the parties had not intended to delete that
clause. Consequently, he held that the owner
had warranted that the vessel was approved by
the named oil majors and would remain so
throughout the duration of the voyage charter.
Was it so approved? This depended on what
‘approved’ meant and how long any such
approval had continued.
Meaning of ‘approvals’ or‘approved’
The Court considered what constitutes an
‘approval’ letter from an oil major. The
charterer contended that the meaning of
‘approvals’ or ‘approved’ was a matter of
plain and ordinary English and that the correct
interpretation in this context is that the owner
warrants that the vessel has indeed been
approved and will continue to be so
throughout the charterparty. This, when
applied to the letters relied on in this case,
with their reservations and conditions, would
mean that the owner had obtained no
approvals at all.
The charterer’s case, if accepted, would
have meant that this type of letter did not in
fact constitute an approval in the context of
the common charter requirement.
However, the court considered the
charterer’s argument to be “doomed by the
overwhelming evidence”. It was agreed by the
experts for both sides that the word
‘approved’ was used in the market at the
relevant time (2007) to mean ‘acceptable to’
oil majors who might or might not, when the
prospect of a real transaction arose, decide to
approve that vessel.
It was not the practice of oil majors to grant
approvals as such in advance. Express
approvals were given only for specific
voyages, not for a period of time. So the
letters in the form relied on by the owner, it
was agreed between the experts, are regarded
in the industry as approval letters, despite the
fact that they may often state that approval has
not been granted and should not be assumed.
Applying this in the context of the present
charter, the Judge concluded that the approval
letters had to be in place throughout the
charter as per the warranty in Clause 18. In
other words, at any time when offered to
cargo buyers, the vessel must not be in a state
which to the knowledge of the owner, would
remove the comfort of the warranted
approvals to the potential purchaser of cargo.
There would be a breach of warranty, for
example, if some event occurs which, to the
knowledge of the owner, would, if known to
the issuer of the approval letter, cause it to
withdraw or cancel that approval.
Regarding the ‘tbook’ (‘to the best of
owner’s knowledge’) qualification, the Judge
observed that the term ‘tbook’ cannot take an
obligation beyond the extent of an owner’s
actual knowledge and does not require the
owner to make enquiries in addition to those
which would ordinarily be made in the course
of its business.
However, on the facts of this case, he held
that the owner had breached its warranty that,
to the best of its knowledge and belief, the
vessel was approved by the specified oil
majors and would remain so throughout the
charterparty.
In his view, it was inconceivable that the
owner would have believed that the approval
letters still applied in light of the problems at
Antwerp.
*This article was written by UK law firmInce & Co and first appeared in MaritimeAdvocate Magazine.
t: +47.69345060 f: +47.69345060 e: [email protected]
www.seutmaritime.no
June 2011 � TANKEROperator 25
TO
INDUSTRY – LAW
The Latest �ews is now available on TA�KEROperator’swebsite at www.tankeroperator.com and is updated weekly.
For access to the �ews just register by entering your e-mail
address in the box provided. You can also request to receive
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p2-25:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:48 Page 25
TECHNOLOGY - SHIP DESCRIPTION
TANKEROperator � June 201126
This is a Mark II version of the
original design launched in
conjunction with the National
Technical University of Athens
(NTUA) in 2008.
GL’s Dr Pierre C Sames, senior vice
president strategic research and development,
speaking at Nor-Shipping, explained that
following feedback from shipyards and tanker
operators, the design was sent back to the
drawing board, resulting in the launch of a
new Aframax design concept, called
BESTplus.
One of the reasons for the re-design was
that tanker safety had improved over the last
decades, which has been documented in a
recent Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) study
for large oil tankers submitted to the IMO.
The risk picture for modern oil tankers
shows that the danger to the environment is
dominated by collision, grounding and fire.
The FSA study suggested considering larger
double hull widths and double bottom heights
as potential cost-effective risk control options.
Since the introduction of the double hull
concept, oil tanker design has not evolved and
any changes were recently driven primarily by
improving shipyard production.
Little attention has been paid to a vessel’s
performance over her lifecycle and, in
particular, the fuel-efficiency – as measured
by the Energy Efficiency Design Index
(EEDI) – has not improved in the last 20
years, despite the general improvement in
systems and their efficiency.
The recently developed EEDI, which is
planned as a future mandatory newbuilding
standard, is a simple but accurate measure of a
vessel’s inherent fuel efficiency, which
compares CO2 emissions to transport work.
Although tankers are considered to be
among the most energy efficient vessels today,
with an EEDI value ranging from 2 to 6 g
CO2 / (t*nm), they emitted about 115 mill
tonnes of CO2 in 2009, which is an 8%
increase compared to 2007. The current share
of tanker CO2 emissions is approximately
12% of the total CO2 emissions from
international shipping.
In response, GL and NTUA teamed up in
2008 to develop a novel Aframax tanker
design concept, which won awards for
technical achievement in 2009. GL also
received feedback from shipyards and tanker
operators regarding the desired features of
new tanker designs and these were
incorporated in the new BESTplus design
concept.
GL said that BESTplus enhances the
attractiveness of the initial design concept by
also integrating hydrodynamic optimisation of
the hull form, thus reducing fuel consumption
and emissions.
GL and NTUA again co-operated on the
new design concept, and were supported by
Friendship Systems – a GL company and
provider of the Friendship-Framework
computer aided design (CAD) and
computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
integration platform.
Potential cargo lossBased on current growth rates, oil transport
demand is expected to be lower than available
oil tanker supply for the next couple of years.
However, even small changes in demand will
open up opportunities for new Aframaxes -
starting in 2014.
This was recently documented by
Intertanko. A second analysis undertaken by
GL based on IHS Fairplay data shows that
approximately 20% of existing Aframax
tonnage will be older than 15 years in 2012,
which could trigger replacement activities. GL
claimed that the BESTplus design concept
anticipated this possible demand for new
tanker tonnage by integrating only available
technologies.
The design concept targets the typical
Aframax tanker trades in the Caribbean Sea.
Facilities in the main US ports and the US
Emission Control Area (ECA) set the
operating conditions. If a Mexican ECA were
also to be implemented, about 30% of the
total transit distance for this trade would be
inside of an ECA.
The current design assumes the use of
MGO as fuel when sailing in an ECA. LNG
as ship fuel, or the use of scrubbers, was
considered as alternatives to the basic design
Super efficientAframax design
unveiledFollowing last year’s launch of D�V’s revolutionary gas powered
VLCC conceptual design, comes news of an upgraded Aframax design
from Hamburg-based class society Germanischer Lloyd (GL).
A schematic of BESTplus.
p26-44:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:57 Page 1
TECHNOLOGY - SHIP DESCRIPTION
June 2011 � TANKEROperator 27
concept. The need for relatively high speed,
which has been mentioned by ship operators
active in this trade, must be considered with
regard to the upcoming EEDI requirement to
ensure superior vessel competitiveness.
Design approachThe design approach used an advanced
optimisation environment, which integrates
tools to predict required propulsion power,
stability, oil outflow index, cargo capacity and
hull structural scantlings, according to IACS
Common Structural Rules (CSR).
This was achieved through the linking of
the Friendship-Framework with Shipflow,
NAPA and Poseidon, and by using parametric
models for the hull form, layout and structure,
respectively.
GL said that the design concept addresses
the need for safer shipping by reducing the oil
outflow in case of an accident. It contributes
to greener shipping by improving energy
efficiency and, thus, reducing CO2 emissions
per unit transport. In addition, the design
offers smarter shipping by reducing fuel costs
with an optimised hull form, and by
increasing revenues with greater cargo
capacity, the class society claimed.
The resulting design concept features a
best-in-class cargo capacity with unrivalled
speed performance. The main particulars are
comparable with those of similar-sized
Aframaxes.
The optimisation targeted speed at three
different drafts, a cargo capacity taking due
account of cargo volume and mass, hull
structural mass, cargo oil tank and ballast tank
layout, as well as double hull width and
double bottom height, which determine the oil
outflow volumes in accidents. Related design
parameters were systematically varied and
around 2,500 design variants were generated
and assessed.
Cost of transport (ratio of annual capital,
fuel and other operating costs to annually
transported cargo mass), normalised with
respect to the reference design, was used as
the primary target function for the
optimisation. Capital costs were based on a
typical newbuilding price of $58 mill and 25
years lifetime. Fuel costs were computed
according to a dedicated roundtrip model
(with HFO at $500 per tonne and MGO at
$800 per tonne) for Caribbean trading. Other
operating costs are constant (about $3 mill
per year) and based on Moore Stephens’
Opcost 2009.
The reference design for comparing cost of
transport is an existing pre-CSR tanker, which
was used as reference in GL’s 2008 study.
Compared to the reference design, a 7%
improvement in cost of transport was realised
due to the better hull form for the best design
variant.
Dwt 114,923
Cargo volume 129,644 cu m
Length, overall 250 m
Beam 44 m
Depth 21.5 m
Design draft 15.7 m
Block coefficient 0.85
DB height 2.1 m
DBH COT 1 2.75 m
DB width 2.65 m
Oil outflow index 0.0142
Speed at max draft 15.6 kn
Speed in ballast 16.8 kn
EEDI 3.2814 g CO2/(t*nm)
BESTplus Principal Particulars
Source. IHS Fairplay database 2011.
p26-44:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:57 Page 2
It is noted that many design variants are
optimal in a Pareto frontier analysis, which
means that the selection of one variant for the
final design depends on the weighting of the
different optimisation targets. Therefore,
depending upon the choice of the designer, a
design optimised for oil outflow, for EEDI, or
for cost-of-transport might be selected.
The resulting hull form facilitates a speed of
15.6 knots at design draft with a 95%
confidence interval. This represents a
favourable speed increase when compared
with recently built vessels of the same size.
With a standard main engine for an Aframax,
a MAN 6S60MC-C, the fuel consumption is
comparable to similar vessels.
With this high speed and large cargo
capacity, the vessel easily meets future EEDI
requirements, claimed GL. Indeed, the
attained EEDI value is merely 84% of the
latest published reference line value for this
ship size. This means the vessel would be in
compliance with EEDI regulations even if the
first reduction to the required EEDI had
already begun. At current estimates, this will
happen at the earliest on 1st January 2015.
Although a vessel contracted before EEDI
has entered into force does not formally need
to comply, competitive vessels entering the
market, for example, in 2017, will be more
energy-efficient and, therefore, more likely to
attract cargoes than older vessels with lower
energy efficiency. Thus the new BESTplus
design concept will remain highly
competitive, the class society said.
Safety designed inTo reduce oil outflow in accidents, the
double hull side width was eventually set to
2.65 m. In addition, to further reduce cargo
tank penetration in the event of grounding,
the inner bottom of the cargo oil tank 1 was
raised from 2.1 m to 2.75 m, which was a
feature of the earlier design. To ensure
structural continuity, an inclined inner
bottom is proposed between two frames.
Work is continuing to evaluate the hull
structure with finite element analysis,
according to IACS CSR.
Using LNG as a ship fuel reduces SOx by
90% and CO2 emissions by 20%. In addition,
with LNG prices today, a price-parity with
HFO is considered to be possible in the
medium-term. Tankers with their relatively
large deck areas offer sufficient space for the
installation of the required gas tanks and for
the gas preparation room.
In this case, about 2,000 cu m is needed to
sustain two roundtrips. However, the LNG-as-
fuel supply is limited today and will only
gradually be built up.
The second challenge is the significant
additional capital expenditure, which is
estimated to be around 20% above a typical
Aframax newbuilding price.
OutlookThis novel Aframax oil tanker design concept
– created using an advanced optimisation
framework – has the lowest cost of transport
and the highest speed of comparable designs
and features a low EEDI and a low oil
outflow index.
With a possible market upswing due to
expected replacement needs for older tonnage
and by integrating only existing technologies,
the novel design concept looks attractive for
those shipowners who want to stay ahead of
their competitors for the next decade, Dr
Sames said.
TECHNOLOGY - SHIP DESCRIPTION
TANKEROperator � June 201128
TO
A general arrangement drawing of the BESTplus. Note the raised double bottom heighttowards the bow.
There is plenty of room on deck for gas fuel tanks and the preparation room in an LNG fuelled Aframax.
p26-44:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:57 Page 3
TECHNOLOGY - EMISSIONS CONTROL
June 2011 � TANKEROperator 29
We know that if the IMO fails
to come up with a proposal,
the EU will devise a regional
solution, but although there is
much speculation over different measures,
currently no one knows the details of how, or
on what level regulation will work.
What is certain is that whether the IMO’s
Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), a
bunker fuel levy or an Emissions Trading
Scheme are implemented, establishing a clear
target to work towards is crucial. Another
certainty is that for any new regulations to be
a success, there must be simple solutions to
ensure compliance. Any benchmarking or
indexing must also be based on accurate CO2
data. But most important, all solutions need to
unlock the latent profitability currently
trapped in the industry – with or without
regulation.
This shift in mindset is fundamental to
access the money and resources that adopting
clean technologies and particularly, retrofit
technologies can provide. DNV’s cost curve,
featured in the 2009 ‘Pathways to Low
Carbon Shipping’ report, illustrates that there
is 15% latent efficiency in the industry for
retrofit technology and 25% for newbuild
vessels – a lot to play for. Other industry
players estimate the inefficiency to be
even higher.
The potential for this profitability is
increasingly being realised, as shipowners,
operators and their charterers strive to combat
fluctuating fuel costs. With crude continuing
to hold at well over $100 per barrel, bunker
prices at double their 2010 levels and
drastically higher cleaner fuel costs imminent
as stricter Emission Control Area (ECAs)
sulphur levels are introduced, fuel savings
have never been so keenly desired.
To access these fuel savings, in conjunction
with reduced CO2 emissions, tanker owners
and operators are increasingly taking a
proactive approach to get ahead of regulation.
Focusing on improving efficiencies is good
for business and with the clock ticking on the
impending timetable for regulatory change, it
has never been more important for shipowners
to look at the bigger picture and plan for
the future.
This message is filtering through the
industry, and there is a new progressive
energy and outlook as increasing numbers of
shipowners are open to technical development
and looking to advancements to access the
money that is there for the taking with the
application of clean technologies. A recent
survey has highlighted the increasing
popularity of clean technology and has
published a guide in response to growing
demand for more information.
The Guide, launched by market intelligence
company Fathom, is the first comprehensive
guide to ship efficiency and technology
measures. Supported by BIMCO and Lloyd’s
Register, it details the emission reduction
capability, payback periods and ship type
applicability for an array of technologies that
are increasingly being embraced by the
shipping industry – a positive step forward.
While many of the technologies on the
market – including the ones listed in Fathom’s
guide - may be well known, there have
previously been several barriers preventing
many people from choosing these products.
These included a lack of proven technologies,
unreliability and low fuel prices. However,
these barriers are increasingly eroding as the
industry opens its eyes to the possibilities that
innovative technologies present, especially
those that can also be retrofitted.
Clock tickingtowards regulatory
changeAs the IMO’s MEPC 62 meeting in July fast approaches and Greenhouse Gases (GHG)
become the focus for the industry once more, there is much confusion over the extent
to which the shipping industry may be regulated*.
Founded in 2000, DK Group isone of the world’s leadingmaritime technologycompanies. The group pioneered the development
of ACS for new and existing vessels to
reduce a vessel’s fuel consumption and
CO2 emissions by up to 10% -
providing huge cost savings for
shipowners and reducing the shipping
industry’s impact on global warming.
DK’s ACS technology is one of the
most comprehensively described
eco-efficiency technologies to be
validated by the United Nations’ IMO
GHG, 2009. �
DK GroupDK’s CEO Katia Kardash.
p26-44:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:57 Page 4
TECHNOLOGY - EMISSIONS CONTROL
TANKEROperator � June 201130
The retrofit market is brimming with
potential for cost savings that can be accessed
now, which is ultimately great for business in
both the short and long term. With current
bunker fuel prices and impending sulphur and
potential GHG regulation, it is the cost
savings that can be achieved as a result of
reduced fuel consumption that are perhaps the
most enticing for tanker owners and operators.
To make these savings, simplicity is vital. An
example of such technology is DK Group’s
Air Cavity System (ACS).
The pioneering ACS – an air lubrication
technology that delivers approximately 10% in
fuel savings for tankers and which is
comprehensively referenced in the IMO GHG
study, 2009 – represents a new breed of eco-
efficient technologies that can now be
retrofitted - in this case in just 14 days at
routine drydock - for the existing commercial
fleet.
Making the technology available for both
newbuildings and current vessels ensures that
tanker owners and operators can benefit from
emissions reduction and related fuel cost
savings straight away and will demonstrate
real progress for the industry’s economy.
The cost savings that can be realised, with a
payback time of just 18 months to three years
at current bunker fuel prices, will make a
significant positive difference to the bottom
line for all, with the payback period only
reducing further as fuel prices climb and
regulation for cleaner distillate fuels come
online in 2015 and beyond.
Whichever regulation is implemented in
July, the progress that indexing and
benchmarking measures can drive should not
be underestimated. EEDI itself has already
laid a foundation to further drive change, by
provoking discussion that opens the doors for
tanker owners to explore new ways of cutting
costs and emissions. EEDI and more accurate
indices that follow can help to break through
the barriers to technology take-up, based on
solid CO2 data of course.
Looking to the future, the shipping
industry and its regulations is evolving and
fast, but innovative eco-efficiency
technologies that marry cost savings and
reduced emissions can provide stability for
tanker owners and operators as they enter a
new era of shipping.
*This article was written by Katia Kardash –CEO, DK Group.
The ICS has declared its stanceon GHG market based measures. In a statement, the ICS said that the future
efficiency of the world’s fleet can best be
ensured, in the first instance, by the adoption
of legislation at the IMO on technical and
operational measures for the reduction of CO2
emissions from international shipping.
This legislation should include:
a) An Energy Efficiency Design Index
(EEDI) for application to new specified
ship types. (Note: significant work is still
required to determine the appropriate
EEDI calculation for a number of
specialist ship types, such as Ro-Ros, Gas
Carriers etc)
b) A review clause such that the application
of the EEDI to future new ships can be
tested against efficiency expectations and
for any unforeseen impact prior to each
implementation of the EEDI reduction
stages.
c) A requirement for each ship to have a ship
specific Ship Energy Efficiency
Management Plan (SEEMP).
IMO member states are strongly urged to adopt
the EEDI legislation at the IMO’s MEPC 62
meeting due to take place in July 2011.
The ICS said that it was confident that
international shipping will reduce its CO2
emissions, per tonne/kilometre, through
technical and operational measures that will
deliver improving ship efficiency, by more
than 20% by 2020 (2007 baseline).
If states believe it appropriate that a market-
based measure (MBM) should be applied to
international shipping then this will be
supported subject to certain provisions -
1) The measure must be compliant with the
nine principles on MBMs adopted at IMO.
That the measure will:
� Effectively reduce CO2 emissions.
� Be binding and include all flag states.
� Be cost effective.
� Not distort competition.
� Be based on sustainable development
without restricting trade or growth.
� Be goal based and not prescribe
particular methods.
� Stimulate technical research and
development in the entire maritime
sector.
� Take into account new technology.
� Be practical, transparent, free of fraud
and easy to administer.
2) That revenue generated by any measure
adopted must be primarily used for
efficiency improvement within the
shipping industry and to assist in
mitigation measures in developing
countries and - only one economic measure
should be applied to shipping and that this
should be administered under IMO.
It is a fundamental principle for ICS that any
GHG financial instrument that is determined
necessary for international shipping should be
resolved in and applied through, IMO.
The global shipping industry has a
preference for an MBM that is
levy/compensation fund based. ICS believes
that a levy/compensation fund based system is
best suited for the shipping industry and
shipping companies because such a system
will ensure that:
a) A level playing field is maintained.
b) Serious market distortion is avoided.
c) Management of the system will be easier.
d) The desired transparency will be provided.
The ICS said it believes that CO2 emissions
from international shipping cannot be reduced
effectively and meaningfully through the
incorporation of shipping into any regional
financial instrument.
Therefore, the chamber is strongly opposed
to the application of any regional GHG
scheme to international shipping. In
particular, the incorporation of international
shipping in the EU ETS is most definitely
not suitable for the shipping industry and is
to be strongly opposed.
GHG - ICS shows its hand
ICS president Spyros Polemis.
TO
TO
p26-44:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:57 Page 5
TECHNOLOGY - EMISSIONS CONTROL
Reducing shipping emissions will
be the major driver of change in
the maritime industry for decades
to come. But the starting point for
tackling shipping emissions is to measure it.
The analogy is simple; you don’t start a diet
without accurate scales to measure your
progress! Real-time emissions monitoring is
not only critical in ensuring regulatory
compliance, but also for improving the
operational performance of the modern vessel.
Emissions monitoring is already a fact of
life for the shipping industry, not least for
vessels operating within Emission Control
Areas (ECAs) thanks to IMO MARPOL
Annex VI’s regulations.
With the introduction of new ECAs and the
tightening of sulphur emission limits within
them, more and more vessels will need to
monitor their emissions using increasingly
sophisticated monitoring systems. The North
American ECA, effective from 2012, will
impact 50% of international containership
maritime traffic and by 2015, 90% of the
world’s container routes will involve ECA
transits.
Furthermore, market pressure is growing,
with the likes of Caterpillar, Volvo and Wal-
Mart now asking for shipping emissions data.
The most effective method for measuring
emissions is in-situ monitoring using a
continuous emissions monitoring (CEM)
system. In contrast to extractive sampling
where a gas sample needs to be physically
extracted from the system for analysis, ‘in-
situ’ monitoring provides a continuous, real
time measurement of the content of your
exhaust gases, with data provided
instantaneously on a screen that can be
installed in the engine room and on the bridge.
An in-situ continuous monitoring system
will immediately flag up any problems. By
contrast, a five stack extractive system will
monitor any stack for only 12 mins in any
hour. In-situ systems are also more reliable,
as they do not require any filtration, or drying
of the exhaust gas and are the only real
monitoring option for low maintenance
seawater scrubbing operations.
In-situ CEM systems are a robust and
reliable method of complying with emissions
regulations, whether in port, in ECAs, or in
international waters. They are highly effective,
simple to use, require little maintenance and
have lower installation and operational costs
than extractive sample handling systems. They
can also measure compliance from residual
Online emissionsmonitoring aids
transparencyChris Daw, managing director of Kittiwake Procal, explains the importance of in-situ
continuous emissions monitoring in ensuring regulatory compliance and improved
operational performance.
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Real-time emissions monitoring is not only
critical in ensuring regulatory compliance,
but also for improving the operational
performance of the modern vessel.
“
”
June 2011 � TANKEROperator 31
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TECHNOLOGY - EMISSIONS CONTROL
TANKEROperator � June 2011
and distillate fuel combustion, which enables fuel switching to be
monitored.
The unique nature of infra-red in-situ systems is sensitive enough to
confirm compliance, even when emission limits are very low.
Emissions that are the equivalent of 0.1% sulphur fuel are around 22
ppm of SOx in the exhaust gas. Any instrument with a range over 0-
100 ppm will not be accurate enough to measure this and an
inappropriate choice for scrubber operational monitoring.
Kittiwake’s Procal 2000 - an infra-red duct or stack-mounted system,
designed to provide in-stack analysis – for example has an SO2
monitoring range of 0-100 ppm but can automatically switch ranges to
0-500/1,000 ppm for monitoring operations outside of an ECA on high
sulphur fuels.
Such systems are also versatile enough to measure several gases and
from several on board locations. Kittiwake’s Procal 2000 can analyse
up to six different exhaust gases from multiple engines and boilers,
including SO2, CO2 and NOx. It comprises up to six exhaust-mounted
analysers, each with automatic verification facilities, which makes it
ideal for a crew inexperienced in emissions analysis.
The Kittiwake Procal 2000 analyser has an in-situ sample cell that
sits inside the exhaust, avoiding the need to manually extract gas using
costly, high maintenance sample handling systems and enabling
analysis of an unmodified, representative gas sample. It can also
measure H2O or water vapour, meaning that measurements can be
reported in as ‘dry’, or ‘wet’.
As well as meeting regulatory standards, emissions monitoring
performs a valuable operational role. Armed with accurate data about
its vessel emissions, an operator can optimise operations within
regulatory limits; in other words, avoiding the risk of gold-plating
compliance to their commercial disadvantage.
Accurate emissions data also allows an operator to baseline its
existing combustion systems, benchmark the performance of emission
reduction products and technologies, such as lower sulphur fuels, or
scrubbing equipment and evaluate compliance against published
specifications.
The day-to-day benefits of continuous emissions monitoring mean
that emissions data can be used to advise on engine performance and to
improve maintenance regimes that better understand engine and
generators’ specific emissions tolerances and provide an early warning
of equipment damage.
When it comes to controlling emissions, knowledge is power. The
better the information you have, the better decisions you can take, not
just in ensuring regulatory compliance, but also in maximising
operational efficiencies and making the right calls on new technology
investments.
By providing accurate, reliable and timely emissions data, in-situ
CEM systems deliver exactly those benefits.
The day-to-day benefits of
continuous emissions monitoring
mean that emissions data can be
used to advise on engine
performance and to improve
maintenance regimes
“
”
TO
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June 2011 � TANKEROperator 33
TECHNOLOGY - EMISSIONS CONTROL
Shipowners and operators are facing
volatile fuel prices and challenging
emission regulations. These issues
are compounded by the need to
control costs and improve operating
efficiencies. To operate a vessel at maximum
efficiency demands accurate fuel
measurement. Tighter control and
management of fuel burned improves engine
efficiency, delivering fuel savings and
reducing emissions.
The key to optimised fuel usage is efficient
combustion. This is dependant on correct
atomisation of the fuel, which relies on the
fuel being at the correct viscosity as it enters
the burners. Fuel represents a major cost in
the operation of a large vessel. Therefore
operators will always look for low cost fuel
and carefully measure and monitor usage.
However, low cost fuel can be of a lower or
inconsistent quality, reducing combustion
efficiency, increasing emissions, and resulting
in higher fuel usage and increased levels of
maintenance due to carbon deposits.
The density and viscosity of diesel fuel are
consistent, meaning it is relatively easy to
design combustion systems that burn the fuel
optimally and efficiently. This compares with
HFO which, although lower in price than
diesel fuel, is a residual product of the
refinery process and is inconsistent in
quality. To ensure optimum combustion,
some form of processing is required and
many vessels are fitted with viscosity booster
units or fuel conditioning units. These
prepare the HFO for combustion, heating it
to bring the viscosity down from 380 cSt or
higher to the 10-14 cSt required by the
combustion systems.
Many existing booster units have
mechanical viscosity sensors, which need
regular cleaning, maintenance and
calibration. Emerson’s Micro Motion®
Viscomaster™ viscosity meters act as direct
replacements and will accurately measure the
viscosity, density and temperature of the
HFO enabling it to be treated as necessary,
the company said. Emerson offers a range of
retrofit installation adaptors for capillary or
in-line installation. These adaptors enable
quick and easy replacement of alternative
viscosity measurement technologies, without
the need for mechanical changes to pipe
work or skid design.
The Viscomaster meters are highly tolerant
to harsh environments and provide reliable,
accurate control with little or no maintenance
or recalibration, Emerson claimed. Integral 4-
20 mA and RS-485 Modbus outputs remove
the need for external amplifiers or terminal
boxes. The meters are approved by Lloyd's
Register for marine environments and have a
wide range of equivalent worldwide marine
approvals. Their installation flexibility,
ruggedness, ease of use, and extensive range
Bunkers – the firststep to curbing
emissionsBunkers are the first step in the emissions reduction chain. Monitor bunker deliveries
and an owner/operator can improve efficiency, thus cutting emissions.
An Emerson mass flow meter.
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TANKEROperator � June 201134
TECHNOLOGY - EMISSIONS CONTROL
of standard features have resulted in broad
adoption by users and OEM providers.
With many vessel operators setting a fuel
budget for each trip, it has never been more
important to measure fuel usage. Emerson’s
Micro Motion Coriolis mass flow meters have
been applied to the measurement of fuel oil to
provide highly accurate, mass-based
measurement. Using the Modbus
communications protocol, the mass flow
meter sends data to a fuel efficiency control
system, which collects information from the
flow meter and other on board systems to help
the crew optimise the operation of the ship.
Tighter control and management of fuel
burned improves engine efficiency, delivering
fuel savings and reducing emissions.
Micro Motion Coriolis meters are ideally
suited to marine fuel measurement
applications, providing extremely high
accuracy and wide rangeability. They are easy
to install between the booster module and
engine and because there are no moving parts,
they also offer savings by reducing
maintenance requirements when compared to
volumetric flow measurement devices.
Emerson's MVD Direct Connect™
architecture further simplifies installation and
reduces cost and complexity through direct
integration into a Modbus host. Digital and
analogue communications deliver the data
directly to the control room or bridge,
enabling close control. This complete solution
also provides access to all Micro Motion
instrument variables, including embedded
diagnostics and full sensor configuration.
Bunker measurementTo monitor bunker deliveries, Emerson has
introduced the Micro Motion® certified
marine bunker measurement solution. It is
claimed to be the first traceable, transparent,
mass-based measurement system, with third-
party certification, for HFO bunkering.
Installed on a vessel, barge, or at a terminal,
this solution monitors the bunker delivery,
reports final totals and provides a ticket that
can be used for custody transfer. This
globally-certified bunker custody transfer
system meets international standards and
provides highly accurate, transparent bunker
fuel deliveries that will minimise the number
of disputes between barge operators and ship
operators, while enabling operators to very
accurately monitor fuel and improve
operational efficiencies, the company said.
While bunker transfers are billed based on
mass, measurements are calculated using
volumetric-based methods. Traditional bunker
measurement relies heavily on look-up tables
and manual dips, as well as laboratory tests to
determine density measurements. These
practices are labour intensive, inferential and
can result in legal disputes and potential
reputation damage. With bunker fuel costs
amounting to 50-70% of the total ship
operating expense, even small inaccuracies
can have a major effect on operating costs.
Emerson worked with shipping industry
leaders, suppliers, and barge operators to
develop its certified bunker measurement
system. It includes a Micro Motion ELITE®
Coriolis meter, Series 3000 transmitter with
marine bunker transfer package and bunker
delivery ticket printer.
The solution is capable of handling the
density and viscosity variation inherent in
HFO and was certified by Nederlands
Meetinstituut (NMi), the notified body for
testing to the guidelines of the European
Instruments Directive (MID) and issuing
authority for OIML (International
Organisation for Legal Metrology). The Micro
Motion meter meets the OIML standard R117-
1 and the overall solution meets MID standard
2004/22/EC Annex MI-005.
The process of marine bunkering presents
challenges to any measurement device.
Unlike gasoline, or diesel fuel, the density and
viscosity of HFO varies enormously and can
even vary across a single bunkering, as the
fuel may stratify in the storage tank. This
means that measurement systems based on
volume, need a correction factor applied to
determine the mass of the fuel that has been
delivered. In addition, the fuel being delivered
can become aerated, which will affect the
volume measurement, Emerson said.
Micro Motion Coriolis meters deliver
consistent, accurate mass measurement. The
certified marine bunker measurement system
has been specifically designed to handle high-
viscosity, aerated liquids and offers an overall
accuracy within 0.5% of mass, the company
claimed. The transmitter posts an alert when
the level of entrained air reaches a pre-set
limit, allowing the operator to take steps to
reduce aeration and ensure accurate delivery.
A printed bunker transfer receipt includes the
time, date and the total quantity transferred
and can be used as a legal (weights &
measures) document. It can be installed on
either barges, or the vessels.
Micro Motion Coriolis meters, with no
moving parts to break, wear, or risk
performance drift, deliver the highest accuracy
and performance possible, Emerson said.
ELITE high capacity meters are capable of
handling flow rates over 1,500 tonnes per
hour and deliver reliable performance and the
highest flow rates of any Coriolis meter
available today. The ELITE meters have been
tested with crude oil and other liquid and gas
hydrocarbons in accordance with American
Petroleum Institute (API) and American Gas
Association (AGA) guidelines.
Maersk take-upThe system is being installed on AP Moller-
Maersk vessels. In December 2010, the
containership Maersk Bulan became the
world’s first cargo vessel equipped with a
Micro Motion certified marine bunker
measurement solution. “Emerson’s Micro
Motion certified bunker solution allows us to
remove uncertainty and improve transparency
on custody transfer of fuel oil, which is our
largest cost item, while at the same time
increasing our operational efficiency,” said
Jesper Rosenkrans, business development
VT’s bunker barge Vlaardingen has had a measurement system installed on board.
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June 2011 � TANKEROperator 35
TECHNOLOGY - EMISSIONS CONTROL
At a major event at its DieselResearch Centre in Copenhagenrecently, MAN Diesel & Turbopresented its ME-GI gas engine.The unveiling of the two-stroke engine
represents the culmination of many years’
work that began in the 1990s with the
company’s prototype MC-GI dual-fuel engine.
MAN Diesel & Turbo originally
announced plans to carry out full-scale
testing of the new engine in September 2010.
May’s full-scale demonstration and
performance verification test of the GI
principle for all types of marine applications
was carried out on MAN’s 4T50ME-X R&D
research engine, which was rebuilt as a
4T50ME-GI engine operating on natural gas.
South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding &
Marine Engineering (DSME) provided the
ME-GI’s pertaining, high-pressure,
cryogenic gas-supply system, according to
the terms of a development agreement
signed in February 2010.
The ME-GI engine is a gas-injection, dual-
fuel, low-speed diesel engine that, when
acting as main propulsion in LNG carriers or
any other type of merchant vessel, can burn
gas, or fuel-oil at any ratio, depending on the
energy source available on board and dictated
by relative cost and owner preference.
Depending on relative price and availability,
as well as environmental considerations, the
ME-GI engine gives shipowners and operators
the option of using either gas, or HFO.
MAN said that it saw significant
opportunities arising for gas-fuelled tonnage
as fuel prices rise and modern exhaust-
emission limits tighten. Indeed, previous
research indicated that the ME-GI engine,
when combined with exhaust gas recirculation
(EGR) and waste-heat recovery (WHR)
technologies, delivered significant reductions
in CO2, NOx and SO x emissions, fulfilling
Tier-II and Tier-III regulations.
The company predicted a broad, potential
market for its ME-GI engine, extending from
LNG and LPG carriers to other oceangoing
vessel sectors.
“The unveiling of the ME-GI engine is
MAN Diesel & Turbo’s response to current
market conditions and the large audience in
Copenhagen is proof of the great interest in
this propulsion solution,” said MAN Diesel &
Turbo’s Søren Jensen, vice president and head
of research & development, marine low-speed,
speaking at its launch.
He continued: “The ME-GI engine is the
culmination of years of research and
development and we consider the timing of its
release to market to be optimal. We see many
potential applications for the ME-GI’s
increased flexibility and greater control both
within the LNG sector and generally within
marine transportation, as operators seek to
control costs and emissions.”
Jensen concluded: “With the addition of the
ME-GI engine to its existing portfolio, MAN
Diesel & Turbo now offers the two-stroke
market’s most comprehensive array of prime-
mover solutions all the way up to 98-bore.”
MAN B&W ME-GI (gas injection) two-
stroke engines possess economical and
operational benefits compared to other, low-
speed engine plants, irrespective of ship size.
Based on the successful, electronically
controlled ME heavy-fuel-burning diesel
engines, the ME-GI design accommodates
natural gas and liquid fuels.
Dual-fuel operation requires the injection of
both pilot fuel-oil and gas fuel into the engine’s
combustion chamber via different types of
valves arranged in the cylinder head. The ME-
GI engine head is fitted with two valves for gas
injection and two for pilot fuel. The pilot-oil
valve is a standard ME fuel-oil valve.
MAN B&W ME-C and ME-GI engines are
broadly similar and share the same efficiency,
output and dimensions. In comparison, the
ME-GI engine’s key components are its
modified exhaust receiver, modified cylinder
cover with injection valves and gas-control
block, an expanding top gallery platform, high
pressure fuel-supply pipes, and mounted gas-
control units.
manager Maersk Oil Trading. “This makes our
investment in Emerson’s Micro Motion
solution an attractive proposition."
Micro Motion Coriolis meters for bunker
measurement were first implemented by
Maersk on a number of vessels in 2008. While
the initial results were good, Maersk and the
industry as a whole needed a transparent and
traceable bunker measurement system based
around the Micro Motion Coriolis meter to
provide the necessary confidence and drive a
true global industry change.
Further work was undertaken by Emerson,
with agreement from Maersk and its partners,
to develop a deeper understanding of the
challenges of bunkering fluid dynamics. This
included addressing the issues to realise a
direct mass-based, independently accredited,
bunkering custody transfer solution for two-
phase HFO.
Barge installationAnother company to install the measurement
system was Rotterdam-based VT Group
(Verenigde Tankrederij). A system was fitted
on the large bunker fuel barge Vlaardingen.
VT said that the system provides the crew
and the company’s head office with real-
time, accurate tracking of HFO bunker
deliveries, removing the need for manual
soundings, or calculations and enabling them
to prove the quality and consistency of
deliveries to VT’s customers.
The company also said that the
implementation of the certified bunker
measurement solution in December 2010 on
the Vlaardingen was a natural extension of
VT’s in-house developed software system,
which is based on tank radar measurement,
corrected for trim and list.
The VT radar system eliminates manual
processes and already gives highly accurate
results, the company said.
"Certified Coriolis flow meters support the
existing VT business model of accurate
quantity measurements,” said VT Group’s Yuri
Ouweneel. “These flow meters allow us to
differentiate ourselves as a top-tier bunker
service company, further improving our
reputation while illustrating this value clearly
to our customers.”
World Premiere of MAN gas engine
� Low operational cost.
� Low investment cost.
� Flexible burning of HFO and gas.
� Clean exhaust gas.
� Conventional MA� B&W two-
stroke technology: high reliability
and low maintenance.
� Simple technology.
� Maximum engine-room safety.
� Two-stroke dual-fuel experience
since 1994.
� Proven technology.
ME-GI enginebenefits
TO
TO
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TANKEROperator � June 201136
TECHNOLOGY – EMERGENCY RESPONSE
With maritime experts
specialising in each of five
ship types, AWT aims to meet
the specific, segmented needs
of the industry, ultimately helping to enhance
fleet safety and reduce fuel consumption, the
company said.
“At AWT, we are dedicated to continuous
innovation to meet the needs of our
customers,” said Skip Vaccarello, AWT
president and CEO. “We understand that ship
routing and fleet management encompass
myriad factors. Now, by offering specialised
services, we are providing that next level of
personalized service.”
AWT’s routing experts zero in on specific
needs of the tanker sector, for example –
including vessel age, type, size, speed, cargo,
draft, client and vessel special requirements –
then plot the most appropriate routes based on
the goals of each individual voyage.
The company’s experts include
meteorologists, route analysts, forecasting
specialists, maritime scientists, computer
scientists and technology innovators,
mathematical modelers, end-of-voyage
analysts and vessel masters who are all
focused exclusively on fleet optimisation to
identify the safest and most cost-efficient
routes while also reducing fuel consumption,
costs and carbon emissions.
Pre-voyage planning and daily status reports
with alerts and links to detailed voyage
information are provided. AWT’s BonVoyage
(BVS) marine voyage optimisation software
considers many variables, including weather
and sea conditions, scheduled arrival times
and fuel consumption targets. In addition,
with AWT’s GlobalView™ fleet management
system, fleet managers can track in-the-
moment ship performance, fuel consumption/
carbon emissions, weather conditions, ETAs,
or other factors specific to tankers.
Laycan dataFor example, as part of AWT’s tanker service,
fleet managers are given laycan data to ensure
that the ETA of the vessel remains within the
agreed laycan. Fleet summaries with colour-
coded icons give a quick view to easily
identify ships that need attention regarding
fuel consumption and ETAs.
The data is refreshed every hour to show
up-to-date status of the fleet. Custom reports
can be generated for each vessel type and
customer-centric reports vary by company and
its departmental requirements.
“We believe AWT provides highly
specialised services for our business needs,”
said Erik Hjortland, advisor, ship performance
and bunker management, Odfjell Tankers.
“We consider AWT to be a very innovative
company, and they are very customer driven.”
“AWT’s shore-based service in combination
with the (BVS) on board software assists us
by protecting the crew and cargo, reducing
heavy weather damages, providing more
accurate vessel scheduling, curbing emissions
and ultimately reducing fuel costs,” He added.
The high-value cargoes carried by tankers
can often be bought and sold several times
during a single voyage, which can
significantly affect its operational
requirements. Because the vessels’ crew and
shore-based operating personnel must ensure
that the ETA of the vessel remains within the
agreed laycan, critical, well-founded decisions
must be made throughout most passages.
These decisions relating to the weather, sea
and current conditions expected en route help
ensure the optimum route is followed, and the
laycan achieved with the minimum cost.
Tanker specificweather routing now available
Applied Weather Technology (AWT) has developed its ship routing and
fleet management services to meet the specialised needs of voyages by vessel
and cargo type, including tankers.
Screenshot of a pirate activity alert.
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June 2011 � TANKEROperator 37
TECHNOLOGY – EMERGENCY RESPONSE
AWT’s tanker service provides a suite of
services that can be mixed and matched to
best meet a company’s corporate goals. These
include -
� Weather routing services.
� Pre-voyage planning.
� Least time routing.
� Safety first routing.
� Fuel optimisation.
� Laycan.
� Virtual Arrival.
� Voyage tracking.
� Position polling and AIS data.
� Daily status reports with alerts and links
to detailed voyage information.
� Shelltime performance reports customised
to the charterparty terms.
Tanker service benefits include: -
� 24/7 access to tanker routing expert.
� Comprehensive fleet management with
GlobalView.
� Customised fleet and voyage summaries.
� Customised alerts.
� Access to latest global pirate activity.
� Access to resources consolidated from
multiple websites.
AWT recently added safety enhancements to
its GlobalView™ fleet management system.
These include comprehensive pirate data and
rogue wave alerts, which are presented in one
visual, easy-to-use format.
The company claimed that this helps fleet
managers to manage their vessels’ safe
passage through pirate attack areas, war risk
waters and embargo areas, and also regions
known for rogue waves.
Tracking pirate activityWith the integration of real-time NATO pirate
tracking information, GlobalView provides a
comprehensive, at-a-glance overview of all
pirate-related information in one easy-to-use,
customisable visual format.
Available information includes ‘mothership’
locations and anticipated trajectory, hijacking
information and pirate attack group operating
areas. Live links are now integrated into
GlobalView, which give fleet managers’ one-
click access to further NATO details in real-
time. Additionally, users can customise the
type of data available through myriad filters,
including timeframe, location, type of pirate
activity, historical data and more.
AWT claims to be the only company to
provide severe motions and rogue wave alerts
in its fleet management system. GlobalView
now shows areas to avoid that have the
potential for rogue waves, which are constantly
changing based on conditions at sea.
Rogue waves (also known as freak waves,
monster waves, killer waves, extreme waves
and abnormal waves) are relatively large,
spontaneous ocean waves that occur in the
open ocean in deepwater and can be a threat
to any vessel.
The scientific definition is a wave whose
height is more than twice the significant
wave height (SWH), which is defined as the
average of the largest third of waves in a
given area. Rogue waves are not always the
largest found at sea; they are, rather,
surprisingly large waves for a given sea
state and are normally steep faced and
often breaking.
AWT has developed a proprietary global
model to forecast where current focusing
rogue waves are likely to occur.
War risk and embargo areasGlobalView also provides visual information
on war risk waters and embargo areas, as
updated by the Joint War Committee of the
IMO. Typically closer to shorelines, this helps
fleet managers, masters and route analysts
work together to visually identify these
regions and either avoid or minimise exposure
to high risk areas.
Screenshot of a rogue wave alert off South Africa.
TO
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TANKEROperator � June 201138
TECHNOLOGY – FIRE DETECTION
Advanced firedetection system
launchedWith high levels of redundancy and enhanced networking functionality,
Autronica’s AutroSafe 4 is the fire safety system developers
most advanced fire detection system to date.
AutroSafe 4 was designed in
parallel with the SOLAS Safe
Return to Port (SRtP)
recommendations with a number
of new features and benefits for all types of
vessels, apart from passenger vessels for
which the new regulations were intended.
The key difference between AutroSafe 4
and previous systems is AutroSafe Dual
Safety, which is where the redundant part of
the network can talk with the active part of the
network. In a scenario where a central fire
panel is damaged, the system will switch
automatically and quickly to the back-up, to
ensure continuous operation, which is vital in
an ongoing emergency.
This high redundancy is enabled by the
introduction of AutroNet, an Ethernet-based
panel network that connects AutroSafe 4
panels through a dual-path, high-speed (100
Mbps) redundant system, delivering solid,
reliable performance in line with current
regulations. It safeguards communication
between panels even if a line fault (break,
switch port fault etc) is present. Any alarms
are transmitted safely to all panels because all
network traffic is duplicated along two
independent network paths.
New AutroKeeper smart relay units also
make redundant control of the loop possible,
which is particularly important; should the
primary loop controlling panel fail or
misbehave, the secondary backup panel will
take control of the loop.
In designing AutroSafe 4, Autronica has
improved the system’s operation, and
simplified its installation and maintenance. The
system is managed through a single point of
operation for download of configuration data,
or program upgrades. This ensures a faster and
safer way to change or upgrade the system
program using the panel network, AutroNet or
a USB memory stick, which reduces downtime
and through quick and easy commissioning,
may reduce maintenance costs.
AutroSafe 4 and AutroNet are designed to
meet all requirements in the high-end
commercial vessel sectors and are certified
according to European directives (CPD)
requiring EN 54 compliance and have Factory
Mutual (FM) approval according to NFPA 72.
“AutroSafe is already widely recognised as
the most advanced, fully addressable fire
detection system available for maritime use
and with AutroSafe 4, this position is
strengthened, especially with the improved
networking opportunities available from the
integration of AutroNet,” says Kristin Øgaard,
Autronica’s vice president sales maritime.
FLAGSHIP partnerIn addition, Autronica has played a key role in
the development of FLAGSHIP-ISEMS
(Integrated Safety and Emergency
Management System), a new system that
enables real-time communication between the
safety management system and the shore.
The new system is now being offered as part
of AutroMaster, Autronica’s integrated Safety
Management System and is set to improve
crew performance during emergency operations
whilst supporting drills and training.
FLAGSHIP-ISEMS was created as part of
FLAGSHIP, the pan-European maritime
transport project part funded by the EU. It is
an integrated, ship-to-shore system, primarily
for the control and monitoring of passenger
safety functions on board ship utilising both
fixed and mobile assets.
Per Norman Oma, section manager, software
for Autronica Fire and Security and FLAGSHIP
partner said: “It would not have been possible to
make the progress that we did, within the time
frame, was it not for the collaboration of experts
across Europe within the FLAGSHIP ISEMS
sub-project in which many of these concepts
were tested. We are delighted to have been part
of a research project that has delivered practical
tangible results.
These ‘results’ are systems and products that
can see in operation on the high seas delivering
benefits to the maritime transport industry in the
form of enhanced safety,” he said.
Herman de Meester, FLAGSHIP co-
ordinator commented: “The shipping industry
always works hard to meet and exceed
performance standards. The adoption of
specific learning in to new products for the
advancement of the industry is exactly what
EC projects such as these are all about and are
to be welcomed and encouraged.”Autronica’s fire detection system.
TO
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June 2011 � TANKEROperator 39
TECHNOLOGY – TANK SERVICING
The majority of the approved
cleaning chemicals are not actually
designed to remove traces of
previous cargo that are known to
be absorbed/retained inside the coatings of
vessels’ cargo tanks.
This is in direct contrast to cleaning solvents
that do actively penetrate into cargo tank coatings
to very efficiently remove previous cargo
residues that are known to be retained there.
I have also looked at how operational and
commercial pressures directly influence the
tank cleaning process and thus close co-
operation is perhaps required, even when this
would appear to create a conflict of interest.
I believe it is unrealistic to keep tightening
the pre-loading inspection requirements prior to
loading chemical cargoes in order to produce a
higher quality of received cargo, but I
understand that if the market demands a higher
quality of cargo, what else can be done?
1) Dedicated tonnage (without subsidies) is
commercial suicide in any market
conditions, let alone the most challenging
market seen for almost a generation.
2) Prohibiting previous cargoes also squeezes
the flexibility of the vessels and ultimately
results in increased transport and
commodity prices.
So clearly we must continue seeking the most
efficient tank cleaning processes, always
considering the use of approved tank cleaning
materials. But as already noted, approved
cleaning chemicals cannot be relied upon to
completely remove retained previous cargo
residues from coated cargo tanks, so at this
time, there is seemingly little point pursuing
this angle further.
When it comes to cleaning coated cargo
tanks to a chemically clean standard (in other
words to a standard where there are no longer
any retained previous cargo residues retained
inside the coating), the most efficient cleaning
processes can only utilise cleaning materials
that are able to penetrate the coating and flush
out the residues that are retained. This
basically translates into using specific
cleaning solvents, and of course the challenge
is then to use these solvents safely.
No alternative to using solvents?Branded cleaning chemicals are predominantly
surface active cleaners and by design are only
able to clean ‘surfaces’. Work has been carried
out that shows that even the most efficient
surface active cleaning chemicals leave residues
retained in different coating types that can, and
will, cause a wall wash inspection to fail.
Whether the concentration of these residues
retained in the coating is sufficient to
contaminate a cargo when that tank is fully
loaded is another question (the dilution effect
from a wall wash sample to a fully loaded
cargo tank is vast and this is actually why
tightening the wall wash specification further
does not necessarily result in a higher quality
of shipped cargo), but the point is, at this time,
vessels nominated to load sensitive cargoes
will very often have to pass a wall wash
inspection before loading can even
commence, so as a minimum, tank cleaning
must achieve a result that indicates:
a) There are no previous cargo residues on
the surface of the coating.
b) There are no previous cargo residues
retained in the profile of the coating.
Each time a cargo tank is wall washed as part
of a tank cleaning operation or pre-loading
inspection, the wall wash solvent will extract
both surface and retained contamination and if
the amount of extracted contamination
exceeds a pre-set limit (the wall wash
specification), the sample will fail and the
cargo tank will be rejected and considered
‘unclean’ to load the next cargo.
The most commonly used wall wash solvent
is methanol and it is known that methanol is
readily absorbed into both zinc silicate and
organic coatings, thus it has to be expected
that the wall wash results will be directly
affected by the presence of previous cargo
residues that are retained in the coating at the
time of the inspection.
When one considers the contact time of the
methanol on the bulkhead during a typical wall
wash inspection, it should be accepted that the
wall wash itself will not remove all of the
retained contamination, so it is not possible to
precisely quantify the amount of retained
contamination using the wall wash test, but as
most wall wash specifications are extremely
tight, the mere presence of any contamination is
usually sufficient to cause the sample to fail.
What should be understood here is that even
with a contact time of only a few seconds, the
wall wash solvent itself is able to ‘clean’ the
area that is wall washed and this tells us
categorically that the wall wash solvent is
actually a very efficient cleaning medium.
Which solvent is the most efficient?As already noted, methanol is the most
commonly used wall wash solvent and while it
is accepted that methanol is perhaps not the most
efficient solvent for removing persistent (heavy)
hydrocarbons and/or other oil based cargoes,
methanol is accepted as having sufficient
solvency power to be a good indicator for many
different scenarios and that is why it is used.
With this in mind, it is clear that methanol
has the potential to be an extremely effective
cleaning material and even if it does not
remove all of the retained previous cargo
residues, as long as the wall wash sample is
failing, it has to be accepted that the methanol
is actively extracting these residues.
It should therefore be considered that
cleaning the cargo tanks with methanol is an
extra cleaning step that will make the cargo
tanks cleaner than they would otherwise be if
methanol was not used.
This is the reason why cleaning with
methanol by means of manual spraying has
been successfully employed for many years and
why methanol can be considered as one of the
Tank cleaningefficiency - machine
washing with solventsI have written several discussion papers about the efficiency of tank cleaning on chemical
tankers, with particular reference to the use of approved tank cleaning chemicals*.
p26-44:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:57 Page 14
TANKEROperator � June 201140
TECHNOLOGY – TANK SERVICING
most appropriate choices of solvent for future
cleaning operations. However and moving
forward, manual methanol spraying cannot be
considered as a long term option, so alternative
methods of application need to be sought.
It should be noted at this time that other
solvents may be more appropriate for specific
tank cleaning challenges and by using a basic
knowledge of chemistry, it should be possible
to formulate the most efficient tank cleaning
process, based on the chemical properties of
the retained cargo residues and the solvency
power of the available cleaning solvents. But
for the remainder of this discussion, the focus
will be on using methanol as cleaning solvent.
So, if the methanol cannot be applied
manually, the most sensible approach is to
apply it through the vessels’ tank cleaning
system. After all, this system is designed to
maximise the coverage of any tank cleaning
media inside the vessels’ cargo tanks and as
long as the system is confirmed as being
resistant to the cleaning solvent, there is no
reason why this system cannot be utilised.
The solvent can be applied by recirculation
through the deep-well pump and fixed tank
cleaning machines, which will expose all
internal surfaces of the cargo tank to the
solvent and when the washing is complete, the
‘used’ solvent can be transferred back to a
holding tank, which will also allow the line
system of the vessel to be flushed with the
same solvent, thus removing another potential
source of contamination for loaded cargoes.
Consider also, that by maintaining a closed
loop washing system, the cargo tanks can be
closed down and inerted prior to the solvent
washing, thus allowing flammable solvents -
such as methanol - to be used without risk of
explosion.
This seems to be too good to be true:
i) The entire operation is carried out under
inert conditions thus removing any risk of
explosion.
ii) No manual tank entry.
iii)All surfaces of the cargo tanks and cargo
lines are cleaned with the most efficient
cleaning materials.
iv) Effective cleaning that will remove
retained previous cargo residues from
inaccessible areas of the cargo tanks that
would ordinarily still be present during
loading of the cargo.
So one has to ask, why has this idea not been
considered before?
The simple answer is that it has, but really
only when it has been absolutely necessary
and the vessel has been cleaning from a cargo
that reacts with water, thus preventing
conventional tank cleaning with water until all
residues of the previous cargo have been
removed from the cargo tanks and lines.
But in practice and far more common, this
type of solvent washing has been carried out
extensively for many years on another type of
vessel; crude oil carriers, where the process is
known simply as crude oil washing, or COW
for short.
COW is very basically the recirculation of a
solvent (in this case crude oil) as a means of
preparing the vessel to load cargo. Admittedly,
the purpose of COW is more ‘preventative
maintenance’ than ‘tank cleaning’ and is
carried out in order to remove sediments and
residues that are known to accumulate in the
cargo tanks of crude oil carriers, rather than
cleaning the cargo tanks by removing previous
cargo residues that are retained in the coatings
of chemical tankers.
But clearly the principle is the same, yet
unlike COW, methanol washing does not have
industry approval and this may cause owners
and managers of chemical tankers to dismiss
the idea as being unsafe. On the contrary, just
because methanol washing does not have
industry approval does not mean it is unsafe,
it just means it has not yet been approved,
because up until this time, there has never
been a need to gain approval.
Now there is a need, this approval needs to
be sought and there are owner/managers of
chemical tankers who are actively seeking this
approval via their class societies and industry
representatives and the first indications are that
specific approval is not actually necessary,
providing the vessel is able to maintain fully
inerted conditions and the tank washing system
is proven to be resistant to methanol.
In fairness the need for chemical solvent
washing is likely to outweigh the need for crude
oil washing in the coming months/years, because
without this process, there is an increasing risk
of chemical cargo contamination, particularly if
the receivers continue to demand higher/stricter
quality requirements.
But surely if crude oil washing can gain
industry approval, methanol washing can also
gain the same approval, if indeed it needs
industry approval, because on the face of it,
methanol washing does appear to be
inherently safer than crude oil washing.
Consider first that crude oil is a static
accumulator and secondly the COW process is
designed to remove sediments and residues
that will subsequently be carried in the crude
oil as the washing process continues. It has to
be accepted that as the washing process does
continue, these sediments will be blasted
against the surface of the cargo tanks and
could potentially cause damage to the internal
structure of the cargo tanks.
By contrast, methanol is not a static
accumulator and is also a pure chemical that is
being used to clean a cargo tank that is already
visually free from previous cargo residues.
Assuming methanol washing does become a
recognised tank cleaning procedure, the
benefits are potentially enormous, not only for
the owners/operators of chemical tankers, but
also for the receivers of chemical cargoes who
can expect a higher quality of shipped cargoes.
In summary the following positives should
be considered:
i) A higher proportion of the internal surface
area of the cargo tank cargo tanks and the
cargo lines cleaned with the most efficient
type of cleaning media, which can only
lessen the risk of contaminating fully
loaded cargoes.
ii) The entire operation carried out under
fully inerted conditions.
iii)Significantly reduced cargo tank entry.
iv) Shorter yet more efficient cleaning operation.
v) The entire operation can be monitored by
The pictures above were taken after the Annex I prewash, hot sea water washing, hot seawater washing with cleaning chemicals and hotseawater rinsing. These pictures were representative of all cargo tanks.
p26-44:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:57 Page 15
June 2011 � TANKEROperator 41
TECHNOLOGY – TANK SERVICING
drawing and analysing samples of the
methanol during the cleaning process,
which reduces the number of wall wash
samples required for validation of the process.
vi) In the longer term, methanol washing may
be able to replace some of the more
routine tank cleaning steps.
But of course, against these positives there are
some less positive considerations that need to
be addressed:
a) Washing through tank cleaning machines
requires a ‘significant’ volume of liquid
just to maintain suction on the pump.
b) The washing methanol is likely to become
quickly contaminated meaning fresh methanol
is probably going to be required for every
cargo tank, or at least every two cargo tanks.
c) Cost of the methanol.
d) Storage of the methanol.
e) Disposal of the ‘used’ methanol.
f) Ensuring the tank cleaning system is
resistant to methanol.
In the future, as this process becomes more
commonplace and knowledge of the operation
increases, some of the negatives should
become less influential. For example, vessels
cleaning with methanol and going on to load
bulk methanol, may be able to absorb the
‘used’ methanol into the fully loaded cargo.
Alternatively, lower grade methanol is now
far more commonly used in the automotive
gasoline trade, so there are a growing number
of receivers of this cargo.
It may also become apparent that more than
one or two tanks can be effectively cleaned
with the same volume of methanol, which will
significantly reduce the volume of methanol
required for the tank cleaning operation,
which will of course directly reduce the cost,
storage and disposal requirements.
But the main question at this stage is ‘does
methanol washing actually work?’ The theory
is sound, but what about the actual application?
The simple answer is yes, it does work and
the following details are taken from a vessel
that has sought and gained approval from their
class society to carry out methanol washing.
The vessel is zinc coated and the last cargo
carried in the cargo tanks was gas oil. The
vessel was nominated to load a cargo of methanol.
The following pictures were taken after the
Annex I prewash, hot sea water washing, hot
seawater washing with cleaning chemicals and
hot seawater rinsing. These pictures were
representative of all cargo tanks.
Generally the surface of the cargo tanks was
visually clean and the tanks were considered
to be visually clean or ‘water-white’ standard.
But when the tanks were methanol wall
washed, the results were extraordinary.
The following wall wash samples were
typical of all cargo tanks. The sample on the
left is the wall wash taken from the upper areas
of cargo tank 2P and the sample on the right is
taken from the lower areas of cargo tank 2P.
Not only were all samples heavily discoloured,
when the samples were mixed with water (for
the water miscibility/ hydrocarbon test) they
became immediately ‘milky’ representing
significant hydrocarbon failures.
The extent of the previous cargo
contamination retained in the zinc silicate
coating was so bad that the vessel’s owners
had little choice but to consider methanol
washing under fully inerted conditions. An
agreement was made with the cargo suppliers
to berth the vessel, load sufficient methanol
alongside, before sailing to anchorage for the
methanol washing procedure.
Duly, all cargo tanks were inerted to less
than 8% oxygen before the vessel berthed to
load just enough methanol to distribute evenly
in all cargo tanks at a level of approximately
15 cu m per tank. All cargo tanks were
washed through the fixed tank cleaning
machines on the regular tank washing setting
for one hour before transferring the ‘used’
methanol back to one of the slop tanks.
The cargo tanks were then gas freed and
wall washed again because the cargo suppliers
were sceptical that it would be possible to
load the cargo after seeing the first round of
wall wash results and they wanted some proof
that the discolouration and hydrocarbons had
been removed by the methanol washing.
The wall wash results were just as
extraordinary as they had been earlier, but for
completely opposite reasons; all tanks were
now ready to load and following a last flush
with DI water to remove atmospheric
chlorides that had been deposited on the
surface of the coating during the gas freeing
process, the vessel was accepted for loading.
The quality of all wall wash samples was
measured using the L&I WAVE II UV/Vis
Spectrophotometer and the results for COT 2P
were typical and are as follows:
As can be seen, the wall wash samples
taken from the upper and lower areas of the
cargo tank before the methanol washing were
completely off scale, showing massive
contamination of the wall wash sample.
After methanol washing and DI water
rinsing, the wall wash sample was almost the
same as pure methanol.
The vessel loaded methanol in all
nominated cargo tanks and the following data
represents the actual first foot loaded cargo
analysis results (see below):
And the full quantity was successfully
loaded and subsequently discharged, without
any incident.
From agreeing to carry out the methanol
washing procedure, to loading the full
nominated quantity took just over four days,
which includes the time for inerting and gas
freeing. Without methanol washing, there was
no way to clean the upper areas of the cargo
tanks to a standard that would have allowed
the vessel to load without significantly
jeopardising the quality of the loaded cargo.
It is also fair to say that to take the vessel
from the condition of the cargo tanks as they
were immediately before the methanol
washing to being fully loaded with methanol
in four days would have been impossible
without methanol washing.
If justification of the efficiency of the
washing with bulk methanol was needed, this
is surely it and perhaps as a result, we are
already looking at some part of the future for
cleaning cargo tank coatings…….
*This article was written by Guy Johnson,director L&I Maritime (UK) –[email protected]. Tel: +44 1909532 003.
Cargo Colour Chloride Hydrocarbon PTT Water Tank (APHA) (ppm) (minutes) (ppm)
2P < 1 0.06 Pass > 60 524
2S < 1 0.12 Pass > 60 494
3P < 1 0.50 Pass > 60 542
3S 1 0.06 Pass > 60 542
5P 1 0.11 Pass > 60 569
5S < 1 0.13 Pass > 60 527
6P 1 0.15 Pass > 60 567
6S < 1 0.10 Pass > 60 520
cot 2p wall wash samples
ab
sorb
ance
wavelength (nm)
pure meoh
“lower ww
before meoh
bw”
upper ww
before meoh
bwfinal wall
wash
TO
p26-44:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:57 Page 16
TANKEROperator � June 201142
TECHNOLOGY – TANK SERVICING
News that Hamworthy hadrecently won a contract to supplypump room systems (PRS) for 11tankers to be delivered to theChina Shipping Group (CSG)prompted TANKEROperator totalk to the company at the recentNor-Shipping event. Director for PRS global sales Terje Bjørnemo
explained that this division of the UK
conglomerate was primarily aiming at the
newbuilding sector, although retrofits are
being undertaken on FPSO conversions.
“We are slowly building up our market
share,” he said. The reason that PRS are fitted
on newbuilds is that they last the life of the
vessel. A full service package is also offered
with each new installation.
Hamworthy has a partner in China, Hua Hai
Equipment & Engineering, which trains local
engineers to fit and service PRS. The systems
are controlled from a control panel through
electronic signals. These can be mounted on
the bridge and/or the engine room. “They are
easy to slot on board a ship,” Bjørnemo said.
Each PRS is fitted with automatic shut
down and alarm system. “They are very easy
to integrate within other on board systems,”
he emphasised.
As for the Chinese orders, the first three
systems are destined for installation on three
China Shipping Group (CSG) 112,000 dwt
Aframax newbuildings, to be constructed at
Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC).
The remaining eight systems are to be
supplied to product carriers being built at
Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI).
All 11 systems include three cargo pumps
and two ballast pumps, which have been cast
at Hamworthy’s manufacturing plant in
Singapore in superior Ni-Al-Bronze material.
Bjørnemo said: “We have previously
delivered pump room systems for 17 x 42,000
dwt tankers built for CSG at GSI since 2002.
CSG continued with a series of four 52,000
dwt oil tankers in 2003, each featuring our
pump room systems and have now started
work on a new series of 48,000 dwt vessels.
“The latest contract with CSG is the result
of many years of active marketing to both
shipyards and owners through Hua Hai
Equipment & Engineering our distributor in
China,” he added.
Global supportA significant factor in the decision to specify a
Hamworthy system was the group’s global
support network, Bjørnemo said, where
service for all components within the systems
is provided at short notice wherever the ships
are in operation.
Last January, Hamworthy announced orders
for PRS to be delivered to four VLCCs to be
built in China. These contracts were also
negotiated through Hua Hai Engineering &
Equipment.
The VLCCs, which will be built for CSC
Nanjing Tanker (NJTC) at Guangzhou
Longxue Shipbuilding, follow on from 10
previous VLCCs contracted by the same
owner at Jiangnan Shipyard and Bohai
Shipyard, all of which are being equipped
with Hamworthy PRS.
Bjørnemo said that the package will include
three 2,500 kW steam turbine-driven heavy
duty cargo pumps in superior Ni-Al-Bronze
material and two ballast pumps featuring the
same material and one stripping pump. The
cargo pumps would be supported by a genuine
vacuum stripping system. All systems would
be controlled by a PLC-based Hamworthy
cargo control system.
Bjørnemo said that NJTC’s crew also
benefited from the company’s training
offering, held in Nanjing overseen by the
Hamworthy Singapore Service Centre in close
co-operation with Hua Hai.
Other contracts include 10 Suezmaxes
building at Brazilian shipyard Atlantico Sul
for Transpetro, the shipping arm of Petrobras.
The first vessel was due for delivery soon,
Bjørnemo said. A series of shuttle tankers
built in South Korea were also similarly fitted
with PRS.
In October last year, Hamworthy secured a
contract from SBM Offshore subsidiary Gusto
to supply seawater lift pumps and electric fire
pumps for installation on board the FPSO
Cidade de Paraty, due to start operations in
Brazilian waters in 2013.
Hamworthy was also contracted to deliver
cargo pump room system, seawater lift and
firewater pumps for the Papa Terra FPSO
under conversion at COSCO Dalian, for
redelivery by late 2011.
Hamworthy’s pump room success
Location of the PRS.
A Hamworthy pump system.
TO
p26-44:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:57 Page 17
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p26-44:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:57 Page 18
TANKEROperator � June 201144
TECHNOLOGY – TANK SERVICING
This was born out of uniting three
well known marine brands under
its portfolio – Allweiler, Houttuin
and IMO.
“Every day, we bring more than 70 years of
commercial marine experience and expertise
to the job. Now our sales and after sales
support teams can offer each client the
complete Colfax pump product line. This has
only positive benefits for our global clients,”
explained Karl Johan Brinck, vice president,
Colfax Commercial Marine.
According to Brinck, the balance and
complementary fit between Colfax pump
brands together with the breadth of the
combined international network means that
the new division has an even stronger
competence and sales base.
“Our goal is to serve global clients more
efficiently. Leveraging the resources,
experience and strengths of our marine pump
brands has extraordinary potential and creates
new opportunities within merchant marine,”
he added.
Through the amalgamation of the three
brands, Colfax Commercial Marine now has a
comprehensive portfolio pumping and fluid
handling equipment and technologies. The
move also minimises owners and operators’
costs, the company claimed.
“The total cost of owning and operating a
pump unit, or installation is a main focus. Our
pumps meet shipowner demands, not only on
the initial investment, but also life cycle costs,
ie operational costs like those related to
energy, downtime, maintenance and spare
parts,” Brinck said.
Many equipment suppliers have lost
volumes due to the collapse of the shipping
industry and the shipbuilding slowdown. And
while owners have hesitated to spend money
on newbuilds, the demand for spare pump
parts has increased significantly. The after
sales business is back to levels last
experienced in 2007, the company said.
“We faced 2010 with a number of
postponements and cancellations, but
towards the autumn some shipping segments
picked up on the back of rising oil prices.
For instance, now halfway through 2011, we
have already more than doubled our OSV
pump deliveries from 2010,” Brinck
explained.
One clear post financial crisis change is that
delivery times for newbuilds are much shorter.
This requires suppliers, such as Colfax, to
adapt a much shorter delivery lead time and
increased flexibility.
“The commercial market is highly
competitive. By combining our products,
experience and global business strengths
under one umbrella, Colfax Commercial
Marine supports its customers with the best
portfolio of pumps and systems. We are a
major player, present in the local markets with
our own staff and with support from our local
distributors,” Brinck concluded.
At Nor-Shipping, Colfax also introduced a
large centrifugal pump – MI-D. It is claimed
to be 700 kg lighter than its competitors’
range and was launched from the Allweiler
product range.
It has been designed to optimise major
ballast water and seawater cooling
applications demanded by large vessels.
“Today’s large containerships and tankers
have big main engines to boost fast travelling
speed. The MI-D pump is a perfect fit for
these vessels and demanding ballast or
seawater cooling applications. Higher
capacities have positive impact and shorten
time in harbour,” said Christian Martin,
director product management, Colfax
Commercial Marine.
The high corrosive and cavitation
resistant MI-D range will have a flow
capacity of up to 3,500 cu m per hour and a
delivery head of 50 m. This adequately
meets the upcoming ballast duty points for
ballast water treatment systems. For smaller
duties up to 1,800 cu m per hour requiring
delivery heads of up to 60 m, shipowners
can access units from the existing Allmarine
MI/MA pump range, the company
explained.
“MI-D 350-250 is probably the shipping’s
most effective large pump. Featuring double
suction and double volute, it offers lowest
axial and radial loads. Compared to similar
pumps on the market, MI-D grants up to 44%
weight and 38% space savings. And it offers
higher flow rates with a smaller pump,”
said Martin.
Driven by a powerful, highly energy
efficient 4-pole motor, The MI-D pump unit
will handle up to 2,700 tonnes of seawater
per hour.
“The speed of a 4-pole motor is higher and
so the size of the pump is much smaller. This
is more efficient and grants lower aggregate
costs than 6-pole units required by competing
pumps in the MI-D range. We estimate that
MI-D’s 4-pole operation represents a cost
advantage of between 20 to 40% comparable
to a 6-pole aggregates for the same duties with
single volutes.
“MI-D’s wear parts can be exchanged
without removing the insert unit. The total
weight to handle when exchanging the bearing
and shaft seal unit is about 25 kg. Other
systems in the market must handle weight 10
times this amount, thus extensive major
operation, demanding additional lifting tools
for handling when requiring maintenance,”
he said.
� High strength, durable
materials.
� Double suction design and
double volute.
� At least two years, or 17,500
running hours maintenance
free.
� Minimal spare parts – only
one ball bearing, one
mechanical seal, no bottom
bearing, no spherical roller
bearing.
MI-D Keybenefits
Colfax unites brands-unveils new pump
Pump and valve designer
and manufacturer Colfax
has formed a new
Commercial Marine
division.
TO
p26-44:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 22:58 Page 19
TECHNOLOGY – REPAIR & MAINTENANCE
June 2011 � TANKEROperator 45
Harris Pye expandson all fronts
Independent repair and maintenance firms are reaping the rewards from those
owners/operators who do not wish to use OEMs, or who cannot access normal repair
facilities for themselves, either on a geographic, or technical basis.
One such concern is the Harris
Pye Group (HPG), which over
the years has built up expertise
in many repair and maintenance
disciplines and has signed co-operative
agreements with shipyards worldwide.
TA�KEROperator asked the company about
its involvement in the tanker and gas carriers
sectors, as recently, HPG has been involved
with a number of LNGC and FPSO/FSO
projects.
HPG gave examples of its impressive
reference list of companies serviced in the
tanker, FPSO and LNGC fields. These
included – Shell (STASCO), OSG, MOL
(UK), NYK, K Line, IMT, NITC, PIL,
Navix, Anglo Eastern, Stolt Tankers, Odfjell,
Maran Tankers, BP Shipping, Teekay, Maersk
Tankers, V Ships, Frontline, Knutsen OAS
and Sichem. The company has also serviced
LNGCs from most of the major owners and
operators worldwide.
A company spokesman said that the list was
not exhaustive and the work undertaken was
not exclusively boiler work, for which the
company is well known.
He explained that it varied from major
work on auxiliary and waste heat recovery to
automation and electrical projects down to
inspection and the supply of spares. For
example, HPG is currently awaiting a
suitable schedule to visit and asses a fairly
major steel repair on a tanker of one of the
above clients.
Just some examples of the wide variety of
work recently undertaken included -
� Shell LNG Fleet:- Low sulphur diesel oil
(LSDO) pipe work and winterisation
projects (bridge wing enclosures).
� Anglo Eastern LNG Fleet:-Distributed
control system, boiler management system
and automatic combustion control system
field cabling replacement, commissioning
of systems, plus the control equipment
supply.
� Anglo Eastern oil tanker fleet:- LSDO
conversion installation.
� Euronav tanker fleet:- LSDO conversions.
� V-Ships (UK) LNG fleet:- HAZOP studies
Harris Pye’s managing director Mark Prendergast.
p45-52:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 23:02 Page 1
TANKEROperator � June 201146
TECHNOLOGY – REPAIR & MAINTENANCE
for LSDO conversions, plus LSDO
conversions survey and installation.
� NYK LNG fleet:- HAZOP studies for
LSDO conversions, plus LSDO
conversions survey and installation.
� Campbell Shipping:- LSDO conversions
survey and installation, ballast water
treatment system consultancy.
HPG has a number of fleet deals in place, not
only for boiler work but also for steel repair,
main engine and auxiliary machinery work.
These agreements are periodically reviewed
and renewed.
The company also has a number of
agreements with leading shipyards, including
the new repair complex at Duqm in Oman.
The yard is not yet fully operational and HPG
said that this would not be accomplished until
about the fourth quarter of this year.
The types of ships handled will be the same
mix as with any other drydocking facility with
perhaps a leaning towards Omani LNG
carriers, HPG explained.
In addition, the group has a fully
operational manufacturing repair facility in
Dubai (Sharjah) with offices and workshops in
Bahrain (ASRY) and Al Jubail in Saudi
Arabia. Negotiations are currently underway
with Qatar Navigation to set up a facility in
Ras Laffan.
As for Singapore, this base alone has
worked on more than 20 trading LNGCs this
year, the company said. Another agreement is
in place with the Brest facility operated by
Sobrena for general repairs and inspections. In
addition, HPG has access to a drydock in
Newport, UK, which is aimed at local coastal
tanker market.
Repair and maintenance work can be
carried out from its hub stations, as required.
The personnel have the versatility to
undertake multi-disciplinary jobs. Riding
squads are available from all three main
stations, namely Barry UK, Singapore and
Dubai but resources from other locations can
be used as required.
The company explained that it was
important to maintain this status as the
technician base in any one station, Dubai for
example, may not be able to travel to say the
US to carry out work because of nationality
and visa status. The riding squads based at
individual stations tend to be geographically
specific.
Each riding squad can deal with many
disciplines including: Electrical, automation
and instrumentation services; technical and
inspection services, which include advanced
thermal design; inspection and investigative
processes; design, manufacture, installation
and commissioning of HRSG/economiser
units; combustion systems design,
manufacture, supply and installation; boiler
module design, manufacture, supply,
installation and commissioning; design,
manufacture, supply, installation and
commissioning of LSDO systems; chemical
cleaning of boilers and all associated deck
piping systems etc, on tankers.
Specifically for the tanker sector, HPG
offers general repairs, as well as boiler repairs;
such as electrical, automation and
instrumentation services; technical and
inspection services, which includes advanced
thermal design, inspection and investigative
processes; design, manufacture, installation
and commissioning of HRSG/economiser
units; combustion systems design,
manufacture, supply and installation; boiler
module design, manufacture, supply,
installation and commissioning; design,
manufacture, supply, installation and
commissioning of LSDO systems; chemical
cleaning of boilers and all associated tanker
deck piping systems etc; ballast water
treatment system consultancy, survey and
installation; exhaust gas scrubber unit survey
and installation; LSDO conversion, including
control, instrumentation, electrical and
mechanical aspects.
The company is also involved with
winterisation projects, which can involve:-
� Installations of electrical trace heating
systems for walkways, doors and escape
routes.
� Ballast tank heating systems.
� Space heating modifications.
� Enclosed bridge wing modifications.
The company said that it was naturally
disappointed to have been refused permission
to put up a permanent base at Swansea Dry
Dock, managing director Mark Prendergast
stated at the time - “We believed we had much
to bring to the table, and to the people of
Swansea. I am glad to say we now have an
exciting time ahead of us working in the
French Sobrena shipyard, and the new dry
dock at Al Duqm in Oman where we will have
a permanent presence. We have several other
planned openings this year at major new
facilities that are due on line.”
Planned openings will include the Ras
Laffan scheme, mentioned earlier. There is
also an option on the Newport drydock, but it
is of limited size and there is also the highly
successful relationship with Sobrena in Brest,
HPG concluded.
The recent tie up with boiler concern TEi
will involve the tanker sector, as well as the
FPSO/FSO market.
HPG said that most FPSO/FSOs were
converted tankers hence the tie up. The
company also said that it was interested in
becoming involved in the supply of new
boilers to the tanker sector, as retrofit
replacement units. TO
As part of its $188 mill facilityexpansion programme, Bahrain-based shiprepairer ArabShipbuilding & Repair Yard (ASRY)has ordered two new quaysidecranes from German cranemanufacturer Ardelt. The cranes will be used on the shipyard’s new
1.38 km long repair quay wall, which is due
for completion at the end of this year.
They are of the level-luffing type running on
rails, from Ardelt’s Kranich range of single jib
cranes. The Kranich 1000 types are lightweight,
flexible units, offering extremely low
maintenance, and tailored to the demanding
requirements of the shiprepair yard, as well as
handling offshore rig repairs and installation.
ASRY already operates a Kranich 500 crane
on one of the yard’s two floating docks.
Two separate cranes are being built for
ASRY, with delivery set for the end of 2011.
One crane will be a Kranich 1000-47, the
other a Kranich 1000-28.
The Kranich 1000-47’s main hoist is
designed for a SWL of 30 tonnes at 47 m
outreach and a SWL of five tonnes at 60 m
outreach. Capacity of the auxiliary hoist is a
SWL of 15 tonnes at 47 m outreach and a
SWL of five tonnes at 65 m outreach.
Maximum hook height of the main hoist is
132 m, while maximum outreach is 60 m.
The Kranich 1000-28’s main hoist is
designed for a SWL of 30 tonnes at 28 m
outreach and a SWL of five tonnes at 60 m
outreach. Capacity of the auxiliary hoist is a
SWL of 15 tonnes at 44 m outreach and a
SWL of five tonnes at 65 m outreach.
Maximum hook height for the main hoist is 99
m, with a maximum outreach of 60 m.
ASRY orders new cranes
TO
p45-52:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 23:02 Page 2
ASRY - Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Co. centrally located in the
Arabian Gulf, provides a comprehensive range of services for all your
ship repair and conversion needs.
P.O. Box 50110, Hidd, Kingdom of Bahrain
T: +973 1767 1111 F: +973 1767 0236 E: [email protected]
www.asry.net
...take a closer look
p45-52:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 23:02 Page 3
TANKEROperator � June 201148
TECHNOLOGY – REPAIR & MAINTENANCE
Facing greater economic andecological challenges than everbefore, the shipping industry iseager to cut downtime and costswherever possible. Scheduled but unnecessary maintenance
results in lost ship and man hours. To prevent
these losses GL Maritime Software has
developed a dedicated condition-based
maintenance software for machinery - GL
MachineryManager in co-operation with SKF.
Continuous condition monitoring of
machinery on board helps to control and
benchmark equipment performance.
Integration of assessment results from
vibration monitoring technologies provided by
SKF for rotating auxiliary machinery ensures
greater depth to the results and analysis.
Torsten Kappel, product manager GL
Maritime Software, said: "We are convinced that
this co-operation will provide additional value to
our clients' condition-based maintenance quality.
The integration between SKF and GL Maritime
Software technologies will increase the
condition monitoring capabilities of a vessel's
machinery significantly."
By combining visual inspection results with
online and offline condition measurement GL
MachineryManager creates a single monitoring
platform for different application purposes.
Equipment conditions can be monitored fleet
wide and alerts enable operators to decide how
and when to take appropriate action. Crews
benefit from graphical support of monitored
items and guidance for inspection routes and
approaches. Measurements and recordings are
easily transferred to a central database onshore.
Christian Klinger, key account manager
SKF Marine Industry, said; "SKF looks to
provide our customers with advanced and
integrated solutions. We highly appreciate the
co-operation with GL Maritime Software".
GL also presented the latest version of its
Hull Manager software at Nor-Shipping.
Condition monitoring for hull and machinery
can generate great advantages for shipping
lines, the class society said. Switching to need
based maintenance schedules can reduce
downtime and increase vessel profitability by
preventing unnecessary maintenance, offering
early warning of equipment failure and
avoiding misguided maintenance.
A well-chosen and effectively implemented
hull maintenance strategy not only reduces the
risk of incidents but also insures hull integrity
and safeguards the environment. Shipowners,
managers and operators need to monitor their
vessels' structural condition continuously, in
order to detect deficiencies in the hull
structure as early as possible and initiate the
necessary maintenance.
Typically, monitoring is done by appointed
crew members through periodic visual
inspections. The location and extent of coating
breakdown, defects or corrosion are
documented, using only text descriptions and
photos. Because of the size and complexity of
the tanks and cargo holds, however, expressing
the location of breakdowns reliably and with
sufficient accuracy can be challenging.
Planning, preparing, executing, reporting
on, and assessing hull structure inspections are
a crucial process that requires utmost
diligence. The latest hull integrity software
systems use 3D models of the vessel to
visualise the shortcomings within the
structure. The ability to present findings
visually is particularly helpful when shipping
companies need to prove to charterers that
their ships are maintained to high standards.
3D imaging with integrated reporting results
in greater levels of accuracy in examining the
integrity of a vessel's structure. GL
HullManager uses a 3D computer model of the
particular vessel to support the complete hull
condition inspection and assessment process.
This model can be used throughout the
entire hull integrity process, from inspections,
to reporting and assessment of the conditions
of tanks, cargo holds and coatings, as well as
visualisation and assessment of the hull's
structural condition. A dashboard overview of
the entire ship helps crew, or third party
inspectors to pinpoint any critical findings.
Systematic and comprehensive data
collection is supported and information on the
condition of hull structures can be made
available to any company employee once the
inspection results have been approved and
synchronised.
Once stored in a lifecycle database the hull
condition data for each individual vessel can
then be traced over time. Sister vessels from
the same fleet can also easily be compared.
GL listed some major advantages in
adopting maintenance management. These
include -
Maintenance costs are 25-30% of total ship
management costs (excluding fuel).
Smaller routine maintenance efforts have
proven to be more effective and economic to
infrequent larger maintenance efforts.
A quality approach and a safety culture go
hand in hand, improved safety is not just a
side effect.
Maintenance management is an area worth
investing.
Classification societies are key contributors
in maintenance process for shipping
companies.
New technologies improve operational
efficiency- Key methods -
� Visual inspection of tanks, cargo holds,
deck with systematic recording of findings.
� Thickness measurement (TM) with full
electronic transfer of data from TM-
company to shipping company.
� Visual inspection of equipment with
systematic recording of findings.
� Discrete measurements, eg vibration
monitoring, with full integration of results.
� Continuous measurement, eg crankshaft
bearing wear monitoring, with full
integration of results in maintenance system.
GL support offers -
� Extended drydocking scheme with
advanced hull maintenance strategy.
� Hull lifecycle program class notation for
reassessment of strength.
� GL HullManager software solution for full
hull integrity support based on actual 3D
model of vessel.
� Type approval of new condition
monitoring technologies.
� GL MachineryManager: as integration
platform of condition monitoring
information of manufacturers and
maintenance management in shipping
companies.
There is a new market with many different
players, who collect various information for
condition monitoring purposes. These include
– engine, bearings, or other equipment
manufacturer, independent consultancies, ship
automation suppliers. These are mainly
involved with vibration monitoring of
equipment with rotating parts like pumps,
gearboxes, etc, with many information islands
created that solve only part of technical
managers’ problem.
GL said that it is is working on an
integration layer for all condition monitoring
information to be assessed in combination:
Uniform display of and fast overview on
equipment condition; easier link of future CM
systems to PMS.
The system manages all machinery
inspection data, for example, recording of
manual measurements; check lists; damage
descriptions; ‘manual’ (subjective)
assessment; providing templates for inspection
patrols; organises non-open-up inspections
and offline measurements into patrols;
supports patrol-triggered data input.
Expert co-operation for machinery condition monitoring
TO
p45-52:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 23:02 Page 4
In use in more than 500 ships worldwide and with over 20 years of proven performance, it’s little wonder that HEMPADUR 15500 is consistently rated the best phenolic epoxy tank coating on the market.
Find out more at www.hempel.com
HEMPADUR 15500 TANK COATINGMore than 400 departures every week
p45-52:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 23:02 Page 5
Goltens looks fiveyears ahead
Goltens has unveiled a new five-year business strategy to further increase
the company’s investment and focus in core business areas while opening
the door to a new green technology division.
TANKEROperator � June 201150
TECHNOLOGY – REPAIR & MAINTENANCE
Developed after extensive
consultation with stakeholders
and key global management, the
new strategy will position
Goltens as a primary independent engine
repair and service specialist on par with
OEMs offering full scale technical,
engineering, after sales service and repair
support. It also further expands the company’s
marine in-situ business and launches a new
green technology business stream.
“Goltens has taken a fresh look at its five-
year strategy and the verdict was unanimous:
core engine and in-situ services will remain
the dominant focus of our business and
developing our green service provider is an
important step and opportunity for the
company,” said Paul Friedberg, president,
Goltens Worldwide Services.
There are five main objectives in the new
strategy:
� Environment for enterprise – developing
the skills that Goltens needs to grow its
business, expand its global presence and
sustain high performance workshop
facilities.
� New business – providing shipowners
with support in critical shiprepair and new
regulations.
� Partnerships – collaborating with selected
companies to enhance efficiency and
competitiveness.
� Continuous improvement – internationally
recognised as the leading market provider
of engine and in-situ repair solutions.
� Creating opportunities – launching new
initiatives to advance established core
business arms into new markets.
Undertaking a mammoth customer satisfaction
survey, Goltens found that the market
positions the company as the leading
independent engine repair and in-situ
machining specialist. But it also found out
something that they didn’t know; the survey
placed them much higher than they thought.
Shipowners put Goltens on par and, in some
cases, even better than engineers and
technicians from the engine manufacturers.
But the real acknowledgement of the service
and competence was by the engine
manufacturers themselves.
“Several of them view us as the most
competent and highest qualified independent
engine repair specialist,” said Friedberg.
Competence levelGoltens has developed an intricate
competence matrix for its diesel engine
business. The matrix provides details of all
employees in every diesel engine department
and maps Goltens total experience and
specific skills on various engine makes.
The matrix system effectively analyses its
needs for recruitment and additional training.
The main goal is to uncover any skill gap and
to identify technical personnel with the
additional skill sets to elevate the company’s
level of service.
The skills overview programme has fine-
tuned Goltens focus and restructured its
market approach. Goltens continually
crosschecks its worldwide technical skills to
analyse any shortcomings. The goal is to be
the best in diesel engine repair, from the
ability to check alignment and inspect
crankshafts to general diesel engine activities
and the adjustment of fuel pumps.
“Being the best demands thorough and
systematic mapping of our employee skill sets
and aligning those to the roles and
responsibilities we have in Goltens. This and
our ability to pinpoint and develop staff with
management and team leader skills, enables us
to maintain a leading position in diesel and in-
situ service,” said Friedberg.
The responsibilities of professional diesel
service technicians are becoming more
complex as more electronic components
control engine operation. At the forefront
of diesel development, Goltens said that it
lifts the competence of its technicians
through intense hands-on diesel technology
speciality programmes.
Led by the industry’s leading diesel
instructors, Goltens in-house training
programmes grant intensive learning in all
facets of diesel engines, fuel injection,
governor, turbocharger, electrical systems, and
lubrication systems with specialist emphasis
on comprehensive diagnostics,
troubleshooting and repair.
Goltens recently completed one of its
seven-day training courses for diesel engine
engineers in Dubai. The course brought
together 12 engineers and focused on repair
and maintenance and practical work on
turbochargers, fuel oil pumps, fuel valves and
other related engine systems.
Friedberg explained: “The participants were
extremely motivated and had immersed
themselves with course material prior to
coming. Target training utilises our extensive
experience and expertise that we have
accumulated over many years in the marine
industry. The content is very rich and the
enhanced skill development and trouble
shooting practice will be helpful when out in
the field."
Certifications are an important part of
validating whether an employee has the right
skills in the right place. As the market
continues to improve in 2011/12, Goltens is
going to be even more bullish with its training
and hiring programmes, the company said.
“We make sure that staff are well-qualified
and provide comprehensive courses with a
solid mix of theoretical lectures and practical
hands-on training. Goltens wide range of
expertise and knowledge about modern
engines can be passed on to new crews and
personnel who will operate the engines in
service,” said Friedberg.
Service agreementRecently, Goltens signed an engine service
p45-52:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 23:02 Page 6
TECHNOLOGY – REPAIR & MAINTENANCE
June 2011 � TANKEROperator 51
agreement with Tekomar, the newly
established, Switzerland-based diesel engine
specialist offering technical, consulting and
engineering support.
The partnership is focused on providing
highly reliable and OEM-compliant repair and
service solutions for a wide range of existing
diesel engines and new high tech units being
introduced to the marine market.
“The collaboration of Goltens and Tekomar
allows global shipowners the opportunity to
choose best in class, independent engine
repair services from two market leaders.
Together we can address the urgent and
growing market concern for OEM-
independent technical, spare parts, consulting
and repair services,” explained Friedberg.
Backed by decades of investment in tooling,
technology and training for crankshaft
machining, annealing, line boring, large-scale
surface machining and laser alignment,
Goltens continues to secure repeat and new
clients looking to minimise downtime.
“We are investing in expanding our
personnel base and in dedicated training
centres for in-situ machining around the globe
and have aligned our R&D functions across
our technical specialities. Our aim is to
enhance and standardise tooling, process and
methods and to ensure consistently excellent
results,” Friedberg said.
Aiming to help shipowners meet the
escalating wave of ‘green technology’ and
new regulations, Goltens has launched a new
business stream to become a green technology
service provider.
In 2010, Goltens established a centre of
excellence in Rotterdam to provide ballast
water treatment system installation services
for the group’s 22 engineering centres
worldwide. Goltens brought together some of
the most advanced ballast water treatment
technologies, the most experienced engineers
and assembly crews that are available 24/7.
“Goltens global independent network makes
it an attractive green tech partner for owners
and equipment suppliers,” said Friedberg, who
warns of higher costs for shipowners as they
strive to comply with new rules on energy
efficiency and curtailing or reducing the
emission of greenhouse gases and other
pollutants.
Upcoming rules will govern how existing
vessels will be operated. Just-in-time berthing,
slow steaming to save on fuel and voyage
planning and routing might all be encouraged
by new international rules. Changes in
propeller design and hull coatings might also
be required. Regulations on tanker emissions
of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and other pollutants
will be increasingly expensive.
“SECA, the International Ballast Water
Convention, coatings legislation, Helcom and
Marpol 73/78 represent major green
challenges to shipowners and require major
investments. The cost of installing a BWT
system on, for example, an existing chemical
tanker could reach $200,000 for installation
costs and $600,000 for the equipment, not
including operating costs, and as much as $2
mill for a crude oil carrier,” says Friedberg.
Shipowners face considerable green
challenges ahead. Major work is still needed
to meet a 30% reduction in CO2. This can
only be obtained through continued efforts to
reduce vessel resistance, optimised operation
(slow steaming, weather routing etc), more
effective propulsion systems, more fuel-
efficient engines, alternative fuel (LNG,
Biofuel etc) and addition of alternative
green means of propulsion (fuel cells, wind,
solar etc).
“Establishing a Goltens Green Technology
competency centre is paramount to meeting
the needs of shipyards, shipowners and system
suppliers, and to strengthen our leading
position as a specialist, independent shiprepair
company. We have hired key people to help
build the green side of our business,” said
Friedberg. TO
The A&P Group has been activerecently, not least changingownership.The new owner is Atlantic & Peninsula
Marine Services whose shareholders include
Peel Port Holdings (No2) (IOM) and private
investors including existing investors and
directors of Cammell Laird Shiprepairers and
Shipbuilders.
The new owners have a wealth of
experience in the operation of ports, shipyards
and engineering infrastructure and are
committed to building on the successes of
A&P Group to date.
A&P’s current management team in the
individual yards led by Group managing
director, Chris Bell and finance director, Ian
Carey remain in place with responsibility for
the day-to-day running of the operations.
A&P has had some success in recent
months in winning contracts in the oil & gas
and renewable energy markets, which are
important for the business, gaining a
significant foothold, as well as continuing to
develop its traditional business of shiprepair
and conversion, the company said.
The group additionally provides services to
the UK MoD under a performance based
Through Life Support contract for RFA
vessels and is also working on sections for the
new QEII class aircraft carriers.
Bell said, “This announcement is good
news for the A&P Group and will drive our
continued growth both in the short and long
term. The management team is committed to
ensuring that the business continues to go
from strength to strength, as we pursue
opportunities in new sectors and continue to
service our existing customers.
“We are grateful to the former shareholders
who have supported and enabled us to invest
in the business resulting in the strong position
we find ourselves in today. We are looking
forward to working with our new shareholders
who share our vision in driving the business
forward.”
Among the recent investments was a new
£3 mill West Quay at A&P Tyne’s shiprepair
and fabrication yard.
The concreted, fully serviced quay, 100 m
long by 48 m deep, replaces its old, timber
predecessor on the south bank of the River
Tyne.
It gives vessels berthed alongside direct
access to water, electricity and other utilities
and, most importantly, has been specifically
designed and built to allow direct load-out.
The West Quay development at Hebburn
completes the second of a three phase £9 mill
investment in its yard on the Tyne by the
group.
This quay upgrade is part of A&P’s
continuing multi-million pound investment in
its three yards, on the Tyne, the Tees and at
Falmouth, over the last three years.
A&P Tyne has the largest drydock on the
UK’s east coast and a modern fabrication
facility capable of turning out more than
10,000 tonnes of steel a year for marine and
civil structures.
At Falmouth, the A&P group has upgraded
its engineering workshop as part of its
ongoing improvement programme.
Already a well established shiprepair,
conversion and fabrication business, A&P
said that it wants to make full use of its
3,500 sq m covered mechanical work and
machine shop.
A&P changes hands – continues yard upgrading projects
TO
p45-52:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 23:02 Page 7
TANKEROperator � June 201152
TECHNOLOGY – NEWS
TMC launches newmarine screwcompressorAimed at the large vessel sector,Tamrotor Marine Compressors’(TMC) new TMC 7-27 series has anew design. With its smoothshape and tilted control panel,this compressor is space-savingand operator-friendly, thecompany claimed.With a footprint of just 0.7 sq m, the TMC 7-
27 is the smallest in its range in the market. It
gives as much compressed air as models that
have a significantly larger footprint, TMC
said.
TMC 7-27 is designed for 55 deg C ambient
temperature. A unique, patented temperature
control system ensures safe operation in the
variable conditions in the machine room and
with variable load of the compressor.
With a lifting lug and its small footprint, it
is claimed to be easy to install.
Using the company’s unique TMC Smart
Air® technology means 40-50% reduction in
the energy consumption, compared to a
conventional compressor. TMC’s new compressor has a small footprint.
Fuel savings of between 2% and10% can be achieved by the useof an Amarcon on board decisionsupport system. In the last few years, Amarcon has focused on
the development of a fuel saving extension
within the OCTOPUS-Onboard decision
support system - OCTOPUS-Performance.
The performance extension is claimed by
the company to give a new dynamic approach
to voyage planning. It combines all relevant
measurements and forecasts with a new
algorithm, which will assist the master to
reach the destination by choosing the route
with the lowest resistance and cruising with
the optimal speed.
OCTOPUS-Performance can forecast and
give advice for actual, as well as for simulated
situations. Regardless of the hull fouling, age
or condition of the vessel: the crew will
always receive accurate advice, Amarcon
claimed.
Fuel savings can be achieved, while the
vessel is sailing the same average speed and
weather conditions. The system is suitable for
fixed pitched propelled vessels. The actual
savings differ for various ship types.
OCTOPUS-Performance gives significant fuel savings
Kelvin Hughes and Seagull join forces Kelvin Hughes has signed anagreement with Seagull todevelop a product-specificcomputer-based training (CBT)module for its MantaDigital ECDISrange. As part of its ECDISplus package, which
includes equipment, data, updates and
training, Kelvin Hughes will be offering an
equipment-specific CBT package designed to
meet the flag state requirements for on board
training on its MantaDigital range of products.
Approved by a number of flag states,
Seagull’s existing ECDIS on board training
course includes training in the use of all
aspects of ECDIS including chart projections,
chart accuracy, chart types, chart datum,
updates, sensors and alarm strategies. The
display of radar and ARPA information on the
ECDIS and route planning is also covered.
Under the agreement, Seagull will design
the package to be included in the Seagull
library of CBT-modules as ‘Product Specific
Training’ to meet latest revisions to STCW,
extending Seagull’s existing CBT-based
training.
In another move, Kelvin Hughes has
increased its warranty period on its products
from one year to three years.
The new, three-year warranty applies to
deliveries made from 1st June 2011 onwards.
It is applicable to all Kelvin Hughes
manufactured commercial marine products.
p45-52:p2-7.qxd 14/06/2011 23:02 Page 8
COMMERCIAL TANKEROPERATIONSincluding shipbroking, legal mattersand financing
IN DEPTH INFORMATIONon the latest newbuilds, sale andpurchase, freight rates andderivatives markets, using industryknown commentators
A STRONG FOCUSon shipbuilding and repair
subscribe online at www.tankeroperator.com
KEY PLAYERS IN THE TANKER INDUSTRY will be profiled giving their views on current legislation,recommendations and trends.These will include chief executives from all sectors of the industry from equipmentmanufacturers to the topshipowners
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Ph
oto
cre
dit
– H
em
pel
TA�KEROperatorTA�KEROperator
IBC:OBC.qxd 14/06/2011 23:03 Page 1
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OBC:OBC.qxd 14/06/2011 23:04 Page 1