Oshima receives AiP certificate for new LNG-fuelled bulk carrier design
DNV GL has presented Oshima Shipbuilding Company with an Approval in Principle (AiP) certificate for a LNG-fuelled Kamsarmax bulk carrier at the Nor-Shipping exhibition in Oslo on June 4. The new, innovative design has been found to comply with DNV GL class rules and all current and upcoming regulations, including the new emission control regulations and the draft IGF Code for fuel with a low flashpoint, the classification society said in a press release.
As regulations on harmful ship emissions such as sulphur become stricter, reducing SOx, NOx, CO2 and particulate matter is at the top of the agenda for many players in the maritime industry. As a result, shipowners and operators are increasingly looking into the use of alternative fuels to ensure compliance for their fleet, now and in the future.
As space on deck is limited on a bulk carrier, the design features an innovative solution – changing the ship’s superstructure to a U-shape that can accommodate the LNG tank in its centre. This approach allows the accommodation deck house to be completely separated from the LNG storage tank and scalability in terms of the amount of LNG storage onboard. Meanwhile, a tank cover adds an additional safety barrier and ensures compliance with the draft IGF Code. The bunkering stations for LNG, heavy fuel oil (HFO) and marine diesel oil are located at the side of the accommodation deck house.
The Kamsarmax vessel is designed for dual fuel operation, using both LNG and HFO to power the main engine, the generators and the boiler. LNG handling system for receiving AiP was supported by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Oshima’s latest Panamax/Kamsarmax hull design provided the basis for the vessel’s shape. This design has proven successful, and its fuel performance is well documented, providing the experts with important operational data they could use to adapt the design to LNG operation.
The vessel’s parameters are also based on data generated in a DNV GL feasibility study from 2014 that examined the use of LNG in a trade route between Europe and North America from a technological and economic perspective. “Taking all relevant factors into account, we found that a LNG-fuelled Kamsarmax bulk carrier, which only uses LNG in Emission Control Areas, would require 500–700 m3 of LNG and one bunkering operation for a round trip between Europe and North America,” says Løvstad. If it were powered with LNG for the entire voyage, it would require 2,000–2,500 m3 of LNG.
About Oshima
Oshima Shipbuilding Co. was established in 1973 in Japan and offers a broad portfolio of services, including ship construction & repair and manufacturing & installation steel structures. The company promotes and invests heavily in developing greener shipping concepts, especially for bulk carriers. To date, Oshima has constructed more than 680 vessels.
About DNV GL
Driven by its purpose of safeguarding life, property and the environment, DNV GL enables organisations to advance the safety and sustainability of their business. We provide classification and technical assurance services along with software and independent expert advisory services to the maritime, oil & gas and energy industries. We also provide certification services to customers across a wide range of industries. Operating in more than 100 countries, our 16,000 professionals are dedicated to helping our customers make the world safer, smarter and greener.