Tag: ClassNK

In accordance with IMBSC Code Japanese class society ClassNK says that a new vessel is the first to receive approval from the Panama Maritime Authority in accordance with IMBSC Code part 7.3.2.2, governing carriage of cargoes which may liquefy.The 27,200dwt open-hatch bulk carrier is being built at Japanese yard Naikai Zosen Corporation for owner Nissho Shipping. The approval certifies that the vessel makes use of special construction features to ensure that it can safely load cargoes that may liquefy, including volatile cargoes like nickel ore, even if such cargoes exceed their transportable moisture limit. The certification was obtained with technical assistance from ClassNK.The vessel has been specifically designed to transport nickel-ore cargoes, and utilises a construction method which allows nickel ore cargoes to be carried safely even in they liquefy in transit. This means that the vessel will be able to transport such cargoes even if unexpected rain or waves increase the moisture level past the limits laid out by the IMSBC code.ClassNK released its Guidelines for the Safe Carriage of Nickel Ore in June of this year in order to help address industry concerns about the dangerous cargo, which was cited a cause for a number of casualties at ...

ClassNK marches on Leading classification society ClassNK has reached a record 190 mill gt of entered tonnage.ClassNK, already the world's largest classification society, announced that at the end of September, it's register had climbed to 7,596 ships totalling 190.6 mill gt.This total was achieved due to a net amount of more than 11 mill gt joining the society's register in the first nine months of this year.ClassNK chairman and president Noboru Ueda said: "The continued growth of our register in spite of the current tough economic climate and increased scrapping of older vessels reflects our unmatched commitment to service, as well as our growing presence in the maritime community around the world."The growth of the ClassNK Register continues to be driven by newbuildings, with new vessel registrations reaching 14.8 mill gt, roughly 87% of the 17.1 mill gt that have joined NK's register so far this year.This achievement puts the class society well on its way to matching its previous record of 17.8 mill gt of newbuildings and 19.7 mill gt in total that it added to its register last year.During the first nine months of this year, almost half of the vessels entered were drybulk carriers with other types ...

On 11 October, 2011 in Tokyo Leading Classification Society ClassNK and Japan's National Maritime Research Institute (NMRI) brought some of the world's leading specialists on structural safety to Tokyo for an international workshop on risk-based assessment of ship safety held jointly by the two organizations in Tokyo on 11 October, 2011.The event, which included presentations from top experts from the IMO and Europe's leading maritime universities as well as leading researchers from NMRI and ClassNK, drew over 100 attendees from throughout Japan's maritime industry.In addition to Q&A sessions held after each speaker's presentation, all of the presenters took part in a lively panel discussion on damage stability at the end of the event. While the panel discussion touched on a wide variety of important structural and technical subjects, the impact of bottom damage on ship safety proved to be one of the hottest topics. As a result of the intense discussion, the expert panelists confirmed the following important points: New IMO standards should be based on both goal-based and risk-based approaches. It would be possible to use probabilistic approaches to develop bottom damage stability requirements. In addition to these discussions, a number of other important points were raised during the ...

Post-panamax ships to use Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System to achieve 25% CO2 emissions cut US-based grain processing company Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) says it has ordered three new 95,000 dwt post-panamax bulkers with advanced fuel consumption saving features from Japanese yard group Sumitomo, increasing the size of ADM's ocean-going fleet to 11 vessels.A company statement says: "ADM's three new ocean-going vessels will be built with technology that offers high performance while decreasing energy consumption to offer the best available environmental footprint for shipping large quantities of bulk commodities overseas."While the order is with Sumitomo the ships will be built by Oshima Shipbuilding to ClassNK rules. The Tokyo-based ship classification society ClassNK, ADM says, has provided project advisory assistance.Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will provide "green technology" to help the vessels achieve an approximately a 25 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions through superior hull form, propulsion systems and the Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System (MALS- illustrated) innovative technology which reduces frictional resistance between the vessel hull and seawater using air bubbles along the bottom of the vessels. Fleet Management of Hong Kong is providing project management."Adding three new ocean-going vessels to our global transportation network supports our strategy to increase the volume of ...

Class NK TEC-0869 ClassNK issues Technical Information TEC-0869 regarding the Maintenance, inspection and test of Fire-Protection Systems and Appliances on board the Panama-registered ships as follows:The Panama Government has informed ClassNK of Merchant Marine Circular No.226, "Guidelines for the Maintenance and Inspection of Fire-Protection Systems and Appliances", which is in reference to maintenance, inspection and test of Fire-Protection System and Appliances on board the Panama-registered ships. The essential points of the Guidelines are shown below.The previous ClassNK Technical Information No.TEC-0511 is now superseded. The requirements only are shown below. As necessary, please refer to the original text of the Guideline which is available on Panama Government Internet HomepageMain points of changes are as follows;1. Fixed CO2 Fire-Extinguishing Systems- Hydrostatic testing of high pressure cylinders All cylinders before 20 years 10% cylinders at 10 years interval- Flexible hosesTo be replaced at the intervals recommended by the manufacturer and not exceeding every 10 years2. New requirements for Fixed Dry-Powder Fire-Extinguishing Systems3. Automatic Sprinkler and Fixed Pressure Water Spray Systems- Additional requirement at Monthly, Quarterly, Annual- Internal inspection of pressure tank, all check and control valves at 5 yearly interval.For more information, click here.Source: ClassNK

Class NK -TEC 0868 The Panama Government informed ClassNK the special requirements for Spare Charges, Additional Fire Extinguishers and Refilling of Extinguishers onboard the Panama flag vessels (Merchant Marine Circular No.226) as follows.1. Spare charges and Refilling for portable fire extinguishers(1) Spare charges shall be provided for 100% of the first 10 extinguishers and 50% of the remaining fire extinguishers capable of being recharged onboard. Not more than 60 total spare charges are required. Instructions for recharging should be carried onboard.(2) For fire extinguishers which can not be recharged onboard, additional portable fire extinguishers of the same quantity, type, capacity and number as determined in above (1) shall be provided.(3) Periodic refilling of the cylinders should be in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. Only refills approved for the extinguisher may be used for recharging. Partially emptied extinguishers should be recharged.For more information, click hereSource: ClassNK

y reviewed and improved the Guidelines for Container Carrier Structures originally released in 2003 ClassNK has thoroughly reviewed and improved the "Guidelines for Container Carrier Structures" (originally released in 2003) so that it fully reflects the many advances made in both the technology and design philosophy of container ships since 2003.This review has been proceeding in two phases. In Phase 1, the "Guidelines for Direct Strength Analysis" in these Guidelines were revised and released. In Phase 2, which is currently underway, the "Guidelines for Hull Girder Torsional Strength Assessment" and the "Guidelines for Fatigue Strength Assessment" are being reviewed.In addition, it has been released a revised version of the direct strength assessment software which is to be used together with the aforementioned guideline. This revised version closely follows the new revised version of the guideline and also contains a user assistance function designed to guide users through the operation process.Guidelines for Container Carrier Structures - Guidelines for Direct Strength Analysis (Revised Edition) (PDF)Source: ClassNK

Class NK TEC-0866 ClassNK issues Technical Information TEC- 0866 regarding Designation of US Caribbean Emission Control Area under MARPOL ANNEX VI (Regulations for the Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships) as follows:Information on Emission Control Areas (hereinafter referred to as ECA) specified in MARPOL ANNEX VI (hereinafter referred to as ANNEX VI) has already been provided in ClassNK Technical Information No.TEC-0654 issued on 13 April 2006, No.TEC-0771 issued on 13 May 2009 and No.TEC-0832 issued on 11 November 2010.In this connection, the United States Caribbean Sea area has been designated as a new ECA in accordance with the amendments to ANNEX VI adopted at the 62nd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 62) held in July 2011.The relevant information has been circulated by the IMO as the attached Resolution MEPC.202(62). This ClassNK Technical Information provides information relating to the above matter.1. Sea area newly designated as ECAThe United States Caribbean Sea area (the sea area located off the Atlantic and Caribbean coasts of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands) is designated as ECA for NOx, SOx and Particulate Matter (PM) emissions. Please refer to IMO Resolution MEPC.202(62) for the detailed definition of the ...

NYK Shipmanagement ECDIS course first to be recognized by top class society ClassNK issued its first approval for maritime training programs to an Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) course offered by NYK Shipmanagement Pte. Ltd. (NYKSM). The approval of the course, which certifies that the course fulfills International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards, follows ClassNK's entry into the training program certification field as part of a broader expansion of the classification society's activities announced earlier this year.ClassNK Executive Vice President Koichi Fujiwara (L) presents NYKSM CEO Tomoyuki Koyama (R) with certificate.In recognition of NYKSM becoming the very first such organization to receive ClassNK certification, ClassNK Executive Vice President Koichi Fujiwara presented NYKSM CEO Tomoyuki Koyama with an official certificate of approval at a special ceremony held in Singapore on 21 September. "This first certification for NYKSM's ECDIS training course is not only a bold first step in ClassNK's growing efforts to support the maritime industry, it is an important step towards training a new generation of highly trained and skilled seafarers, and ensuring a safer future for our entire industry," said Mr. Fujiwara.Requirements for the installation of ECDIS systems will be phased in from 1 July 2012, after which ...

On board the Bahamas- registered ships - ClassNK TEC-0864 ClassNK issues Technical Information TEC-0864 regarding Maintenance, ispection and test of Fire-Protection Systems and Appliances on board the Bahamas- registered ships as follows:The Bahamas Maritime Authority ( mentioned as "BMA") has informed ClassNK of BMA Information Bulletin No.29 "Emergency Escape Breathing Devices (EEBD)" and No. 97 Rev.1 "Fire Fighting Equipment", which are in reference to maintenance, inspection and test of Fire-Protection System and Appliances on board the Bahamas-registered ships. The essential points of the Guidelines are shown below.The previous ClassNK Technical Information No.TEC-0711 is now superseded. The requirements only are shown below. As necessary, please refer to the original text of the Guideline which is available on BMA InternetHomepage(http://www.bahamasmaritime.com).For more information, click here.Source: ClassNK