Tag: Lloyds Register

Reducing the risks Scandpower and ModuSpec, a sister company in the Lloyd's Register Group, are working with leading owners and operators in the oil and gas sector to improve current methods of monitoring the performance of blow-out preventers (BOP) and reduce the risks relating to one of the industry's most safety-critical pieces of equipment.Scandpower and ModuSpec are pooling their resources with industry to develop a 'BOP Monitor' that is expected to significantly improve current processes of assessing risk during operations. The monitor will be a new application for Scandpower's proprietary RiskSpectrum software, which has already proved its value at one-half of the world's nuclear power plants."The BOP is a critical component in any hydrocarbon drilling operation and is often the final line of defence for protecting life and the environment. So there is high demand for a transparent and well-structured risk assessment approach that helps owners and operators to monitor the BOP's performance," says Duco de Haan, CEO of ModuSpec. "Because ModuSpec has been a global leader in helping to ensure the reliability of drilling assets for more than 25 years, we recognise the importance of industry participation in developing a product of this calibre."BOPs were thrust into the public ...

M.V. Aquilato has been delivered in China Lloyd's Register supervised the design appraisal, build and sea trials, verifying the performance of a new, modified 57,000 dwt ship based on a SDARI design. The M.V. Aquila, first in a new series of supramax bulk carrier designs, optimised to burn less fuel oil has been delivered in China on the eve of the Lunar New Year holidays.The efficiency improvements have been achieved by carrying out a number of straightforward - but effective - changes including: de-rating the main engine, a new propeller design which has been optimised for the de-rated engine, and fitting a mewis duct. The daily main engine consumption at a speed of 14 knots at ballast draft, which would have been about 29.4 tonnes, is now about 26 tonnes and the daily main engine consumption at a speed of 13.5 knots at design draft, which would have been about 29.8 tonnes daily, is now about 26.30 tonnes. The engine's output has been reduced by nearly 1,000 KW to 8,500 KW.Commenting on the delivery, Meng Cheng Jun, President of the Jiangsu Hantong Group, said that: "This vessel is the fifty-fifth vessel to be delivered since the establishment of our Hantong ...

Lloyd's List video David Osler and Liz McMahon speak to Lloyd's List Editor Richard Meade about the further implications of the grounding of Costa Concordia

Health and Safety Golden Rules published by Lloyd's Register The Lloyd's Register Group has published a set of Health and Safety Golden Rules which our employees must follow to keep themselves, and those people around them, safe. Some of these Rules, together with ourInstructions, are related to working over water, in particular the conduct of boat transfers. We would like to bring these to your attention so you can appreciate the requirements we are placing on our surveyors.Our surveyors and inspectors are required to do the following:1. Confirm that the risks are acceptable before starting work and if conditions change while they are workingThey will do this through survey planning meetings and discussions, identifying the main hazards and establishing the controls are appropriate. This activity will continue as they start the job and as they carry out the work so that any changes, including weather-related issues, are monitored.2. Undertake the work in the safest available way, for example using a heaving line to transfer equipment during a boat transferOur surveyors and inspectors have been trained in hazard identification and risk assessment and will therefore be following our hierarchy of controls which requires them, at all times, to work in the ...

ISO 50001 certification by Lloyd's Register Lloyd's Register has awarded Maran Tankers Management, Inc. (MTM), the oil tanker management company of the Angelicoussis Shipping Group, with ISO 50001 certification as commercial ship operators continue to search for ways to lessen their environmental impact and operating costs.ISO 50001 is a voluntary international standard that specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an energy-management system. It offers companies a systematic approach to continually improve energy performance, including energy efficiency, use and consumption."Certification to ISO 50001 was a milestone for our company," MTM Managing Director Stavros Hatzigrigoris said. "Having in place an effective and efficient energy-management system for the operation of our fleet brings real added benefits to the company and it allows us to be proactive in satisfying upcoming regulations, customer requirements and society's expectations."Energy management has become a critical part of ship operations in part because fuel is an increasingly major cost element for any shipping company, according to Sokratis Dimakopoulos, MTM's HSQE Manager."Improving energy efficiency reduces fuel consumption and operating costs for MTM and its clients. In addition, being energy efficient has become a legal and industry requirement and assists in reducing the environmental impact associated with CO2 ...

Ice class tankers receive special coatings A Norwegian based shipping company chose Ecospeed to give lasting protection to their two newbuild general cargo vessels. The first vessel, M/V Golfstraum, was delivered in November. Her sister vessel M/V Rystraum is planned for a 2012 delivery. Both vessels are of the highest ice class and will be trading in North Europe and the Baltic Sea.PHOTO: M/V GolfstraumBecause the most northern parts of the Baltic Sea are almost completely frozen during the winter season the owner wanted an underwater hull coating that would protect his vessels against the frequent impact of large pieces of floating dry ice. Ecospeed was therefore the ideal coating, requiring no more than a few touch-ups during future drydock visits and no full repaint.Ecospeed has also received the Lloyd's Register certificate that recognizes the coating as an abrasion resistant ice coating for vessels intending to navigate in ice conditions. For this reason the ice belts of both vessels, the area on the bow just above the waterline that is most prone to mechanical damage from sailing through ice, were also coated with Ecospeed.For over five years several vessels coated with Ecospeed have been sailing through the most severe Baltic ...

Expiry of tripartite agreements LR issues Statutory Alert regarding Provisional assessment of bulk chemicals in the Chemical Codes and MARPOL Annex II - Expiry of tripartite agreements as follows:The IMO's Guidelines for the Provisional Assessment of Liquid Substances Transported in Bulk (MEPC.1/Circ 512) detail requirements for tripartite agreements.Tripartite agreements for pure or technically pure products, which have not been classified by IMO, mixtures containing more than 1% of such products, or trade-named mixtures presenting safety hazards expire three years after their inclusion in the MEPC.2/Circular - Provisional Categorization of Liquid Substances.Withdrawals due to the new Guidelines for the Carriage of Blends of Petroleum Oil and Bio-fuelsThe following trade-name chemicals have been withdrawn by the flag authorities since they are now carried under the new IMO Guidelines for the Carriage of Blends of Petroleum Oil and Bio-fuels contained inMEPC.1/Circ.76Bio-fuel blends of Diesel/gas oil and Alkanes (C10-C26), linear and branched with a flashpoint ≤60C containing 75% or more petroleum oilE85 VSS, made by VerticalE85 VWS, made by VerticalE90 (Fuelstreamers, Inc), made by Fuelstreamers, IncE90 (Shell), made by ShellEtamax B (s), made by SEKAB BioFuels & ChemicalsEtamax B (w), made by SEKAB BioFuels & ChemicalsGasoline Blending Component SG90, made by Sugden BiofuelsSME B99, ...

International measures for shipping emissions are needed Christian Breinholt, Deputy Director General of the Danish Maritime Authority was a guest speaker at the meeting. He made the case for the Danish proposal for a greenhouse gas convention introducing Market Based Measures for shipping.Looking for support from Greek owners he presented the mechanics and philosophy of the International Green House Gas Fund - a market based measure to address IMO's 'equal treatment' requirements with the UNFCCC's 'common but differentiated responsibilities' approach. It will take years to develop an international convention he said so we need to start now. 'From our perspective, we need a single, dedicated, mechanism for the global industry'. Mr. Breinholt said that the Danish proposal is becoming widely supported within the industry.One of Mr. Breinholt's comments, using Lloyd's Register research, was that without some form of market based measures, in the context of anticipated growth in trade even with massive energy efficiency improvements, shipping will be unable to reduce its total greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Breinholt was persuasive and his comments were listened to with great interest by the committee.Lloyd's Register provided updates on shipbuilding activity world-wide, insight into efficient ship designs, as well as technical and operational ...

Lloyd's Register Classification Alert IACS Unified Requirement Z24 introduced new periodical survey requirements for the bow, inner, side shell and stern doors of ro-ro ships. These have been incorporated into Notice No.2 to the Lloyd's Register 2011 Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships.The new requirements will apply to Annual and Special Surveys commenced on or after January 1, 2012.The requirements for Annual Surveys will be included in the updated Survey Checklist which will be available on ClassDirect Live.These include a requirement for Close-up Surveys of securing, supporting and locking devices to be carried out.At Special Survey, in addition to the Annual Survey requirements, the following are to be carried out:1. The securing, supporting and locking devices, including their weld connections, are to be subjected to non-destructive testing and thickness measurement to the extent considered necessary by the Surveyor. The maximum allowable diminution is 15 per cent of the as-built thickness.2. The effectiveness of the sealing arrangements is to be verified by carrying out a hose test, or equivalent.3. The clearances of hinges, bearings and thrust bearings are to be measured. Unless otherwise specified in the Operation and Maintenance Manual (OMM), or by the manufacturer's recommendation, the measurement of ...

LR issues Alert Lloyd's Register issues Statutory Alert regarding Changes to the requirements for the carriage of blends of petroleum oil and bio-fuels as follows:The 62nd session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 62) agreed that from September 1, 2011, bio-fuel/petroleum oil blends should be carried in accordance with new Guidelines for the Carriage of Blends of Petroleum Oil and Bio-fuel. These are contained in IMO Circular MEPC.1/Circ.761.The Guidelines define bio-fuels as: ethyl alcohol (ethanol), fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), vegetable oils (triglycerides) and alkanes (C10-26), linear and branched with flashpoint of either 60ºC or less or more than 60ºC. Further bio-fuels identified as falling under the scope of the Guidelines will be listed in a new Annex 11 of the MEPC.2/Circular.The Guidelines split bio-fuel blends and requirements for their carriage into three bands, as follows:Band 1: bio-fuel blends containing 75% or more of petroleum oil These can be carried as an oil cargo under MARPOL Annex I. However, when carrying such bio-fuel blends, Oil Discharge Monitoring Equipment (ODME) shall be in compliance with Regulation 31 of Annex I and should be approved for the mixture being transported. If the ODME is not capable of monitoring the bio-fuel ...