Some 90 members of the Middle East maritime community attended the IMarEST UAE branch technical meeting in Dubai recently. DNV GL’s Nikeel Idnani, Honorary Secretary of the IMarEST UAE branch, welcomed the audience and introduced the speakers at the event, which covered several important current topics in the industry.
Johan Tutturen, Business Director Gas Carriers at DNV GL, introduced LNGreen, a state-of-the-art next-generation LNG carrier. This joint industry project brought together experts from DNV GL and industry specialists from GTT, Hyundai Heavy Industries, and shipowner GasLog. Each of the project partners contributed their unique know-how and experience to develop a future LNG carrier using the latest technology, within the bounds of existing shipbuilding methods. The vessel concept has a significantly improved environmental footprint, a higher level of energy efficiency, as well as an improved boil-off rate and cargo capacity, making it much better suited to future trading patterns than existing vessels. LNGreen investigated the improvement of efficiency and performance of LNG carriers by considering actual operational conditions and optimization in terms of hydrodynamics, machinery and system configuration.
Nikolaos Kakalis, DNV GL Manager of R&D and Maritime Advisory, explained that the innovations in LNGreen were based on DNV GL’s integrated systems engineering approach COSSMOS, advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics calculations and a containment system design tailored to a specific operational profile and anticipated trades. As a result, the vessel is 8% more energy efficient and has a 5% greater cargo capacity than the reference design. The design is future compliant with the new IGC Code, Panama Canal requirements and has a range of advanced features, including the speed-range flexibility, hull form and boil-off rate.
Gerhard Aulbert, DNV GL Global Head of Ship Recycling, examined the new European Ship Recycling Regulation, which entered into force at the end of 2013, and the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, which was adopted in May 2009. Both of these regulations place responsibility on shipowners, shipbuilders, suppliers, recycling facilities and national authorities to ensure the safe and environmentally viable management of HazMats as well as the sustainable recycling of ships. A fundamental requirement of these regulations is the documentation of hazardous materials onboard ships, he explained. New and existing ships of 500 GT and above will have to carry an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) and the related International Certificate of IHM onboard. This means that approximately 55,000 ships will have to obtain this certificate within five years, and new ships from the beginning of their operational life.
A panel discussion to end the meeting included Geir Fuglerud, DNV GL – Maritime Area Manager Middle East, alongside the speakers. The panel took questions from the audience on the presentations, as well as current regional and international issues of concern to the maritime industry. To close the meeting, Mr Idnani thanked DNV GL for sponsoring the event, the speakers and the audience for their participation.
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