Vetting - a charterer's processe to ensure quality and safety standards.
The newsletter is published three times a year and can be read online by navigating on the left menu.Date: 2008-02-07
Vetting by Oil Majors: The Vetting Process is Developing
In our recent interview with Mr. Enys Dan he gave us some thoughts on vetting today and further development, seen from his position as Director of Marine Assurance in BP Shipping. You can read it here.
Harren & Partner Reederei GmbH & Co: “We were stricter with ourselves than the oil companies were!”
Harren & Partner, a shipping company located in Bremen, Germany, has only quite recently become involved in the tanker market. So the company’s management was really pleased to be examined by the oil companies once Harren & Partner had carried out its first Tanker Management and Self Assessment (TMSA).
TMSA - Risk Management support: DNV is offering TMSA-related services to shipowners
Since the introduction of OCIMF's Tanker Management Self Assessment (TMSA), DNV has provided more and more shipowners with support to comply with the TMSA requirements and introduced the DNV Risk Model.
DNV’s New Additional Class Notation: RATE (A)
Shipowners today are experiencing an increased demand for information about their fleet, and in many cases there are expectations and requirements of technical standards beyond main class. To help shipowners face this situation, DNV is now introducing an additional and voluntary class notation, RATE(A).
Support services beyond class from DNV: Increased focus on hull integrity
Cracks, corrosion, and other elements of structural integrity are main areas of attention for tanker owners. Lack of satisfactory hull integrity may have basic negative consequences, such as oil ingress in ballast tanks, pollution of the sea, port state detentions, fines, unscheduled (and expensive) ship repairs, and in worst case major accidents due to structural failure. This is also the reason why hull integrity receives such strong attention from charterers in connection with vetting. Excellent control of hull integrity is a hallmark of quality shipping.
Hull Structure Course
The technical department in shipownerÕs organisation has in many cases been reduced in order to cut cost. A general perception is that the competence in a typical technical department is strongest with respect to machinery and systems compared to hull and structure. In order to meet the needs for more structural expertise, technical experts on hull structure working with ships in operation at DNVÕs Head Office in Oslo have developed a Hull Structure Course.
Tank Inspection Course
Since the introduction of the ISM code, there have been requirements to owners carrying out regular inspections of ships’ hull and equipment. The crew is often responsible for carrying out such inspections. It is, of course, of utmost importance that those given the responsibility of carrying out tank inspections actually possess the necessary knowledge/skills to do so. The quality of any inspection scheme is highly dependent on the qualifications of the inspectors.
Hull Inspection Manuals – to keep you in control
Apart from structural expertise, systematic hull inspection and maintenance systems are essential to manage the hull integrity in a satisfactory manner.
Nauticus Hull Life Cycle Manager
The hull inspection is not completed before the findings have been properly recorded, and the recordings are of little value unless used by both crew and onshore staff to control the condition of the vessel/ fleet. To help do so in a structured, consistent and effective way, DNV also offers an innovative maintenance support system; the Hull Life Cycle Manager
Effective Energy Management: Attractive savings with a green touch
With the increasing focus on exhaust gas emissions, even in connection with vetting, and escalating fuel bills, owners have strong incentives to improve their energy management. DNV has now introduced a structured approach to this topic in which change management is the key. “In many cases there’s big money to be saved, with an environmental gain on top,” say DNV’s Gunnar Westgaard and Hans Olstad.
SOLAS Regulations II – 1/3.2. New Performance Standards for Protective Coating
Coating specification and initial application are essetential for future mainteanance needs, and eventually the safety. New international performance standards aiming to provide a target useful coating life of 15 years, will soon be implemented.
Updated Software from DNV: Latest news on Nauticus Hull for Common Structural Rules (CSR)
DNV has just launched its latest version of Nauticus Hull Software – the September 2006 version. The software still provides unparalleled support for CSR for oil tankers, and now also provides the same unique support for CSR for bulk carriers. In addition, the new version introduces radical efficiency improvements for CSR for oil tankers.
New Classification Note from DNV ‘Sloshing analysis of LNG membrane tanks’ (Classification Note No 30.9)
DNV has now launched a new LNG sloshing Class Note for membrane tank systems. One of its main purposes is to provide guidelines for assessing sloshing in the new large size LNG carriers in order to ensure safe transportation.
Meet a DNV project manager for large LNG vessels
Per-Olof Karlsson came to Okpo and Samsung Heavy Industries Koje Works a couple of months ago from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Nagasaki Works in Japan, where he was the DNV project manager for the world’s highest specified Moss type LNG vessels built for the North Atlantic trade from the Snøhvit gas field in Northern Norway to the terminals on the US East Coast and in Southern Europe. These vessels will be trading in the rough seas of the Norwegian Sea as well as the North Atlantic all year – no wonder they have been winterized with enclosed bridge wings and have comfort class to ensure comfort of the crew under Arctic conditions and minimise crew fatigue.
Revised Marpol Annex II: First Revised Certificate issued by DNV
All existing chemical carriers are to have revised Chem Code Certificates of Fitness by 1 January 2007. The basis for the revised certificate is a new Procedures & Arrangements (P&A) Manual which has to be submitted for approval by class.
A role for class in ’human element’ issues?
With the on-going challenge to find talent, the increased awareness of human factors in avoiding accidents and charterer’s increasing tendency of making individual competence a part of the vetting procedures, training and competence management have moved higher on the maritime agenda.
Recent delivery
The last of the four LNG carriers, LNG/C Arctic Voyager, for Snøhvit was delivered from Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation on 14 July 2006 to the owners Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (K Line)