World First for HHI Korea and DNV. Chinese oil imports on Chinese-owned tankers. Dyvi signs Nauticus Construction contract for newbuildings in China and Singapore. DNV Academy developing shipbuilding in Vietnam. DNV’s expert advice sought by US Congress.

World First for HHI Korea and DNV
HHI’s Offshore Shipbuilding Division has launched the first VLGC to be built on land, transported sideways onto a barge and then towed out to the Ulsan anchorage for launching.
The 82,000 cbm BW Prince, for owners BW Gas ASA, is a world first to be built and launched in this manner. Building ships without a drydock has become a specialty of this HHI division and the success of this LPG carrier is the start in a series of this ship size for a number of owners with DNV class.
The vessel being 225m long, 36.6m broad and 22.0m deep, it is a formidable task to transfer it from building blocks to launching barge without incident. The Air Pad Sliding system has been successfully used in the launching of 105,000 grt tankers in the past but was extended by two slide sections, one at each end, to accommodate the structure of the LPG ships and limit the stresses applied to the hull during the transport process.
The unsupported length is approximately 64m forward and 40m aft.

Chinese oil imports on Chinese-owned tankers
DNV is well positioned when the Chinese authorities increase their fleet of oil tankers to ensure China’s oil imports.
The Chinese-flagged tanker fleet is expected to increase rapidly over the coming five years from the current 22 Chinese-owned tankers. There are 27 more on order, and the fleet is expected to number 90 by the end of 2012.
The first very large crude carrier (VLCC) delivered to a Chinese owner, COSCO, in late 2002 was classed by DNV. Recently, orders to build two new VLCCs to DNV class for Chinese owner AMCL were signed at Dalian Shipyard.
DNV has achieved a respectable market share of 37 per cent for the vessels presently on order for Chinese owners in mainland China. All the vessels are classed under a dual class scheme with China Classification Society (CCS).
Further development of this dual class scheme and business planning for the new CCS & DNV Technology Institute were among the topics at the CCS/DNV cooperation board meeting in Beijing recently. CEO Henrik O. Madsen headed DNV’s delegation and emphasised his appreciation for the results achieved, “By working together on these strategic initiatives we will deliver more value to our Chinese customers.”

Dyvi signs Nauticus Construction contract for newbuildings in China and Singapore
Dyvi AS recently signed a contract worth USD 36,000 for the use of DNV’s Nauticus Construction project quality management software on three newbuildings.
The contract allows Dyvi to use the web based software for following up the design and building of a 10,000 grt crane vessel, the hull of which will be built in China and outfitted in Singapore whilst simultaneously following up two vehicle carriers being built at the Samjin shipyard in China.
Says Pål Gilde, project manager for the crane vessel: “Nauticus Construction allows us to keep all documents, information and correspondence for these distributed projects in one database accessible via the Internet at any time from China, Singapore or in our head office outside Oslo, Norway. We shall also improve our efficiency by implementing standard work processes and improving teamwork regardless of geographical location.”
Says Richard Badham, customer service manager at the Nordic Maritime Service Centre: “DNV has more than 15 highly valued customers using Nauticus Construction worldwide on newbuilding and conversion projects. They all wish to use it in future projects. I see this software as an important tool for increasing customer satisfaction and quality management in shipbuilding, not least in developing countries. Nauticus Construction helps our customers help themselves, ultimately freeing some of our scarce resources to work at a higher level in the quality chain.”
Singapore – geared for repairs, but gearing up for newbuildings
The number of newbuildings under construction in Singapore has increased and is today higher than ever in the past decade. At year-end, the number of DNV newbuildings in progress will most probably be close to 30.
Singapore cannot compete with China, Japan or Korea; they are in a different league. But Singapore is focusing on niche products in the market – either smaller or bigger vessels. The common denominator is higher value vessels, the hulls of which are built outside Singapore and which outfitting is completed in Singapore.
One of these, the world’s largest single pedestal 5,000-tonne heavy lift crane vessel, was recently signed to DNV class. The hull will be built in China, while the vessel will be outfitted in Singapore. Dyvi Offshore will be the owner of this giant when completed in mid-2010.
Before that, in 2008–2010, 24 more vessels to DNV class will be delivered from Singapore and Batam, which is located just 20 miles across the Singapore Straits in Indonesia.
The giant crane vessel is an example of the really big vessels to be built in Singapore, but the majority of the other newbuildings are smaller high-value vessels for the offshore industry – for example anchor handling tugs, supply vessels and standby vessels.
Singapore is the crossroads where East meets West; it is better positioned for ship repairs than most of its competitors. Based on the increased trade and higher number of ships in operation, Singapore will be well positioned for docking and repair work in the future.
For DNV Maritime in Singapore it is not an either/or question when it comes to ships in operation or newbuildings. Even if the increased newbuilding activity is a peak based on the global boom, it is an interesting peak, containing advanced and specialised vessels, that is a challenge for everyone.
Per.Wiggo.Richardsen@dnv.com

DNV Academy developing shipbuilding in Vietnam

No other country has as many surveyors attending the internal DNV Maritime Accelerated Surveyor Training (MAST) programme. Currently nine out of 30 participants are from Vietnam.
With the high growth rates in Vietnam’s maritime industry, obtaining qualified personnel is a major challenge. The DNV Academy is helping fill the gap.
The demand for skilled labour is a challenge for the Vietnamese industry in general and DNV in particular. The DNV Academy is a way to transfer knowledge and expertise that DNV has acquired over decades in the maritime sector, not only for the direct benefit of customers but to make the ship classification process run more smoothly for DNV.
The head of DNV Academy Vietnam, George McHenry, explains: “The long-term objective is to support the development of the ship newbuilding industry in Vietnam to ensure that its products satisfy the requirements of international rules and standards. To achieve such an objective, we must deliver high quality training programmes for Vinashin (Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Corporation). At the same time, we also have to do internal DNV training.
“The DNV Academy is a national training concept serving a national shipbuilding industry that has huge ambitions. By providing Learning for Development, DNV Academy Vietnam will be an important instrument in the development of the Vietnamese shipbuilding industry.
“I would like to see the Academy expand further during the next couple of years, by setting up two or three additional training facilities around the main clusters of shipbuilding yards stretching along the Vietnamese coast from north to south,” says George McHenry. “It will be crucial throughout to provide high quality training that makes the learning stick and the knowledge transferable to the work place.”
OSM Ship Management benefits from DNV’s expertise
DNV will carry out a security assessment for OSM Ship Management.
The project will demonstrate DNV’s ability to combine know-how on crossing borders and industries to deliver the best service possible.
The Norwegian ship management company OSM is a long-term client of DNV Maritime. OSM has ordered a security assessment of a business critical application. The aim is to ensure that information is safe and secure, as well as having a stable application. Specialists from DNV IT Global Services UK will try to hack the application to reveal security flaws, while at the same time, engineers from DNV IT Global Services in Germany will scrutinise the source code in order to check its resilience. A workshop on release management and best implementation practices of new software versions will also be conducted.
“It looks like the maritime industry is opening its eyes to these kinds of services. While IT safety assessments have been highly valued by industries such as finance and telecommunications for years, the maritime sector has been quite absent. But enhanced need for process automation combined with new safety regulations increases the demand for safe and reliable IT systems,” says project manager Per-Christian Nødtvedt from DNV Industry.
“What is unique about this project is that it comprises know-how from DNV IT Global Services in various countries, and also draws on project management experience from DNV Industry in Norway, in order to provide the best services for the client,” says project sponsor from DNV IT Global Services, Torgeir Brovold.
He is in no doubt as to why DNV IT Global Services is so highly valued: “DNV’s extensive maritime background and strong technical depth, combined with our knowledge related to process improvements and skill development, provides us with a great competitive advantage in the maritime market and positions us well in terms of future business opportunities.”
Joacim Lunde

DNV’s expert advice sought by US Congress

DNV played an important part in a recent hearing on commercial fishing vessel safety in the US Congress, which could lead to improved US safety regulations.
DNV vice president and regional manager for the Americas, Blaine Collins, testified on behalf of DNV to the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, part of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The US Congress has decided to put extended focus on fishing vessel safety after several incidents and capsizes during the past few years. DNV was asked to provide advice from the classification society point of view.
“This illustrates the integrity and position DNV has in the US maritime market. Our recognised international expertise and our long presence in established maritime nations made us the first choice for the Congress,” states Blaine Collins.
Fishing is a rather fragmented industry and statistics are not readily available, but today, only 20 out of 4,500 US fishing vessels in service, in lay-up or under construction are classified. While international treaties apply to merchant ships, very few regulations apply to fishing boats, partly due to their size, which is one of the major reasons why fishing remains a high risk occupation.
To raise the safety standards for fishing vessels and close the safety gap between fishing boats and other vessels, Blaine Collins proposed two actions. First, that all fishing vessels longer than 24m should be built, operated and maintained according to the rules of a recognised class society. Secondly, that the US government adopt the Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, a set of safety requirements for fishing boats adopted by most European coastal nations. Collins also recommended that the US seek and implement international regulations, rather than national, in order to work for a uniform standard throughout the world, since many fishing vessels trade outside of their domestic shores.
“DNV will continue to cooperate with the US government and provide any additional information necessary to provide the Congress with the best decision making information possible before a new act is passed,” Blaine Collins concludes.
If classification should become mandatory, this could lead to considerable new business opportunities in the US fishing vessel market, especially on newbuildings. At present, DNV has approximately 30 per cent of the US market.
Joacim Lunde

Celebrating DNV–Oshima ties
Last June, a cherry blossom tree was planted at DNV’s head office outside Oslo, Norway to celebrate the 75th vessel built to DNV class by Oshima. The CEOs of the yard, owner and class – Sho Minami of Oshima Shipyard, Trond Harald Klaveness of T. Klaveness Shipping and Henrik O. Madsen of DNV – attended the ceremony.
The vessel, Oshima S. No. 10421, is a 72,000 dwt bulk and caustic-soda carrier. Named the Bakkedal, it was delivered on 10 August.
“More than thirty DNV vessels are still on Oshima’s order book at the moment, and we’re looking forward to throwing a lavish ceremony for the 100th ship, possibly in 2011,” says Trond Hodne, DNV Maritime’s regional manager in Japan, who is proud of the number of vessels classed to DNV and built by Oshima.
Oshima Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. is located in Nagasaki in western Japan. The yard has 990 employees and the capacity of more than 30 bulk carriers per year. Oshima is well-known as ‘the bulk supplier,’ not only by Japanese ship owners but also by European, Asian, and US owners. Presenting itself as the ‘champion of bulk carriers’, Oshima has focused on the study of new designs supported by innovative technologies.
OS-Max 60, the world’s largest Handymax bulk carrier released in early 2007, is a good example of the achievements that have made Oshima such a successful shipyard, and Japan a successful shipbuilding nation. It remains one of the top three nations when it comes to number of vessels built, as well as tonnage built.
Oshima also has strong ties with Norway, having built many vessels for Norwegian owners. King Harald V of Norway chose Oshima as one of his destinations when he visited Japan in 2001.
Per.Wiggo.Richardsen@dnv.com

Date: 2008-01-30