DNV has been contracted to class two new supertankers for Bergesen World-Wide Shipping. The VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers) will be the largest tankers ever built in China and the first built there to follow the common structural rules.
Tor E. Svensen, DNV Maritime’s chief operating officer, was on hand in Beijing for the signing ceremony last week. He commented: “Given DNV’s interests in China and our long experience with the Chinese shipbuilding industry, we are delighted to be classifying these vessels in China. Both will be classed by DNV and are expected to be delivered between 2009 and 2010.”
First in China
The specifications for the ships were jointly developed between BW Tankers, Bohai Shipyard and DNV according to Bjørn K. Haugland, DNV Maritime’s regional manager for the Greater China area. “These ships will have a groundbreaking new vessel design and are the first set of VLCCs in China with the new common structural rules for double hull oil tankers due to be effective April 1 this year.”
DNV has been helping China’s shipbuilding make many groundbreaking firsts – such as the first very large crude carriers built in China, which were to DNV class in a series of five vessels.
Since then DNV has been involved in most VLCCs delivered from China including and up to the 10th VLCC. These vessels were built for both international and local clients.
Expansion in China
DNV will accelerate expansion in China by adding offices and training facilities as the country assumes an increasingly important role in the construction of high-end vessels.
DNV plans to open an office in Ningbo later this month to tap the potential in Zhejiang Province, where new shipyards are planned around Ningbo and Zhoushan Island - including what will become the world's biggest ship repair base. It recently opened an office in Nantong in Jiangsu Province. Last year, it opened an office in Beijing.
"China is the world's fastest-growing ship-building market," said Svensen, "as worldwide shipbuilding capacity will exceed demand in three to four years, China is expected to focus more on innovation and competence, and as such needs our assistance in developing high-end ships."