Shanghai: When new very large vessels are to be built in China, the shipowner and yards are looking to DNV for class services. Recently, contracts to build four 300,000 dwt ore carriers were signed between China Shipping Group and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry. These vessels will be designed and constructed under a dual class collaboration between CCS and DNV.

When new very large vessels are to be built in China, the shipowner and yards are looking to DNV for class services.

These new contracts add to more than 15 very large crude carriers (VLCC) on the DNV order book in China. Most of these vessels are also dual class with DNV and CCS (China Classification Society).

DNV has previous informed that the world’s largest ore carriers, the four 388,000 dwt ships being built by Bohai Shipyard for Bergesen Worldwide, were to be built to DNV class. In between, almost 20 contracts for very large crude carriers have also been signed.

“DNV has for years proactively and systematically focused on all the parties involved in the Chinese shipbuilding industry,” says DNV Maritime Regional Manager Bjørn Haugland. “In particular, the contact and two-way respect between the giants in this industry and DNV have moved all those involved forward.”

All these VLOCs will be delivered from 2011 - 2012. The deliveries of the vessels built by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry are expected to take place between August 2011 and March 2012. The first of the world’s largest VLOCs from Bohai Shipyard is to be delivered in April 2011, while its last sister in the series of four ships is scheduled for delivery in April 2012.

Olav Nortun, DNV Maritime’s Technical Director, says: “We’re proud of the reputation DNV has achieved when it comes to large vessels. Quality is our main target and our investments related to fatigue calculation, protection against fatigue cracks and corrosion prevention have paid off.”

Transportation is optimised by the use of large vessels. The relative fuel consumption is reduced and, as a result, the emissions to air are also reduced.

“Yes, large vessels have an environmental impact,” Nortun states. “The results of internal DNV studies show that the fuel consumption per transported tonne of a bulk carrier is some 20 - 40 per cent lower for the largest vessels than for a Capesize. When it comes to crude carriers, the difference can be as much as a 50 per cent reduction when comparing a VLCC to an Aframax.”

By mid-November, DNV in China had secured 215 new vessels, totalling some 17 million dwt. The accumulated order book is close to 400 vessels, equal to almost 30 million dwt.