Six Suezmax Tankers Earn BV Gas-Prepared Notation
International classification society Bureau Veritas is to grant GAS-PREPARED notation to six Suezmax tankers under construction for Dynacom Tankers Management.
The 157,000 dwt tankers will measure 274.3 meters in length, with a beam of 48 meters and depth of 23.2 meters. They are being built at New Times Shipbuilding in China, with delivery expected in 2017 and 2018.
The GAS-PREPARED notation sets out requirements for ships which are designed and fitted out for dual-fuel or LNG fuel propulsion, but which are not initially intended to use gas as a fuel. It provides owners with the flexibility to convert easily to dual fuel or LNG fuel propulsion in the future.
Jean-François Segretain, Marine & Offshore Technical Director, Bureau Veritas, said, “Using natural gas as fuel enables owners to comply with the requirements of Emission Control Areas in North America and Europe, and can be cost-effective in the long term. In publishing the GAS-PREPARED notation, Bureau Veritas sought to provide owners with the ability to switch to LNG in the future when market conditions are right.”
“Applying for GAS-PREPARED is an important step in future-proofing a new vessel and we look forward to working with Dynacom, the first owner in the market to choose this solution.”
Bureau Veritas’ Rule Note NR 627 Gas-Prepared Ships, published in late 2015, sets out how the initial design of the ship is to take into account the necessary spaces or zones to accommodate the following installations:
- LNG bunkering station
- LNG storage tanks
- Fuel gas handling system
- Ventilation systems
- GVU
- GCU, where required by NR529
- Vent mast.
The notation may be modified with the addition of:
- S when specific arrangements are implemented for the ship structure
- P when specific arrangements are implemented for piping
- ME-DF when the main engine(s) is (are) of the dual-fuel type
- AEB when the auxiliary engines and oil-fired boilers are either of the dual fuel type, or designed for future conversion to dual fuel operation.