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ABS Introduces ‘Alternative Fuel Ready’ Guide

Classification society ABS announced Tuesday it has introduced an ‘Alternative Fuel Ready’ approach to help shipowners prepare their fleets for the introduction of alternative fuels.Introduced through the newly published Guide for Gas and Other Low-Flashpoint Fuel Ready Vessels, the new approach is the latest contribution from ABS to assist the industry with the adoption of new fuel technologies.The…
Chevron Tanker Receives ABS SMART-MHM Notation

ABS and Chevron Shipping Company LLC have embarked on a digital fleet management journey.As a first step, the Suezmax lightering vessel Pegasus Voyager has become the first vessel in Chevron’s fleet to qualify for the ABS maintenance optimization notation SMART-MHM (Machinery Health Monitoring), with more vessels expected to follow. The ship is also the first ABS-classed to receive the notation.ABS…
ABS, LR Update Common Structural Rules Software

Common Structural Rules Software LLC (CSR), a joint venture company formed by ABS and Lloyd’s Register (LR), has updated its products to comply with the latest Rule Change Notice (RCN) from the International Association of Classification Societies.The CSR Prescriptive Analysis (PA) and CSR Finite Element Analysis (FEA) products have been updated to support users with creating designs that comply with the latest July 1…
Cat Powers Brusco's New Tugs

Caterpillar Marine recently signed a contract to supply its solutions for the next generation of Brusco Tug and Barge’s new tugs. The first tug was delivered in December 2019, and the second vessel will soon be under construction at Diversified Marine Inc. (DMI), in Portland, Ore., featuring a bollard pull of 84 short tons and complete system integration by Caterpillar Marine.Caterpillar Marine’s West Coast territory sales manager Enrique Aponte said…
ABS Grants AiP for Crew Transfer Vessel for U.S. Offshore Wind Ops

BAR Technologies and Chartwell Marine have received Approval in Principle (AiP) from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for the design and construction of a BAR 30m crew transfer vessel (CTV) aimed for operations in the growing U.S. offshore wind sector.In a joint statement on Tuesday, BAR and Chartwell said that securing AiP offered the highest level of assurance that these innovative vessel designs will be built in-line with specific US requirements.
Vard Secures ABS AIP for Second SOV Design

Vard Marine (VARD) is doubling down on the U.S. offshore wind sector, having recently secured ABS Approval in Principle (AIP) for a second Jones Act service operation vessel (SOV) design.The AIP awarded in June 2020 is for a customized version of the VARD 4 19 US SOV and follows an AIP for the VARD 4 07 US SOV granted in December 2019 -- the first AIP awarded for a Jones Act SOV.The latest, larger SOV variant is designed for functions including accommodation…
ABS Class for First Taiwan-built Offshore Installation Vessel

Marine classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) will provide classification services to the first floating heavy lift and installation vessel to be built in Taiwan.The vessel named the Green Jade has been commissioned by CDWE, a joint venture between Taiwanese company CSBC and Belgian offshore contractor DEME, and will be built at CSBC in Taiwan for delivery in 2022 for deployment in…
ABS Updates Offshore Wind Guidance

Classification society ABS said it has updated its guides addressing both floating and bottom-founded offshore wind turbines.The revised guides incorporate updated industry best practices and industry feedback, lessons learned from a range of projects in Europe and North America as well as latest developments in International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards for offshore wind turbines.“As the global market for offshore wind energy continues to grow…
Blount to Build Icebreaking Buoy Tender for Maryland

Warren, R.I. shipbuilder Blount Boats said it has been awarded a contract to build a 90-foot icebreaking buoy tender vessel for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The vessel will be designed by BMT Designers and Planners, Inc. of Arlington, Va.The new vessel will replace the 100-foot, 167-ton M/V J. Millard Tawes commissioned by the U.S. Coast Guard in 1942 and in service for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources since 1972.
Examining LNG as Fuel

A snap poll recently conducted by ABS found that as many two-thirds of global shipowners had yet to select a technical pathway to meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) mandatory decarbonization targets for 2030 and 2050.With the technologies supporting a myriad of new low-carbon fuels evolving at vastly different speeds, any tendencies to wait for information to mature before making significant long-term capital commitments are understandable…
ABS and SHI Target End-to-End 3D Model-Based Class Process

ABS and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) are working together to deliver Korea’s first end-to-end 3D model-based class process, encompassing engineering and survey.The signing of a new joint development project (JDP) to develop 3D model-based surveys follows ABS and SHI’s development of a paperless 3D model-based design and review process, completing a previous JDP signed in September 2019. The project…
Gulf Island Shipyards Delivers Icebreaking Tug to SLSDC

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) announced it has taken delivery of its new 118-foot icebreaking tug, the Seaway Guardian, in Massena, N.Y. Built by Gulf Island Shipyards in Houma, La., the vessel is the first new tug to join SLSDC since the Seaway opened 61 years ago.The new $24 million tug will primarily be used for buoy maintenance and ice management on the St.
ABS to Class First NA West Coast LNG Bunker Barge

The first liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge on North America’s west coast, which is expected to serve shipping from 2023, is to be built to ABS class.Cryopeak LNG Solutions Corporation and Island Tug & Barge Ltd. (ITB) have developed a design for a 4,000 cubic meter capacity articulated tug and barge (ATB). The design utilizes one of ITB’s tugs to deliver LNG as a fuel to shipping companies…
Webinar: Floating Production Forecasts & Analysis

A free webinar will deliver latest forecasts and market intelligence for the global floating production industry, offering insider access to business and investment opportunities in the deepwater sector.Floating Production Systems: 2020 Forecasts & Analysis, presented by ABS and World Energy Reports, will be held July 29, 2020, 11 a.m. (EDT). REGISTER HERE.The effects of the COVID-19 crisis and oil supply glut continue to seriously dampen investment appetite in the oil and gas sector…
Keel Laid for Polaris New Energy LNG Bunker Barge

Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding hosted a private ceremonial keel laying June 24 celebrating the start of construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker barge for Polaris New Energy.The barge will be named the Clean Canaveral and will operate as an articulated tug and barge unit (ATB) that initially runs along the U.S. East Coast providing LNG bunkering solutions to NorthStar Midstream’s customers.Modern ships are now largely built in a series of prefabricated…
Do Not Set Seafarers Up to Fail, Cautions ABS CEO Wiernicki

“Shipping’s digital revolution must have its roots in the human factor. Expecting today’s shipboard crews to adopt a digital mindset without the right skills puts them in an untenable position and risks safety for everyone.”That is the message from ABS Chairman, President and CEO, Christopher J. Wiernicki, who is marking the 10th annual United Nations Day of the Seafarer with a call to give crews the support they need to succeed in the digital era.“As a whole…
ABS Grants AIP to Dual Deadweight Bulker

Classification society ABS said it granted Approval in Principle (AIP) to a dual deadweight neo-panamax bulk carrier design from the StandShip Joint Development Partnership (JDP).Available in 86,000- and 95,000-deadweight-ton design options, the bulk carrier is intended to be ready to order ‘off the shelf’ for charterers and operators looking for flexibility. The 229-meter design includes a 38-meter beam…
SDARI and ABS to Pioneer 3D Model-based Class

Classification society ABS and the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI) have signed a Joint Development Project (JDP) to use 3D Models in an attempt to streamline the class process.The JDP will develop a process for ingesting SDARI 3D models into Class supporting software to allow 3D Model-based Class reviews.“Together, ABS and SDARI are designing the next generation of Classification.
ABS Launches NOx Advisory and Notations

Classification society ABS has published the ABS Advisory on NOx Tier III Compliance to provide best practice for IMO Tier III compliance for new build vessels and retrofitted ships.The advisory includes an overview of available technologies, evaluates considerations for the selection of compliance options and outlines the process for statutory and class approval. It also details best practices for…
Shipowers See Ammonia, Hydrogen as Best Long-term Fuel Options -Survey

Shipowners see ammonia and hydrogen as the most attractive fuel options for the long term, according to an ABS survey. Nearly 60% of respondents said they viewed hydrogen and ammonia as the most attractive fuel choices in the long-term.The survey of shipowners and operators registering for an ABS webinar, Pathways to Sustainable Shipping, also revealed nearly two thirds of owners currently have no…