[191212.EN.SEA] Changes In Ship Design Expected From UN Environmental Rules: DNV

SHIPOWNERS must order vessels that comply with stringent United Nations environmental mandates that promise to become more demanding in years to come, says Norwegian classification society Det Norske Veritas (DNV).

"Owners working on new designs should take into consideration the possibility of running their vessels on LNG as a fuel and not be left behind," said Trond Hodne, DNV's marine marketing director.

"Multiple fuel options on board will be more advantageous going forward," he said at the presentation of a DNV report, Shipping 2020.

With the major engine manufacturers working on two-stroke design gas fuelled engines, the shipping industry could see a larger uptake of the use of gas as a fuel in the wake of impending emissions regulations, said the report.

The future use of gas depended on the price differential between LNG and heavy fuel oils and/or distillates, reported London's Tanker Operator. Mr Hodne also said that bunkers would be supplied by specialist providers to mitigate against any spillage.

Another factor when designing the new vessels is adequate piping for the fitting of new regulatory equipment, such as ballast water treatment systems, he said.

A combination of expert views on market trends, the analysis of 50,000 vessels and a questionnaire sent out to 24 shipowners formed the basis of the report.

The results of this survey found that 75 per cent of the respondents desire a payback time of any new equipment installed of between zero and five years. But 25 per cent needed zero to two years. In addition, maintaining secondhand values was a key consideration for many of the respondents.

Source : HKSG.