China Classification Society (CCS) is hailing a major milestone after overseeing the delivery and naming ceremony of the first VLCC ever built in China deploying four 40metre rigid wing sails.

CCS attended the naming ceremony of the 307,000 DWT, 333 metre crude oil carrier M/V New Aden at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC) together with the owner China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES) and China Shipbuilding Trading Company. China Merchants Group chairman Mr Miu Jianmin meanwhile named the vessel.

CCS Vice President Mr Fan Qiang represented CCS at the ceremony saying the New Aden is ‘one of the most advanced VLCCs ever built in China’. He said the sails are expected to slash average fuel consumption by nearly 10pc on the Middle East to the Far East route cutting an estimated 2900 tons of CO2 emissions a year.

“The New Aden is an outstanding vessel which embraces the very latest design techniques as we work towards meeting the IMO GHG targets,” he said. “China Merchants, Dalian Shipbuilding’s R & D team and Guangwei Composite Materials have undertaken great work in developing the ship and this new generation of rigid wing sail (see notes to editors 1).

The sails have a combined surface of around 1200 sq m and are a true innovation. They are made of a low weight carbon fibre composite supported by high strength corrosion resistance and a state-of-the-art autonomous control system.

This system maximises efficiency in complex operating conditions. The technology monitors power supply and self-inspects to ensure the hydraulic lifting and electric rotation is optimised to ensure peak performance.”

Mr Fan said the New Aden sets new standards in VLCC performance.

“Together with China Merchants and Dailian Shipbuilding we have looked at every aspect of design to deliver the best possible result in fuel reduction, sailing performance in wind and waves through optimised hull design as well as safety and environmental protection,” he said.

“The New Aden further meets the requirements ofHarmonized Common Structural Rules (HCSR), the latest oxynitride and oxysulfide emission standards, the update phase requirements of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI).

It further meets the EU Inventory of Hazardous Materials and ship recycling rules in line with the latest oil major requirements.”

1) The New Aden is equipped with two pairs of new generation rigid wing sails, not rotor sails. Rigid wing lift sails use airflow to change the flow field on the surface of a specific device, thereby generating propulsion using aerodynamic principles.

The New Aden’s four sails are made of a carbon fibre composite for the first time, material properties and construction techniques need to be verified by practice. CCS proposed a number of optimisation proposals and construction considerations for the new generation rigid wing sail, working closely with the shipyard and ship owner to ensure high quality and efficient delivery of the shipbuilding project.

CCS background

Founded in 1956, China Classification Society (CCS) is headquartered in Beijing and is a full member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).

• Its serviced fleet numbers more than 33,000 vessels exceeding 182.3 million GT.
• Its ship survey business covers large ore carriers, high value-added ships including container ships and liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, and green and intelligent ships. CCS also provides classification services to a vast range of offshore installations and related industrial products.
• CCS has a worldwide network of 129 sites
• CCS’ 33,000-plus clients are spread over 140 countries and regions. It holds 60 authorisations by shipping nations or regions in the world including China to perform statutory surveys for the ships flying their flags.

CCS provides classification services to ships, offshore installations and related industrial products by furnishing world-leading technical rules and standards. CCS also provides statutory surveys, verification, certification and accreditation and other services in accordance with international conventions, regulations and the related rules and regulations of the authorizing flag states or regions.

By committing to the mission of “safety, environmental protection and creating value for clients and society”, CCS provides services for a range of industry and fields including shipping, shipbuilding, shipping finance and insurance, marine equipment, ocean resources exploitation, ocean scientific research, industrial supervision, system certification, government policy and rule development, energy saving and emission reduction, risk management and evaluation, and is constantly developing new business areas.

CCS provides 7×24-hour survey and technical support services for shipowners relying on its global offices. With the efficient service architecture, CCS continuously provides all-round support for survey activities, ship safety and security, and emergency response. Excellent performance has been achieved continuously in the three major PSC MoUs, and its fleet size is growing healthily and steadily.

Source : POLARIS