Business

Six Suezmax tankers future-proofed thanks to Bureau Veritas’ GAS-PREPARED notation

9 août 2016

Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, September 08, 2016 - Leading international classification society Bureau Veritas is to grant GAS-PREPARED notation to six Suezmax tankers under construction for Dynacom Tankers Management. The oil tanker specialist is the first shipowner to future-proof its vessels by applying for the notation.

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.

Vessels meeting the standards are awarded the notation GAS-PREPARED.
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.

VISIT BUREAU VERITAS AT SMM Hall 83, Ground Floor, Booth 101