Less Fuel Oil News

Similar to container vessels, bulk carriers and cruise ships, car carriers are rapidly growing in size, says a report by DNV GL. A new series of the world’s largest pure car and truck carriers sets a new standard for this segment. The final two vessels in a series of six New Horizon Class pure car and truck carriers (PCTC) were delivered on schedule at the Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry yard in September and December 2016, respectively. Ordered by Norwegian shipping company Höegh Autoliners, the New Horizon Class vessels have a carrying capacity of 8,500 units, and are able to accommodate nearly 15 per cent more cars than ships of same size and type. The 200 m long and 36.5 m wide vessels have a deck area of 71,400 m2, divided over 14 decks.

The global shipping industry is no stranger to challenge or change. With responsibility for delivering 90% of global trade, it has had to continually demonstrate an ability to adapt. Now, with the implementation of increasingly stringent environmental regulations, which will increase operating costs and alter the dynamic of fuel procurement, the industry will once again need to evolve. In successfully responding to the introduction of the North American Emission Control Area (ECA) in 2012, shipping has jumped a significant hurdle, but this is just the beginning. The bunker market in the U.S.

Flexible fuels, Bold designs ... Eastern Shipbuilding Group has arguably been one of the more progressive and aggressive U.S. builders of high-spec Offshore Service Vessels in recent years, winning a number of high-profile contracts for operators globally. Eastern recently delivered M/V HOS Red Dawn and christened M/V HOS Renaissance, both for Hornbeck Offshore Services, LLC. HOS Red Dawn (H201) – now delivered – was launched on February 15, 2013. HOS Red Rock (H202) was launched April 19, 2013, and is currently at Eastern completing final outfitting, regulatory and DP-2 trials.

The ROC yard, China, will construct two platform supply ships of Ulstein’s PX121 designs for the ITG Group. The contract includes an option for two additional vessels. According to Ulstein, the PX121 has become very popular among various ship-owners and investment companies, and ROC is a new yard entering the stage of constructing vessels carrying the X-BOW hull line design from Ulstein. This inverted bow leads to reduced speed loss in waves, and consequently less fuel oil consumption, and the absence of slamming is an attractive feature as the comfort for the crew is increased.

Lloyd’s Register supervised the design appraisal, build and sea trials, verifying the performance of a new, modified 57,000 dwt ship based on a SDARI design. The M.V. Aquila, first in a new series of supramax bulk carrier designs, optimised to burn less fuel oil has been delivered in China on the eve of the Lunar New Year holidays. The efficiency improvements have been achieved by carrying out a number of straightforward – but effective – changes including: de-rating the main engine, a new propeller design which has been optimised for the de-rated engine, and fitting a mewis duct.