Chinese J-Lay Design Gets LR AiP

Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute has been granted approval in principle (AiP) by Lloyd’s Register (LR) for a J-lay heavy lift vessel concept design.

The vessel’s primary function will be deep-water pipe-laying, subsea installation and heavy lifting in deep sea, said a press release from the provider of professional assurance services and management certification.

This J-lay heavy lift vessel concept design has been purposely designed for a Chinese oil major, in support of the rapid growth of offshore demand in the local market.

It will provide more opportunities to oil majors in the Shanghai region who can now develop deep water oil fields. It will also be the first of its kind to be developed by the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute with cooperation of an oil major.

LR assessed the technical capability of the J-lay heavy lift vessel concept design in accordance with LR’s Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Ships, ensuring that the design is safe and compliant.

Li Lu, Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute’s Assistant President & Marketing Director, said: “We have a strong, long-standing relationship with Chinese oil majors and we can now provide them with more opportunities in the oil fields and other offshore construction projects with this new concept design. Working closely with LR, we have demonstrated that the vessel is safe and ready to be used by our offshore clients.”

Thomas Aschert, LR's North Europe Area Manager for Marine & Offshore, who presented the AiP certificate, commented: “Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute is a leading design company in China and we are really proud to award this AiP, we were able to provide unique expertise for this pipe layer vessel. This AiP demonstrates the institute’s clear commitment to safety and to offshore opportunities in the Shanghai region.”