Shell First to Install Hull Integrity System Onboard

Shell International Trading and Shipping Company (Shell) has become the first ship operator to install Lloyd’s Register’s Hull Integrity system onboard one of its managed vessels, the 134,487 cubic metre Nigeria LNG gas carrier, LNG Rivers - a Bonny Gas Transport (BGT) owned vessel. In the next few months, the software will also be installed on sister ships LNG Sokoto and LNG Bayelsa, which are also owned by BGT.

Hull Integrity is a new service from Lloyd’s Register that helps owners and operators to manage the structural integrity of their ships. It enables them to demonstrate that sound structural inspection programs are being employed, using well-trained staff who are given the tools to identify what to look for and how to report it.

There are three elements to the service: • training for senior ship’s officers and superintendents in how to carry out inspections • ship-specific hull inspection guides • user-friendly software for recording and analysis.

The software has two components: a desktop application for ship-based users and a web-based application for shore-based users. The main functions of the ship-board system are to facilitate preparation for structural inspections by reviewing previous inspection results, to record the results before sending them ashore for review by superintendents and to review any comments subsequently made by the superintendents. Users of the shore-based system are able to review inspection reports received from their ships, produce drydock repair lists and analyse the stored data to identify recurrent issues.

Leading up to the installation of Hull Integrity on LNG Rivers, Shell personnel have received training from Lloyd’s Register. Ship-specific inspection guides, which include the locations where fatigue may potentially be more likely to occur and other areas that require particular attention during inspections, have been produced for the three LNG carriers. Shell is also using Lloyd’s Register’s Hull Planned Maintenance Scheme, with the inspection reports generated by the Hull Integrity software feeding into the survey regime.