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Class of 2003

Asia-Pacific class societies are emphasising the effective use of technology, and the benefits of regional cooperation

Classification never stands still. As the demands being made of shipping increase, so do the rules and regulations that govern the industry.

Many of these concern the hardware used to move cargo around the world – ships. Legislators rarely seem content with the level of regulation, and each high-profile incident generates a new swathe of rules. Small wonder that class societies around the globe are relying more on computer-based solutions – and on each other – to help them and their principals absorb the heightened regulation.

On the spot: Asia-Pacific class societies benefit from their proximity to the world’s leading shipbuilders

Korean Register initiatives
Class societies in the Asia-Pacific region are no different. For evidence of the increasing rules in shipping and the response by class you need look no further than the extensive raft of initiatives that the Korean Register (KR) has produced over the last three years. Since the start of 2001, KR has produced 3-D structural analysis for a design of a 5618-TEU containership, 3-D calculations of hydrodynamic loads induced by propellers, a structural safety assessment for LPG FSOs, an automatic buckling assessment programme, and research for a corroded damage model of tankers, to name but a few.

The last of these, carried out in 2002, has taken on particular pertinence in recent months, with a number of high-profile incidents once again putting corrosion under the microscope.

“Corrosion is the most important factor affecting structural performance,” says KR. “Due to the casualties of ageing vessels during the last decade, the safety assessment of corroded hull structures has been of increasing interest.”

The Korean Register’s study, based on the corrosion data of existing single-hull tankers, produced an indication of the corrosion rate for a tanker’s primary longitudinal members, providing the basis for predicting corrosion over the life of a vessel.

The value of computing power in helping class help their principals is shown by KR’s development of its automatic buckling assessment programme, also undertaken last year.

“In hull structure design, buckling assessment using the results of finite element analysis is needed to ensure the reliance of structural members,” says the organisation. “However, this assessment requires a lot of man-hours, due to the complex finite element model of hull structure and a large number of load cases. KR’s assessment programme is automated according to the classification rules, to decrease the effort required for the verification of buckling strength. This programme presents the modified scantling for the reinforcement of structural members where buckling has occurred.”

New guidelines
Nor will there be any let-up in the work done by Asia-Pacific class societies in 2003. New rules and guidelines are in the pipeline. Terry White of Japan’s Class NK says: “NK recently published a new technical guideline called Guidelines on Bulk Carrier Structures, following on from the Tanker Structures guideline published in November 2001. The new guidelines consist of direct calculation, fatigue-strength evaluation and ultimate longitudinal strength assessment guidelines in order to fully realise transparency, rationality and consistency in all these processes in each design stage – from load estimation to final strength evaluation. These will be incorporated into the full range of NK services and into new rules.”

Chinese catch-up
While KR and Class NK are driving to keep ahead of the game, the China Classification Society (CCS), the region’s other big class society, is in one respect trying to catch up – or at least trying to help its domestic shipbuilding industry catch up. Like KR and Class NK, CCS was approached in connection with this feature, but did not respond. However, on the organisation’s website, its
President, Li Kejun, admits that, “Shipbuilding and ship classification got off to a late start in China, so we must learn from foreign advanced production and management modes. At present, China lacks original technologies... which has become a major hindrance to the development of China’s shipbuilding industry. By participating in the survey of such ship types, CCS is mainly [aiming] to work together with China’s shipbuilding industry and foreign classification societies to research technical standards... to make breakthroughs on certain key points and then to spread them on to all vessel types. Thus, CCS will continue as ever to join hands with China’s shipbuilding and shipping industries to promote the development of the marine industry as a whole.”

As the demands made of class increase, so class must increase the demands it makes of its staff. Terry White of Class NK explains that keeping staff up to speed is a constant process: “The recent IMO meeting, for example, built a new range of security measures into SOLAS. Since NK is authorised by around 100 administrations to undertake statutory surveys on their behalf, we are already preparing training for our surveyors in anticipation of the new requirements,” he says.
Though built originally on the foundations of a domestic shipping industry, Class NK and CCS both report interest from principals overseas.

According to Terry White, “The issue of ownership is often difficult, with part-ownership issues, holding companies and the like. If pressed, I would guess that more than 50% of our fleet has some Japanese element in its ownership structure.” Which of course means that around half of Class NK’s fleet belongs entirely to overseas interests.

On the CCS website, Li Kejun says: “In the first half of [2002], CCS established its Mediterranean Committee in Greece, which won considerable welcome from shipowners in Europe.”

KR admits that most of its principals are Korean, but emphasises that more than 40 governments worldwide have delegated responsibilities to the organisation, while it is making in-roads in markets abroad, notably in the United Kingdom, Japan and Greece.

Class cooperation
Not only are the Asia-Pacific class societies looking beyond their own borders for business, they are also looking to each other to foster cooperation. In the west, Lloyd’s Register (LR), the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Det Norske Veritas (DNV) have been cooperating together on a number of issues, sometimes to the chagrin of fellow members of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), who see these efforts as undermining IACS’s authority.

What scope, then, for a similar Asia-Pacific arrangement as a counterweight? KR points to the technical benefits that could come from a united effort.

“We believe that close cooperation between the three Asian societies (KR, CCS, Class NK), which has already commenced, would make a beneficial contribution to the work of IACS by way of more technical input towards the development of common standards for newbuildings,” says KR. “The three societies have the advantage of the leading shipbuilders being located in their respective countries for collaborative work. However, we also strongly believe that any cooperative effort should be within the boundary of what IACS is trying to achieve as a cohesive organisation – the development of universal safety standards.”

Terry White confirms that there is already Asian cooperation on technical and safety-related issues.

“Class NK already works closely with KR, CCS and the Indian Register on a joint research and development programme,” he says. He stresses, though, that this initiative is indicative of a longstanding tradition among class societies to work together on issues of mutual interest, rather than being a precursor to more formalised tie-ups.

And with the legislators increasing the pressure on shipping to improve technology and safety, there is likely to be more cooperation rather than less in the years to come.

Author: Roger Overall.

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