Bureau Veritas Boosts Dutch Maritime Innovation

Leading international classification society Bureau Veritas is boosting innovation and sustainability in partnership with Dutch owners, builders and designers.

Jan Smit, Senior Vice President and head of the North Europe & North America Zone of BV’s Marine & Offshore Division, says, “BV was founded in the Low Countries and is a core part of the Dutch maritime industry which is pushing ahead with innovative designs focusing on operational excellence and energy efficiency. We are helping yards and owners to invest in ships which are cleaner and more economical to operate. We have a strong pipeline of new projects for highly-innovative vessels linked to the Dutch maritime cluster.”

This year specialist Dutch gas carrier operator Antony Veder took delivery of the world’s first directly driven dual-fuel LNG carrier, the Coral Energy, from Papenburg-based Meyer Werft in January 2013.

With a capacity of 15,600 m3 and a specially designed compatibility package, the Ice Class IA vessel can load LNG at all major terminals. BV assigned the ship a sophisticated class notation, reflecting the vessel’s innovative design, environmental friendliness and advanced control systems.

Wagenborg recently took delivery of its first 23,000 dwt Ice Class IA multi-purpose vessel from Ferus Smit.

The BV-classed Reestborg is the largest vessel ever built by the yard. The distinctive hull form, featuring an innovative bulbless bow with negative stem profile, sharp entrance angles and reduced bow flare in combination with a ducted large slow-running propeller, significantly reduces the hull resistance.

The M2 Runner is an innovative design concept for a short-sea general cargo vessel which has been developed by Dutch designer Conoship in co-operation with owners Hartman Marine. In order to achieve the highest flexibility for carriage of high-volume project cargoes such as wind turbine parts and industrial plants, the cargo deck area has been maximised to over 1,300 m2 and the open-top concept has been applied. The first out of a series of three, Oceanic, was delivered to BV class from the Polish Partner Shipyard in 2012.

In the OSV and tug segment, De Hoop is building a 65 m dynamically positioned multi-purpose support vessel (MPSV) with triple moonpools for Seamar Subsea, while Niestern Sander has been awarded a newbuilding contract for a 79 m “walk-to-work” vessel designed to support the North Sea gas operations of the NAM. The vessel, which will be operated by Wagenborg, incorporates an integrated Ampelmann system to access offshore units. Both MPSVs will be certified by BV as special purpose ships. Meanwhile Damen Shipyards continues to extend its product range of sophisticated tugs and OSVs. BV is currently involved in several new designs, including the ASD Tug 2913.

BV is the class of choice for dredgers. Boskalis has taken delivery of the 4,500 m3 trailing suction hopper dredger Causeway from Dutch shipbuilder Shipkits. Conoship designed the vessel as a highly manoeuvrable craft for shallow-water operations. IHC Merwede delivered the 25 MW self-propelled cutter suction dredger Artemis to Van Oord in April 2013, the second of a pair of highly advanced mega-cutters. The shipbuilder also launched the “Easydredge” concept, which aims at providing cost-efficient trailing suction hopper dredgers by supplying a basic design platform with various option packages which can be delivered from stock. Specific attention is paid to lifecycle management, energy efficiency and sustainable dredging.

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Press Release, November 5, 2013