Principals of Rethymnis & Kulukundis Ltd., the UK-based shipbrokers and agents, have taken delivery of the first vessel built at Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering’s (DSME) new shipyard at Yantai, Shandong, China.
The 58,518 dwt Astra Centaurus, built to Lloyd’s Register class, is the first of two DSME-designed supramax bulk carriers constructed by DSME Shandong to the latest environmental and structural standards. The second ship, Astra Perseus, is expected to be delivered in September 2012.
According to Dimitris Monioudis, the Technical Director for Rethymnis and Kulukundis , the shipbuilding project was a testament to the strong commitment of the stakeholders, which started at the pre-contract stage and continued throughout the design and construction of the ship.
“This is a very significant delivery for us because MV Astra Centaurus is the first green bulk carrier of our newbuilding project,” Monioudis said. “The delivery was greatly assisted by Lloyd’s Register’s worldwide network of technical experts in South Korea, the UK, Greece and China, who provided excellent levels of service. For this, we wish to extend to Lloyd’s Register and DSME our most heartfelt thanks.”
Lloyd’s Register’s contribution to this ground-breaking project went beyond the traditional scope of classification services, particularly with regard to the implementation of design features that helped to reduce the vessels’ wind resistance – enhancing their potential energy efficiency – and in supporting Rethymnis and Kulukundis’s selection of the appropriate ballast-water management system.
“Society is demanding safer, cleaner ships and we are using our experience and technical expertise to support their construction,” said Nick Brown, Lloyd’s Register’s Area General Manager and Marine Manager, Greater China .
The machinery arrangements were verified by Lloyd’s Register to be in accordance with EC Directive’s aimed at reducing the emission of SOx while in port. The ship is able to operate on distillate fuels in accordance with the latest California Air Resources Board (CARB) regulations, is equipped with an approved UV ballast-water treatment system and records a comprehensive inventory of hazardous materials in accordance with Lloyd’s Register’s Green Passport service.
Astra Centaurus and her sister ship have been designed to incorporate Lloyd’s Register’s Environmental Protection ‘EP’ notations, which recognises their enhanced features and demonstrates the owner’s commitment to, and investment in, environmentally friendlier ships.
The duo was contracted in 2010 and is designed to comply with IACS’s Common Structural Rules and constructed in accordance with ShipRight Construction Monitoring procedures, while the accommodation arrangements comply with the International Labour Organization’s Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006). Astra Centaurus has been enrolled in SERS, Lloyd’s Register’s Ship Emergency Response programme.
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Source: Lloyd’s Register, August 7, 2012