Greek shipping company Dynacom Tankers Management’s six Suezmax tankers, which are currently under construction at a Chinese yard, are to be granted Gas-Prepared notation from the international classification society Bureau Veritas.
The classification society said that the company is the first shipowner to future-proof its vessels by applying for the notation.
Being built at New Times Shipbuilding in China, the 157,000 dwt tankers will measure 274.3 meters in length, with a beam of 48 meters and depth of 23.2 meters.
The ships are expected to join their owner in 2017 and 2018.
The Gas-Prepared notation sets out requirements for ships which are designed and fitted out for dual-fuel or LNG fuel propulsion, but which are not initially intended to use gas as a fuel. It provides owners with the flexibility to convert easily to dual fuel or LNG fuel propulsion in the future, Bureau Veritas said.
“Using natural gas as fuel enables owners to comply with the requirements of Emission Control Areas in North America and Europe, and can be cost-effective in the long term. In publishing the Gas-Prepared notation, Bureau Veritas sought to provide owners with the ability to switch to LNG in the future when market conditions are right,” Jean-François Segretain, Marine & Offshore Technical Director, Bureau Veritas, said.