NYK Line takes delivery of new eco-friendly VLCC

Japanese shipping company NYK Line has received delivery of a new eco-friendly very large crude carrier (VLCC) built at Nantong COSCO KHI Engineering Co., Ltd. (NACKS) in China.

As disclosed, the new ship measures 339.5 meters in length and  28.90 meters in depth, with a deadweight tonnage of 311,979 tons. It is equipped with energy-saving measures such as low-friction paint applied to the hull, high-efficiency large-diameter propellers, and ladder fins that regulate the water flow at the stern and reduce energy loss. 

Furthermore, the vessel’s bow was improved, so the wave-making resistance caused by the bow wave during navigation has been greatly reduced, and the propulsion performance has been improved, the company revealed.

As a result of newly installed environmentally-friendly features, NYK Line expects that energy efficiency (carbon dioxide emissions per unit of transportation) will be improved by approximately 23% compared to conventional VLCCs.

The Japanese firm intends to meet the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) zero-emission targets and achieve Phase 2 Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) requirements with these new improved features.

The EEDI is the number of grams of carbon dioxide required to carry 1 ton of cargo for 1 mile, and the reduction rate from the baseline (baseline) will be gradually enhanced. Tankers are required to implement reductions of 10% by 2015 (Phase 1), 20% by 2020 (Phase 2), and 30% by 2025 (Phase 3).

In addition to this, the vessel has been given the cyber resilience guideline (CybR-G) notation by the Japanese classification society ClassNK. This is the first such grant of a cyber notation for a vessel in accordance with the “Guidelines for Designing Cyber Security Onboard Ships ” established by ClassNK. The notation acknowledges that the design is feasible for proper ship operation with cybersecurity taken into consideration.

Earlier on, ClassNK certified the Cyber Security Management System (CSMS) of NYK Group unit’s NYK LNG Shipmanagement and its managed LNG carrier Pacific Mimosa.

ClassNK released its Cyber Security Management System for Ships in March 2019 which provides guidance on ensuring, implementing, maintaining, and improving the cybersecurity management system of companies and ships with the goal of safe navigation.

It includes management measures regarding protection against cyber risks in not only the navigation stage but also in the construction/design stage of ships, ClassNK said.