Germanischer unit upgrades hull classification, cuts fuel bill 10pc

THE classification society Germanischer Lloyd's subsidiary FutureShip has upgraded the hull design of its 9,000-TEU classification in a joint venture with Shanghai-based Marine Design & Research Institute (MARIC), reducing fuel consumption 10 per cent.

The design review process, requested by shipowners Schulte Group, Germany and Costamare Inc, Greece has led to a smaller main engine than anticipated, which cuts CO2 emissions by more than 90 tons per day.

The optimisation process resulted in 15,000 different hull designs which were tested at the Hamburg Ship Model Basin (HSMB) through a numerical analysis of the improved vessel which showed a lower total resistance than the base design.

The ships will be built in China, due for delivery 2013, with fine-tuning expenses amortised within a few days of vessel operations, said the Hamburg-based classification society, according to American Shipper.
(Source:www.schednet.com)