2OOO52ndEdition

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M a g a z i n eM a g a z i n e

Striving towards a safer maritime world

1 Chairman’s Message

PrimeShip-HULL: Software and Services for a Lifetime of Care2 Technical Essay

8 Focus on JapanNagasaki, Japan’s “Window to the World”

13 Special ArticlesAudit and Evaluation of Ship Safety-Management Systems Using the ISM Code

LNG Re-Liquefaction Plant Introduced on an LNG Carrier

Qingdao Office and Durban Office17 ClassNK Around the World

● MEGA-FLOAT Update

● Mr. Masataka Hidaka, Vice President of Class NK, Takes over as IACS Chairman for 2000/2001

● The Construction of the New NK Information Center

● Technical Services Relating to the Safe Operational Management of Ships

● An Introduction to NK’s Assessment and Registration Services for Environmental Management Systems

● NK Rotterdam Office Commences Conformity Assessment/Certification under European Council Directive 96/98 EC on Marine Equipment

20 Topics and Events

23 Information for Readers

1

Chairman’s Message

Welcome to the year 2000, 52nd edi-tion of the ClassNK Magazine. It isusually one of my small pleasures tobe among the first to read the storiesin each year’s magazine, and this yearwas no different.

As usual the magazine is a veryreadable balance of the “need toknow” with the “nice to know.” Withless than two years to go until imple-mentation of Phase II of the ISMCode, I recommend the article aboutresearch NK has recently undertaken,into the common non-conformitiesidentified in company/ship audits andPSC during the implementation ofPhase I of the Code. I hope it will bean important reminder to all, of theimportance of this area. There are alsorelated articles on the Society’s ISO14001 Environmental ManagementSystem audit activities and an innova-tive new program of involvement inauditing a new customized ship navi-gation management safety program,which has been independently devel-oped by an NK client. All of thesearticles reflect the growing importanceof these types of activities in generaland in particular to the Society. In thewake of recent tragedies such as theErika and Treasure, there can be nodoubt that these types of self regula-tion and self policing activities willincrease for NK.

On a more technical note readersare introduced to the benefits of thePrimeship suite of software productsfor ship design, and there is an inter-esting story on the world firstre-liquefaction plant being installedon a new LNG carrier being built toNK class. Our involvement with thisproject is particularly interestingbecause I believe it is indicative of atrend in the type of work that will beincreasing in Japanese shipbuilding,i.e. a trend towards fewer, but bigger

more sophisticated ships being built.I believe that NK’s expertise in suchareas will be the backbone of ourfuture growth.

The same LNG carrier features inthis year’s Focus on Japan story, aboutone of my favorite places in Japan,Nagasaki. Nagasaki was, I feel, a mostappropriate choice in this, the 400thyear of Japan–Holland relations, andalso as the birthplace of modern ship-building in Japan, not to mention ashome to one of NK’s oldest and busi-est domestic offices. There is also aninteresting and informative updateon the MEGA-FLOAT project that hassuch great potential to alleviate someof Japan’s land shortage problems.

The Society continues to grow,now with more than 6,450 ships ofmore than 109 million gt, and withthe growth comes the necessary increasein the number of new offices. AlanPerry, formerly of Santa Claus fame inthe London Office, but now GM of thenew Durban office in South Africa,writes of the challenges and delightsof working in this rapidly changingpart of the world. Our new office inQingdao, NK’s fifth exclusive officein China, is also featured, furtherincreasing our commitment to thisgrowing and important market.

Lastly, but certainly not least,the Society is once again this yearhonored to hold the Chair of IACS,which will be very ably filled by ourExecutive Vice President Mr. MasatakaHidaka. We offer him our warmestcongratulations and every support.

I hope you enjoy this edition ofClassNK Magazine as much as I have.

Tadashi ManoChairman and President.

Tadashi ManoChairman and President

2

classification survey undertaken dur-ing new construction.

The components of thePrimeShip introduced in this issueof the ClassNK Magazine are thosedeveloped for the purpose of provid-ing help to people designing shipstructures.

PrimeShip-HULL is the name ofthis group of software applications tobe used in the design stages. Tradi-tionally, where class rules are con-cerned, shipbuilding design, has beendone in accordance with specific pro-visions or scantling formulae appli-cable in the rules and/or their supple-mentary provisions. Following thedevelopment of computer technology

to the high levels we seenowadays, it has becomemore practically feasiblefor designers to makeuse of actual structuralanalysis assessmentduring the design stages.ClassNK provides ship-building designers withvery efficient softwareapplications to help themwith both rule/formulaebased or structural

PrimeShip-HULL: Software and Services for a Lifetime of Care

PRIMESHIP-HULL“PrimeShip” is the name of ClassNK’sintegrated group of systems and ser-vices for the entire lifetime care of aship.

Some are designed to contributetechnical support and care for ships inservice while others are intended to beused in the design stages through the

Technical Essay

analysis oriented design. PrimeShip-HULL consists of PrimeShip-BOSUN,IPCA, NASTASS and ASSAS.

PrimeShip-BOSUN (which standsfor Basic-design Omnibus ProgramSystem Using NK-rules) is for usein rules or formula based structuraldesigning. It is interactive PC-basedsoftware which supports structuraldesign of most kinds of cargo carriers,including Bulk carriers, Ore carriers,Container carriers, Double hull tank-ers and so called General cargo carri-ers. Running under the MS Windowsoperating systems, the software pack-age incorporates interactive easy datainput and scantling calculation. Thepackage will help designers in boththe basic and detailed design process,enabling them to optimize structuralscantlings. At the same time, use ofthe BOSUN minimizes the time andamount of paper work in the approvalprocess as well as the potential forerror or oversight much more likely inthe old fashioned approval procedures.Also available is CS-BOSUN, the littlebrother to BOSUN in the PrimeShipline-up specifically for rule-baseddesign evaluation of ships less than90 meters in length.

Not only for the designersbut also for the end users of ships,PrimeShip-IPCA is another pro-gram package for determiningperformance capability. Working

Fig.1 Data Input Screens ofPrimeShip-BOSUN(Basic, Outline and Structural).Basic data entry is quick and easywith the screen format shown here.The data layers are hierarchical so thedata in the upper two layers (basicand outline) are automatically sharedfrom the lower one.

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Fig.2 Hull Formand CompartmentDisplay of IPCAThe data, input foreach ship, are kept ina dedicated databaseand handled in a uni-form manner so thata user does not haveto re-enter the samedata every time a jobis executed.

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Fig.3 Hydrostatic Curves, Intact StabilityResults and Loading Planning Results. (ActualScreen Images)Hydrostatic curves and intact stability resultsare two basic elements in the design stage func-tions. A third, the loading planning result, is anexample from the onboard application func-tions. It is also possible for a user to executedamage stability and longitudinal strengthevaluations. Bulk carrier safety requirementsare also included within the scope of thesoftware’s onboard applications.

interactively on MS Windows opera-tion systems, it can handle ship’strim, stability, longitudinal bendingmoment and shearing force togetherwith loading/unloading sequence,freeboard and grain heeling moment,etc. The software also covers bulk car-rier safety requirements. The ship-board-use oriented application ofIPCA is called “Onboard-IPCA calcu-lation engine,” while the applicationintended for designers is called “Design-IPCA.” In combination with the servicepackage PrimeShip-ETAS (EmergencyTechnical Assistance Service), the soft-ware will be an extremely reliable toolin any emergency for which a ship-owner wants to be prepared.

The aforementioned two pro-grams are for working on specificrequirements and scantling formulaein the Rules and Guidance. For design-ers involved in so called “design byanalysis,” two different programs havebeen developed. PrimeShip-NASTASSis a structural analysis tool that isinteractive and user-friendly. It offerscustom-built modeling systems forfrequently analyzed ship types such asTankers, Bulk carriers and Containercarriers, besides it’s general-purposemodeling system.

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Fig.4 NASTASS: Calculation Result.In NASTASS, load calculation is basedon rule requirements. This model is froma recent double hull VLCC, and highlystressed areas can be readily recognizedon the display by color coding.

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NASTASS interfaces with an evenmore advanced PrimeShip design-by-analysis tool, called PrimeShip-ASSAS.This “advanced ship structural analy-sis and validation system,” based onthe “Designed by Application of TotalAnalysis” (DATA) concept, is a soft-ware package intended for advancedtotal analysis. The software willhandle design evaluation in modelingthe structure, assess in-wave-motion

and loads using long term wave data,evaluate the structural design from aglobal model, down to detailed struc-ture analysis for hotspot stress.Through the complete process, onecan evaluate an entire structure in-cluding yield strength, buckling andfatigue strength.

With the availability of these soft-ware applications, ClassNK aims toensure that ships built for its register,

will all be designed to the most up-to-date standards. Thus, in combinationwith the other software and servicepackages, as well as routine surveyactivities, the Society’s strategy is tomake sure that all it’s ships are keptup to the standard desired andappreciated.

Fig.5 ASSAS: Wave Load andInternal Pressure / AframaxDouble Hull.The advanced structural analysistool, ASSAS, includes a load gen-erator and calculates not onlywave loads but also dynamic loadsrelated to liquids inside tanks andcompartments.

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Fig.6 ASSAS: How the ZoomingAnalysis is Presented.This figure shows an example ofzooming analysis for fatigue strengthevaluation, performed on the engineroom front/cargo hatch end corner ofa recent container carrier. Zoomingenables so-called hot spot stressevaluation, to check that the stresslevel is under control in relation tofatigue strength.

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Japan being a country of such fasci-nating diversity, geographically, cli-matically, culturally, in fact in almostevery way, the task of choosing eachyears target for this magazine’s “Focuson Japan” is never easy. This year, thetask fell largely to me, and I choseNagasaki, historically Japan’s “win-dow to the world.” Like me, myMarketing and Publicizing Depart-ment colleague Matsui san, despitegrowing up in Western Japan andtravelling most of its nether reaches,had never been there, so enthusiasti-cally endorsed my choice.

Publishing deadlines being asthey are, we were left little choice butto venture forth plum in the middleof Nagasaki’s rainy season. Thus itwas with some trepidation that I no-ticed the weather advice on the de-partures board at Tokyo’s Haneda Air-port; Nagasaki, 28 degrees and rain!!Pleasingly, it seems that Japaneseweather forecasters are no more accu-rate than those I’m used to in Austra-lia, and we landed one hour and fortyminutes later into a slightly overcast

25 degrees.A postcard pictur-

esque port town ofaround 450,000,Nagasaki is located atthe western extremityof Kyushu, thewesternmost andsouthernmost of Japan’sfour main islands. Justa tiny fishing villageuntil being opened toforeign trade in 1571,the town quickly devel-oped into a center ofinternational trade andbecame Japan’s windowto the world. At first itwas the Portuguesewho introduceda wide range of goodsand technology that

Focus on Japan

harbor was converted into a shipyard,and when the Mitsubishi Companytook it over in 1887 the business grewrapidly.

NK first opened its Nagasakioffice in 1919 and has maintained astrong presence ever since. Today,NK occupies a functional three-storybuilding from which staff need notfear being distracted by views of theharbor. The current GM, MitsuruUmeno’s youthful looks and enthusi-

were totally new to theJapanese. However,the era of Portuguesetrade and the associ-ated Christian influ-

ence was short lived, after a series ofpolitical and religious struggles re-sulted in the expulsion of the Portu-guese in 1639. Only a small group ofDutch and Chinese, who promised tostay clear of Christianity, were allowedto remain in Nagasaki, and were con-fined largely to a small artificial islandcalled “Dejima”. Nevertheless duringthe 200 or so years of National isola-tion imposed by the TokugawaShogunate from the early1640s tothe late 1850s, Nagasaki flourished asJapan’s only point of access to theoutside world.

After Japan reopened its doors tothe world, Nagasaki lost its monopolyon trade but still grew with the rein-vigorated activities of ambitious mer-chants and industrialists from Britain,France, America and many other na-tions. Nagasaki has remained perhapsJapans most cosmopolitan city, the in-fluence of the Chinese and Westerninhabitants still evident in the archi-tecture, the cuisine and the culture,not to mention industry.

Nagasaki is often referred to asthe birthplace of modern shipbuildingin Japan. In 1868, the first ship dock(Kosuge Ship Repair Dock) was builtin Nagasaki by the British merchantThomas Glover and the Satsuma fam-ily. Later, an iron foundry across the

● Nagasaki

Nagasaki, Japan’s “Window to the World”

Nagasa

ki

Glover House, Thomas Glover’s residence

9asm belie his 33 years experience withNK, which has included 3 years inJeddah and 5 years in Los Angeles.Umeno san leads one of NK’s busierdomestic offices. With 7 ships cur-rently being built to NK class acrossthree yards, and sometimes more, notto mention regular survey work, the 7hull and 5 machinery surveyors areconstantly busy. Umeno san claimsthat even he must very occasionallyjump to the demands of his principle

surveyors if they need an extra experi-enced hand, but from the glean in hiseye one cannot help but sense that henot so secretly relishes any chance topull on his steel capped boots andunholster his trusty surveyors hammerat a moments notice.

Umeno san had arranged for usto visit two ships being built to NK classin separate yards. The first of these wasa 110,000 gt LNG carrier (LNG TankerS. No. 2157 for Osaka Gas, NYK, MOLand K LINE) under construction at theMitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Nagasaki Shipyard, and the second an18,000 gt, 1,200 teu Container carrierUNI POPULAR under construction atthe Evergreen Shipyard for UnigloryMarine Corporation.

The Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriesNagasaki Shipyard is located almost

directly oppositethe NK office, on theother side of the har-bor but only about 15minutes drive away.The main office build-ing sits impressivelyatop a hill overlook-ing the yards, so aftera short meeting andsafety briefing, as wedescended by elevatorthrough many sublev-els, emerging into a

long tunnel leading to the dock, Icouldn’t help feel like I was in a scenefrom a James Bond movie. The feelingquickly faded as we searched for ourallocated bicycles among the hun-dreds lined up against the wall.Looking across from the other sideof the harbor I had failed to graspthe true dimensions of the yard orthe ships... I quickly appreciated thehard-found bicycle. For the majorityof readers, who I expect have spenthalf their lives stomping around ship-yards and ships, it may have proveda fairly blase experience, but for atrue, generally desk bound cityslicker like myself, emerging fromthe tunnel onto the expanse of docksand coming face to face with 110,000gt of LNG carrier was quite anexperience.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Nagasaki Shipyard

(From left) NK Nagasaki GM, Mr. M. Umeno, Machin-ery Principal Surveyor, Mr. M. Tsukida, Hull PrincipalSurveyor, Mr. T. Ogami

Dejima Island

10

down and along its full structure, it washuge and complex beyond description.It was difficult to believe that it couldbe so near completion after keel layingjust 14 months earlier.

A short bicycle ride to anotherpre-fabrication area to re-check somewelds previously deigned not quiteperfect enough, and our morning’swork was complete. Perhaps it wasthe environment, the overalls, thesafety boots and harness, I don’tknow, but I felt strangely productivedespite having contributed nothingmore than a long string of naive ques-tions to the morning’s activities. Aquick lunch in the staff dining room,and we headed back to the NK office.

LNG Tank as seen from below

Our primary host, the onsite NKsurveyor Ohya san introduced us tothe shipyard inspector Mr. Imase andthe ship owners representative, thedeterminedly earnest Mr. Morinaga.We, that is to say they, were to surveytwo items, a No.5 Tank TransitionPart, and the fire protection materialsin the Engine Room 2nd DK (Lining& Ceiling) S-side Fr. 40-59. Watchingthe three at work, poking, probing,tapping, peeling and discussing, I be-gan to build a picture of the nature ofthe complex interrelations that makeup this process called ship surveying.A cooperative approach, based on mu-tual respect between these three vastlyexperienced surveyors, meant any di-vergence of views could be rationallyand quickly resolved, despite the threeperhaps occasionally having differentpriorities. Of course, my main concernwas not with the quality of the weldsor lining. I just wanted to be sure tokeep up, so I didn’t get lost or forgot-ten in the bowels of the ship, wander-ing forever in the spaces under andaround the five giant spherical tanks,each more than 30m in diameter andseemingly floating above me, lookinglike Darth Vader’s Death Star courtesyof their insulation blocks.

Re-emerging into the daylight,we headed for the bridge to take pho-tos. If the ship had seemed big andimpressive from dockside, then looking

(from left) NK surveyor, Mr. S. Ohya,Owner’s Supervisor, Mr. T. Morinaga,MHI Technical Staff, Mr. K. Imase

Engine Room

Re-checking of some welds

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Since we had not had time beforeour first yard visit, Principal Hull Sur-veyor, Mr. Ohgami took some time toexplain the surveyor support systemsoftware, whereby original informa-tion entered in head office, for ex-ample from original drawings, by theHull Department, can be incorporatedinto the routine survey plans. This hasproved a great time saver now that allthe domestic offices and head officeare linked by a WAN (Wide Area Net-work) and eliminates the potential forerrors inherent where data re-entry isrequired.

With the NK surveyors alreadyon site, we took a taxi out to ChoueiZousen, probably better known toreaders as Evergreen Shipyard Corpo-ration. A genuinely warm and friendlywelcome by Deputy Manager of theproduction department’s inspectionsection, Mr. Tadayoshi Mine awaitedus as did a very welcome cool drink.As it has been more than 10 yearssince I had worked in the tropicalenvironment of Papua New Guinea,the heat and humidity of Nagasaki’swet season were beginning to taketheir toll, and the novelty of changing

into overalls and safetykit was wearing off.

So it was that,with the previouslypredicted rain finallyarriving as intermittentshowers, we headeddown to the yard. Andwhat a picture it was.Although originallyestablished in 1943 asthe Fukahori Dockyardof Kawaminami Industry Co. Ltd., theyard became the Evergreen Shipyardin 1997 and has been handsomelyrefurbished. The yard and fabricationareas are very well organized and it isobvious that the whole operation runslike clockwork. The two ships cur-rently under construction are bothbeing built to NK Class and we wereto observe a final propeller fitting sur-vey on the 18,000 gt, 1,200 teu Con-tainer ship UNI POPULAR being built,naturally enough, for Uniglory MarineCorporation.

As we descended into thedrydock, I was fascinated to findthat for all the myriad of hi-techequipment being used on site, that

Evergreen Shipyard Corporation

this 18,000 gt of Container ship wasseemingly supported at an odd angleon timber chocks and poles. Our everamiable host, Mine san explained thatwe were actually quite lucky to see itbecause in fact few ships are built fortraditional slipway launching thesedays, and this yard was one of only afew left that could accommodate sucha launch.

Mine san, then introduced us tothe owners supervisor, Uni Glory LineChief Engineer, Mr. Hin-hsiung Lin.I thought it curious that the ownerwould have someone supervisingwhat is effectively its “own” yard.But again, as at Mitsubishi Shipyard,watching the interaction between the

Slipway Launch Setup

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Authors note.After my first one and a half days in Nagasaki I de-cided it was such a classically picturesque port city,with such a fascinating history that it deserved to bewritten about on these merits alone. Not that it shouldbe just known as only the second city in history to bethe target of an atomic bomb. However a visit to theNagasaki Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum beforereturning to Tokyo convinced me that no opportunityshould pass without reminding anyone possible of thehorror of this event. For the record, at 11:02 AM onAugust 9, 1945, a single atomic bomb totally andutterly devastated and destroyed about one-third of thecity of Nagasaki and killed or injured about 150,000men, women and children. Lest we forget. The city hasrecovered miraculously since then and these daysshows few scars of this dark chapter in its history.Nagasaki has since devoted itself to the cause of worldpeace and the abolition of nuclear weapons.

NK surveyor, Mr. Honzawa, the yard staffand Mr. Lin, it became clear that thiscooperative interaction and analysis ofeach issue is the key to the higheststandards of surveying being met andmaintained during ship construction.

Although I had seen, and ad-mired the form, of a real, albeit single,propeller blade at the Sea Japan 2000trade show earlier this year, I couldn’thelp but be impressed by the size andglean of this full new specimen. Havinglittle, well OK, no real interest in theminute detail of discussions on shaftmicro alignment, seal integrity and the

(From left) Evergreen Shipyard TechnicalStaff, Mr. T. Mine, Uniglory Line’s Super-visor, Mr. H. Lin, NK Surveyor, Mr. N.Honzawa

like, I smooth-talked Mine san intoelevating me via cherry picker to takesome better pictures. With good pic-tures in mind again, Matsui san and Iasked our ever obliging host to take usout onto the water in the yard’s resi-dent launch, to try for a good shot ofthe two ships being built side by side.Alas by that stage the weather waswell and truly conspiring against us,and we headed ashore wet but wiserfor the afternoon’s efforts.

We returned to the NK Nagasakioffice weary but satisfied with ourefforts and keen to avail ourselvesof their generous offerings of liquidrefreshments. We subsequently retiredto a small local izakaya for further liq-uid refreshments, local delicacies (Iuse the term generously!!) and a welllubricated debate on the relative mer-its of various finer points of the Japa-nese and English languages and withour hosts urging us to return later inthe year for Nagasaki’s most famousfestival called “Kunchi” held everyAutumn.

Starting as a celebration of autumnharvests in the late 16th century

“Kunchi” became a shrine festivalwhen Suwa Shrine was founded in1634. Originally, it was also a timeto hunt for hidden Christians afterthe ban on the religion, and this issymbolized today by the custom of“niwamise” (garden showing) whenthe presenting neighbourhoods openup their homes to public scrutiny.One of the most famous events of thefestival is the “Dragon Dance” whichwas originally performed on NewYear’s Day by Chinese residents inNagasaki. From October 7 to 9,the highlights of the festival, vividlyreflecting the diverse history ofNagasaki, occupy three main festivalsites and spill into the streets creatingan atmosphere of celebration through-out the city. I only hope I can make itback to this most interesting of cities.

Final propeller fitting survey

Kunchi Festival

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13

Special Articles

Audit and Evaluation of Ship Safety-ManagementSystems Using the ISM Code

Introduction.About two years have passed sincethe ISM Code (an international safetymanagement code for shipping) cameinto force on July 1, 1998.

During this two years, ClassNKhas obtained authorization to carryout audits from 47 countries, has car-ried out audits of 427 companies in24 countries, has issued DOCs to 396companies, has carried out audits of3,202 merchant ships, registered in 30countries, and has also issued SMCsto 2,618 ships,

Generally positive opinions onit’s effectiveness, include, for example,the Swedish Club (a P&I Club) whichreports that the amount of compensa-tion for marine casualties and damagehas decreased by about 30% over thepast 4 years, as a result of preparationsfor and implementation of the Code.

To establish whether the safety-management system (SMS) of the ISMCode has taken root as part of an ac-cepted safety culture, ClassNK (ShipManagement Assessing Division) triedevaluating its impact by analyzingitems of non-conformity in audits ofships and companies, as well as itemsthat could be obtained from othersources over the past year.

It is hoped that this report willimprove SMS’s and contribute as a ref-erence for everyone developing SMS’s.

ISM Code Phase II will come intoforce from July 1, 2002. In order to

introduce a Management Systemwhich conforms to the Code, an earlyintroduction schedule and a carefulpreparation are indispensable. Readerswho intend to apply the ISM Code inthe near future are encouraged toestablish a system which works effec-tively by paying attention to thefollowing commentary.

2. The results of and itemsidentified by the audits ofcompanies and ships conductedby the Society.The results of the audits of companiesby the Society for the year beginningJanuary 1999 through December 1999were as follows.•The number of Initial Audits was 34.•The number of Annual Audits was 344.•The number of Renewal Audits was 4.•The number of other kinds of audit was

269.Among these cases, 361 non-

conformities and 300 observationswere identified at Initial Audit, Renewaland Annual Audits. In the other kindsof Audit, there were 4 non-conformitiesout of 269 cases.

2-1. The ranking of the non-conformities (NC) by cause.The following table shows items ofnon-conformity identified by the au-dits, in order of frequency, grouped bytheir requirement according to sec-tions of the ISM code. (See Table 1)

In the company audits, the largestnumber of Items related to section 12 ofthe code (Company Verification, Reviewand Evaluation) while the second largestnumber related to section 8 of the Code(Emergency Preparedness).

In the ship audits, the numberof items relating to section 10 of theCode (Maintenance of the Ship andEquipment) was the greatest while thesecond largest related to section 6(Means and Personnel).

2-2. Discussion of the itemsidentified.An explanation of frequently founditems of non-conformity groupedaccording to sections of the ISM Codefollows.

(1) Regarding the regulations andthe Code.Many non-compliances were identi-fied, including, non-compliance withflag state laws, deficiencies in thebasic training on survival techniqueswhich is supposed to be given to newcrew prior to their first departure, andoccupational familiarization trainingas well as the Watchkeeping stan-dards, etc., that are required by theSTCW Convention.

The key reason for non compli-ance is a failure to adequately docu-ment the systems. In other words, it isbecause attention to correspondenceregarding the systems and updating of

Table 1. Items of Non-conformity identified by the audits, in order of frequency

Company AuditsRanking Initial and Annual Audits % Shipboard Audits %

1 Code 12 22 Code 10 19Company Verification, Review and Evaluation Maintenance of the Ship and Equipment

2 Code 8 18 Code 6 16Emergency Preparedness Resources and Personnel

3 Code 6 17 Code 1 15Resources and Personnel Definitions, Objectives and Application

4 Code 11 11 Code 11 12Documentation Documentation

5 Code 10 10 Code 7 10Maintenance of the Ship and Equipment Development of Plans for Shipboard Operations

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the statutes is neglected in preparingfor the audit by the Society.

Since one of the main purposesof the ISM Code is to apply treatiesand rules, It is desirable that compa-nies pay better attention to amend-ments to treaties and rules.

(2) Education, training (Code sec-tion 6).Deficiencies in important documentsfor directions to be submitted to newpersonnel before first departure arevery common. And, it is also clear thatoften proper education and training ofonshore employees and crew are notgiven.

The Society considers that theimplementation of the safety-management system is largely attainedby securing a competent crew. And ofcourse education and training of crew,including shore employees, is impor-tant to maintain a capable crew.

(3) Emergency Preparedness (Codesection 8).It is frequently pointed out that noeffective program of drills and exercisefor shore personnel to respond toemergency cases has been established,and it is also pointed out that jointtraining of the company staff and theship crew isn’t being carried out.

It should be understood thatsupport by shore staffs as well aspreparedness by ship’s crew, is a keyelement of the system when a marinecasualty, accident or pollution of themarine environment occurs.

(4) Maintenance of the Ship andEquipment (Code section 10).In particular, the most frequent defi-ciencies identified relate to the non-fulfillment of maintenance proceduresto improve reliability of important andstand-by machinery.

Also, deficiencies related therecords of regular testing of equip-

ment and technical systems and defi-ciencies and non-fulfillment of execu-tion of the maintenance plan are oftenidentified.

Re-confirmation of whether thepresent routine maintenance in EngineSpace is working effectively or not asa functional system is required.

(5) Verification, Review and Evalua-tion of the SMS by the company(Code section 12)Most of the non-conformities are:non-fulfillment of revisions of theSMS, an internal audit which isn’tdone in accordance with the plan andprocedures, and non-fulfillment ofthe corrective actions identified by theinternal audit. This item is the mostimportant element to verify whetherSMS is functioning effectively or notand is audited especially strictly at theannual audits after the initial audit.

3. Analysis of information fromother sources.In addition to the Classification Soci-eties, Port States are also carrying outinspections which stress conformitywith the ISM Code.

The difference between the two isthat Port State Control (PSC) inspec-tions are much more enforcementfocussed than audits by theClassification Societies andthat Port State Control doesnot separate inspection ofManagement Systems frominspections of hardware. Forexample, when a defect ofhardware is obvious at in-spection, there is a possibil-ity that Port State will in-stantly identify such a defectas a Non-conformity (oftena Major Non-conformity) ofthe ISM Code as a basis forDeficiency of the Manage-ment System. This tendencyis apparent in Figure 1.

Contents of the non-conformity.(1) Most non-conformities relating to

insufficient maintenance were dueto lack of proper maintenance ofship and equipment until the PSCinspection was carried out.When many defects regarding shipequipment are identified at thePSC inspection, there is a tendencyto suggest that the SMS itself is notfunctioning effectively, but thisprobably merely reflects someinconsistencies of interpretationand implementation of the codeat this still-early stage.

(2) Insufficient familiarization of themaster, the crew and the companywith the SMS, and the fact that thecompany does not always do busi-ness according to the agreed pro-cedure can be a serious problem.Lack of the recognition of the roleof the designated person by themaster, which was identified fre-quently when the ISM Code cameinto force, still remains a majorproblem.

(3) As to “Failure to satisfactorily carryout emergency response drill,”there are a lot of cases wherecrews’ unfamiliarity with the emer-gency response drill is regarded asineffective practice of SMS.

Total118

Inadequate maintenanceof ship and equipment

44 (37%)

Insufficientlanguage ability

of crew13 (11%)

Deficiencies regardingDOC or SMD

9 (8%)

Insufficientfamiliarization ofthe crew and the

companystaff with SMS

19 (16%)

Others(STCW, etc.)

6 (5%)

Failure to satisfactorilycarry out emergency

response drill13 (11%)

Improper documentationof SMS system

14 (12%)

Figure 1. Classification of non-conformitiesby factor of ship and equipment

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Special Articles

LNG Re-Liquefaction Plant Introduced onan LNG Carrier

The gas cargoes carried by liquefiedgas carriers, are usually gaseous undernormal temperature and atmosphereconditions. Large-scale bulk transpor-tation is possible by liquefaction of thegas substance. There are three ways toliquefy a gas; compression at normalroom temperature (=fully pressurizedmethod), cooling and compression(=semi-refrigerated (pressurized)method) and cooling at normal atmo-spheric pressure (=fully refrigeratedmethod).

In a fully refrigerated type lique-fied gas carrier, cargo is liquefied inaccordance with the vapor pressure-temperature curve of the particularsubstance, by cooling the substancesto less than the saturated vapor tem-perature of that substance in normalatmospheric pressure.

While the saturated vapor tem-perature of propane, a typical cargo ofa fully refrigerated type LPG carrier is–42.1ºC, that of methane, the typicalcargo of a LNG carrier, is –161.5ºC.Fully refrigerated type liquefied gas

carriers load and carry the cargo atsuch low temperatures. However dur-ing the voyage, despite the insulatingmaterial surrounding the cargo tank,there is a small rise in temperature ofthe cargo liquid due to natural heatingfrom the atmosphere and “boiloff gas”occurrs. As a result of this boiloffgas, the pressure inside the cargotank rises.

The designed pressure of thecargo tank of the fully refrigeratedtype liquefied gas carrier is usuallyabout 0.025MPa, and the “Rules andGuidance for the Survey and Con-struction of Steel Ships” and the IGCcode require that means of tempera-ture/ pressure control be provided toprevent the pressure inside the tankfrom exceeding the design pressure.

One such means, which coolsdown the boiloff gas mechanically tocontrol the pressure inside the cargotank, is called a re-liquefaction plant.Each substance has a temperature (thecritical temperature) at which it can-not be liquefied even if it is further

However, it seems that infuture, even records will not beenough because there have beenseveral cases were the SMS wasregarded as deficient when thedemonstration of the practicecouldn’t be done well even whenall the records of the drill wereprepared.

(4) PSC usually identifies two differentissues, one is that a company pro-vides a SMS document in a lan-guage which the crew can’t under-stand and the other one is thatcrew doesn’t have language abilityto understand the SMS documentwhich the company prepared.At any rate, the company isresponsible for the deficiency.

4. Conclusion.In both the audits and in PSC overthe last year, many non-conformitieswere reported regarding Maintenanceof the Ship and Equipment, Manage-ment Resources and Personnel andCompany Verification, Review andEvaluation.

This is the same tendency as theresults of the last investigation, andwe cannot help but point out thatbusiness hasn’t usually been under-taken in accordance with the systemand that review for improvement isnot being attempted even if due todeficiencies of the documentation ofthe system. It seems that there is stilla long hard road to be traveled on theroad to safety culture.

In the ISM Code, it is importantto aim at the continuous improvementof the SMS not only by initial develop-ment of the SMS but also by continu-ous implementation of the SMS, pay-ing attention to feedback andexecution of the results.

1616

pressurized. Since this temperature is96.7 degrees for propane, it can beliquefied even at normal temperatureby being pressurized to just more thanthe saturated vapor pressure. How-ever, since that of methane (the usualLNG carrier cargo) is much lower,–82.6 degrees, it cannot be liquefiedeven if being pressurized, unlesscooled down to less than that tem-perature. Therefore a re-liquefactionplant is usually used as a means oftemperature/pressure control deviceon fully refrigerated type LPG carriersbecause it is comparatively simple,since seawater can be used as a cool-ant, because the cargo can be liquefiedat normal temperature.

The principle is fundamentally asfollows.1. A high-temperature and high-

pressure gas is formed by com-pressing the boiloff gas with acompressor.

2. The latent heat of the gas isabsorbed by the seawater, whichacts as a coolant in the con-denser, and a high pressure liq-uid is formed.

3. It is returned into the cargo tankas low-temperature, low-pressureliquid by effecting an adiabaticexpansion via an expansionvalve.On the other hand, to re-liquefy

methane, for example on an LNG

effective unmanned or automaticoperations are possible, even if theamount of boiloff gas varies widelyduring the operational mode of theship at the time of fully loaded voy-ages and ballast voyages.

The flow of the system is showndiagrammatically in the figure below.

Main machinery and equipmentbeing used for this system is asfollows.• N2 Compressor: 2-stage radial type• Turbo Expander/Compressor: Single

stage radial type, Connected to eachother

• BOG Compressor: Single stage radialtype

• Cryogenic Heat Exchanger: Brazedplate fin type

• N2 Buffer Tank: Cylindrical typeAll of this machinery and equip-

ment has been technically proven incryogenic industries on shore. Andthe designs have been establishedbased on further actual service. How-ever, the reason why it has not beenadopted in ships until now is said tobe the fact that it has been uneco-nomical in relation to the amount offuel consumption for operation alongwith the initial cost of these devices.

Currently, the first LNG carrierto install a LNG re-liquefaction plantis being constructed at MitsubishiHeavy Industries, Ltd. Nagasaki andwill enter service from October thisyear. The plant has been developedjointly by Osaka Gas Co. Ltd., NipponYusen Kabushiki Kaisha, MitsubishiHeavy Industries, Ltd. and ChiyodaCorporation.

Confirmation of the reliabilityand improved economics over timemay also see the complete replace-ment of the conventional steam tur-bine with more efficient modern dieselengines on LNG carriers.

Engine Room Installation Deck House Installation

Motor

Motor

Buffer Tank

Int Cooler Aft Cooler

Aft Cooler

Refrigerant (Nitrogen)

Main Nitrogen Compressor Turbo Expander

ToCargo Tank

FromCargo Tank

(Booster)Compressor

HeatExchanger

HeatExchanger

BOGCompressor

Bail-Off Gas/Condensate

carrier, a device for refrigeration isnecessary because a cryogenic sub-stance must be used as the refrigerantto liquefy the methane.

Generally the economics of actualre-liquefaction plants for LNG carriershave not been favorable, therefore themeans of “temperature/pressure con-trol” for the cargo of LNG carriers hasbeen a process whereby the boiloffgas is burned in the main boiler asa fuel for the steam turbine propulsionsystem, with obvious economicadvantages.

In adopting this method, the lossof the cargo cannot be avoided dueto the use of the boiloff gas. But, attimes when the price of LNG rises forexample, the adoption of the LNGre-liquefaction plant can be reconsid-ered as a more economical method.

The first LNG re-liquefactionplant “ZERO-LOSS®” was announcedby Swiss Sulzer Brothers Limited in1973. This system adopts the “closedBrayton cycle” in which nitrogen isused as the refrigerant. This systemhas the advantage of being simple,with the least number of components,thus offering the highest reliabilityand ease of operation. Another advan-tage of this system is that control ofthe plant capability can be achievedby changing the volume flow of thenitrogen in the closed refrigerationcycle. Thanks to these advantages,

Liquefaction Plant Schematic

1717

Qingdao officeClassNK Around the World

● Qingdao

Qingdao

The Chinese province of Shandong isknown as the cradle of the Yangtze(Yellow River) civilization, one ofChina’s four great historical civiliza-tions. It is the birthplace of philoso-phers and thinkers such as Confucius(the father of Confucianism), andMencius who was also a famousthinker.

Qingdao City is located almostin the center of the southern coastlineof the Shandong Peninsula. With anarea of 10,000 square km QingdaoCity takes up about 7% of Shandongprovince, and about 1/3 of the prov-inces population of 6,900,000 peopleis concentrated in this city area. Thepeople seem to lead a comfortable lifebecause population density is quitelow when compared with the big cit-ies such as Beijing and Shanghai.

The calm Western-style brickhouses of the present day QingdaoCity reflect the strong Germaninfluence in the city’s history, whichchanged it from a small fishing vil-lage of a previously remote district.The Germans also quickly realizedthat the water which gushed outfrom the famous mountain“Laoshang” in the eastern part ofthe town, was most suitable forbeer-making, so the production ofbeer began very early. Thus it cameto be that the world famous TsingTao beer was produced.

Also famous for its clean sea andattractive streets, many people comeall year round to Qingdao as tourists.Especially in summer, when thepopulation increases greatly as many

tourists from all over China rush tothe Qingdao seaside because it isn’t ashot as the inland cities, even in sum-mer. It is said that the climate inQingdao is very easy to live with.

And of course, we mustn’t forgetShandong cuisine which is consideredtypical among the various Chinesecuisines available in Qingdao. High-quality ingredients are abundant withthe marine products caught in thenearby seas especially famous. A mealis always begun with the drinking ofQingdao beer and wine, and is gener-ally finished with abundant fruit asthe dessert. In any case, everyone eats

well, and then drinks well, and enjoystheir meal.

At present, the city is activelypromoting further tourism and is pre-paring the appropriate infrastructurewith the construction of high risebuildings and so on.

Qingdao Harbor

18

On the other hand, Qingdao Cityalso has its flip side as a significantindustrial city. In particular, the textileindustry has developed to rival Shang-hai and Tianjin. Qingdao port is a portwith quite a history, being built in1892. It is one of the more importantChinese ports, in line with Shanghai,Tianjin, Dalian, and so on as a gate-way to the continent. Many kinds ofindustries have developed in Qingdaobecause of its good geographical loca-tion. There are 13 piers and 71 quaysin the port, which can also accommo-date a ULCC in the oil berth. The con-tainer quay handled more than1,500,000 teu last year, making it thesecond busiest in China.

The NK Qingdao office coversalmost the whole area of the Shandongprovince. Sometimes travel in excessof 500km at a time is required but thisdistance is often covered as a pleasanttrain journey enjoying the scenery ofthe farm villages.

Typically, afloat surveys are donein Qingdao Port, Hungdao, Yantai,Wehai, Rizhao, and Lian Yun Gang,

(From left) NK Qingdao GM, Mr. IsaoTakano, Secretary, Ms. Zhu Mei, Sur-veyor, Mr. X. W. Chen,

Durban Office

The Port of Durban, which has 57berths, is the busiest port on the Afri-can continent and is the largest interms of container capacity. During1999, 3,473 ocean going vessels of131 million gross tons visited theport, of which an average of 110vessels per month were container.Durban’s container terminal is one ofthe largest of its type in the southernhemisphere with container move-ments exceeding 80,000 per month.

Being conveniently placed on theprimary North and South Atlantictrade routes to Indian Ocean and FarEastern ports, Durban is a favorite callfor vessels taking bunkers and alsochanging crew personnel.

With two floating docks and onegraving dock, which can be dividedinto two separate independentlyfloodable compartments, Durban isalso a favorite call for routine andcasualty ship repair. The larger of thetwo floating docks, owned and oper-ated by Elgin Brown & Hamer (Pty)Ltd, has a lifting capacity of 8,500tons and a floor length of 140m. Thelargest vessel to occupy the gravingdock is a panamax sized containership with a length of 265m and beamof 32.5m

Richards Bay, some 90nm up thecoast from Durban is Africa’s largestport in terms of bulk cargoes exported.The coal terminal at Richards Bay canhandle five capesize bulkers at onetime with an average loading time of48 hours for a capesized vessel.

ClassNK’s new Durban Office,which opened during September1999, is very active in the ports of

among others, while new shipbuildingand class maintenance surveys areundertaken at shipyards in Qingdao,Hungdao, Yantai and Wehai. Anchorchain inspections take place in in Zibo& Jimo City, Boiler inspections inJiaozhou City and Material inspectionsin Jinan City, while Life Boat inspec-tions are done in Qingdao.

When many inspections are con-centrated on the same day, a regionalsupport system involving other NKoffices in the neighboring areas has beenestablished, in order to ensure that theinspection service which is most suit-able for the client’s schedule, is met.

It is expected that the ships trav-elling to and from China will increasefurther as the amount of trade willincrease when China joins the WTO.This increase in the load movement isexpected to not only impact shippingcompanies and shipyards, but alsomany other industrial developments,so we expect to deal with a variety ofnew enterprises and clients. We arelooking forward to being able to meetmany more people from now on.

Each NK office in China, includ-ing the Qingdao office, must preparefor the corresponding increase ininspections expected. We must striveto continue to provide the servicewhich has so far kept our customersso satisfied.

On a personal note, I am verypleased and grateful that everythinghas gone smoothly since I arrived atmy new post here in Qingdao, thanksto the wonderful support of the NKQingdao team, and our clients.

Dur

19

national and international events. Thefavorite sport is rugby football, withthe South Africans at second place be-hind the New Zealanders in the worldrankings.

General Manager of ClassNK’sDurban Office, Alan Perry, who waspreviously based in ClassNK’s LondonOffice, has quickly become used tothe problems associated with living inSouth Africa, such as having to livewithin a razor-wire topped, walledcomplex with steel bars on the win-dows and doors of his house, andonly talks of the advantages of livingin South Africa, such as the beautifulclimate nine months a year when hecan enjoy driving his MGB Roadsterwhich arrived in Durban from theU.K. shortly after he did, and thebreathtaking scenery which he enjoysfrom the air when indulging in an-other of his passions, private flying.

Perry was proud of his appoint-ment to set up and manage ClassNK’snew Office in Durban, especially inthe Society’s centenary year, in abuilding shared by other industrygiants such as Lloyd’s Register ofShipping and P & O Nedlloyd, andwhich enjoys a magnificent view ofDurban harbor. The coming yearswill be interesting ones as the newSouth Africa emerges as a regionaleconomic power from its tormentedpast and as an example to the rest ofAfrica of how ethnic differences canbe overcome and how harmoniouscoexistence is the true way forward.

Within the spirit of the newSouth Africa, ClassNK will also playits part by assisting the economicfuture of the marine-related indus-tries in Durban.

Durban and Richards Bay with occa-sional visits to Kenyan, Mozambiquan,Madagascan and Mauritius ports.

For those who have held manage-rial positions in such world capitals asTokyo, London and Hong Kong, SouthAfrica comes as a shock to their “fast-lane” business mentality. The relaxedattitudes in South African business areat first extremely frustrating, and then,with the passage of time, becomeamusing. Equally frustrating are thechallenges of dealing with a public sec-tor where local and state governmentorganizations struggle with their ownbureaucratic regimes and are inexperi-enced in the high paced demands ofinternational business.

South Africa is a Third Worldcountry with much potential, theopportunity to substantially developtourism being one of the country’sgreatest assets. Regrettably a spiralingcrime rate, which for a variety of rea-sons nobody seems able to control,deters would-be tourists from visitingthe region. Instability in theneighbouring southern African statesis also deterring tourism and interna-tional investment in South Africa, par-ticularly when, at times, the interna-tional media hint at overspills ofinstability into South Africa.

Within a two-hour drive from thecity of Durban, people can visit sev-eral game parks and view at closerange most of southern Africa’s wildanimals in their natural surroundings.

South Africa is a nation of sportlovers. Every morning at 6 am youwill see countless joggers, walkers,and cyclists all training for local,

urban ● Durban

NK Durban GM, Mr. A.F. Perry andSecretary, Mrs. Arthi Singh

Durban Port as seen from the NK Durban office

20

Topics and Events

MEGA-FLOAT UpdateRegular readers of the ClassNK Maga-zine will no doubt be keen to be updatedon one of the more unusual projectsthat NK contributes its expertise to, theMEGA-FLOAT research project.

First reported on in the 1996issue of ClassNK Magazine (issueNo.48), research has consisted of twophases: Phase I, spanning three yearsfrom 1995 through 1998, and PhaseII, which began in 1998. The mainaim of the Phase I research was todemonstrate the reliability of large-scale floating structures through thedevelopment of a 300m long floatingsteel structure test model. The PhaseII test model structure is to be used toconduct a number of demonstrationtests and research for a planned pe-riod of three years. All the pieces ofthe Phase II model, classed with theSociety the previous September werebrought together for final welding inAugust 1999, in the waters offshorefrom the Yokosuka area in Tokyo Bay.The 1,000m long structure buildsupon the results obtained from thePhase I model. This article presents abrief update on the Phase II researchand the activities on the MEGA-FLOAT structure.

Of the many uses envisioned forthe MEGA-FLOAT structure, such asbeing used as a floating base for con-tainer yards for amusement and sportsfacilities, and as a disaster relief base,amongst others, that of providing areliable base for airport facilities is themost demanding and difficult toachieve. The Phase II model has thusbeen constructed in order to carry outmany tests related to airport functionsand to demonstrate the feasibility ofthese and other functions. At a size of1,000m x 60m (with one portion120m in width) x 3m, this modelstructure is significantly larger thanthe Phase I model (300m x 60m x2m). A floating airport measuring5km x 2km or 1,000 hectares in size(roughly the equiva-lent of 700 soccerfields) is envisionedas the final structure.

The Phase IIresearch will include;1. Development of

facilities capableof accommo-dating wavemotions andtides,

2. Development of airport functionsimulation programs,

3. Demonstration tests of landinginstrument and equipmentsystems,

4. Take-off and landing experiments.With much of the research on the

first three completed, it was the fourthof these, the take off and landingexperiments, that staff of NK wererecently invited to observe. On abright sunny summer day we were fer-ried out to see firsthand the outstand-ing success that this project hasachieved. While the basic science andtechnology of taking off from andlanding aircraft on floating objects atsea, i.e. naval aircraft carriers, hasbeen established for over 50 years, our

Photographs courtesy of Technological Research Association of MEGA-FLOAT

21

host Mr. Michimasa Yamada, GM ofthe MEGA-FLOAT Marketing andPlanning Dept., explained that themuch larger scale and higher safetyrequirements for commercial publicaviation, had presented a range ofnew challenges for the MEGA-FLOATresearch team. As we watched the planesuccessfully take off, touch and go, andland several times from different direc-tions, it was clear that most if not all ofthese challenges had been met by theMEGA-FLOAT research team. The teamwas particularly happy with the results,

given that the MEGA-FLOAT hadjust 3 days earlier experienced its firsttyphoon. The team had looked for-ward to that event with uncharacteris-tic enthusiasm, as it represented a firstreal test for the mooring and struc-tural systems in a worst-case scenario.Needless to say, the MEGA-FLOATmet all expectations, and the plannedtake off and landing rest were able toproceed on schedule. The MEGA-FLOAT project is clearly on track andwe look forward to following itsprogress in the future.

1000m

MEGA-FLOAT An idea takes off

22

Mr. Masataka Hidaka,Vice President of ClassNK, Takes Over as IACSChairman for 2000/2001The International Association of Clas-sification Societies (IACS) held its 41stCouncil meeting on the 31st of Mayand 1st of June 2000 at the head officeof Germanischer Lloyd in Hamburg,and Mr. Masataka Hidaka, Vice-President of ClassNK, was elected asChairman of IACS for a one-yearterm, effective from July 1, 2000.

This is the third time ClassNKhas served in this capacity (the firstoccasion was in 1971 and the secondin 1988). Hisayasu Jin, a former Prin-cipal Technical Officer of IACS, and aprincipal surveyor at ClassNK, wasalso appointed as Chairman of theGeneral Policy Group (GPG). TheCouncil meetings will be held inDecember 2000 and in May 2001, andtwo GPG meetings will be held inOctober 2000 and March 2001.

Mr. Hidaka said in his statementas new Chairman of IACS on July 3that, although IACS has worked hardand successfully to set higher stan-dards for safety, it must relentlesslypursue and achieve ever higher stan-dards and compliance by ships. Andhe declared that the agenda for IACSover the coming year will be led bythe need for an enhanced class survey

Masataka HidakaExecutive Vice President

regime, greater transparency in classdata and increased uniformity inIACS’ technical standards.

Class NK takes the Chair of IACSduring a challenging period of transi-tion, when the future structure, roleand goals of IACS are being strictlyscrutinized in the wake of the lossesof the Erika, the Leader L. and theTreasure. Although the classificationsystem remains sound, accusations ofbad performance by a classificationsociety could affect IACS’ confidence.In this situation, the role and duty ofthe Chairman is to greater strengthenIACS’ position in the maritime indus-try and ensure its central role as theshipping industry’s unique source ofdeep technical knowledge and exper-tise, and as its guardian of technicalstandards.

The Construction of theNew NK InformationCenterThe new NK Information Center(provisional name) is to be built nextto the NK Research Center (in Chiba)and will serve as NK’s informationwarehouse and communications hub.As such, it will also be the heart (orbrain) of the NK Globalware System,which will benefit all. Constructioncommenced May 29 and is expectedto be completed by the end of June2001.

The center has been specificallydesigned to withstand the worst natu-ral disasters, incorporating the latestmost sophisticated base isolation sys-tem to minimize the impact of majorearthquakes. It will be totally self suf-ficient in such an emergency, withindependent power generation capac-ity, water supply, etc., allowing NK tocontinue the provision of essentialinformation and services to clients.

A substantial four story facilityof around 5,500m2, it will initiallytake about 100 of the current headoffice staff. However it is also beingdesigned to accommodate and serve ifnecessary, as an alternative head office,in the case of a disaster affecting theexisting head office.

Artist’s impression

23

PLAN

Development ofRequirements

ACTION

Management ReviewCorrective Action

DO

Introduction and Implementationof Requirements

CHECK

Company AuditShip Audit

The Plan-Do-Check-Action Cycle

Technical ServicesRelating to the SafeOperational Managementof ShipsSeveral major ship chartering compa-nies are endeavoring to improve thequality of ship audits to meet theirclients’ demands for better qualitytransportation services. Their goal isto achieve safer navigation of shipsunder their control by developingtheir own safe navigation managementsystems similar to the ISM Code andthe ISO 9000 series.

The system being developed andimplemented adapts the concept ofthe Plan-Do-Check-Action cycle forassurance. A range of items regardingsafe navigation, and preservation ofthe marine environment are decidedupon for a shipowner or managementcompany, as the independent charterer’sstandard. These requirements (of thecharterer) are then executed in accor-dance with an agreement (contract,memo) with the shipowner or themanagement company.

The implementation is verifiedthrough company audits and ship auditsin accordance with a standardizedprocedure. If items are identified asrequiring improvement , a “requirement

for corrective action” is submitted tothe shipowner and or the ship man-agement company.

To support such progressivesafe operational management of ships,the Society began a new technical ser-vice, performing parts of the above-mentioned ship audits (the “checkphase of the Plan-Do-Check-Actioncycle”), maximizing the experience ithas accumulated performing ship sur-veys and ISM audits. In other words,in accordance with the scheme devel-oped by the charterer, the Societyauditor, accredited by the charterer,attends the ship and carries out theaudit according to the checklist, andreports the result to the client.

The effect of the results of auditsby the Society together with thecompany’s audit results in the Plan-Do-Check-Action cycle maximizesthe quality assurance improvement.Accordingly, it contributes to the pre-vention of delays in operation of theship and decreases in the accident rate.

As a part of it’s technical services,the Society will continue to work withclients, to develop and provide newtypes of services, such as these cus-tomized ship audit services, to improvethe safe operational management ofships.

An Introduction toNK’s Assessment andRegistration Servicesfor EnvironmentalManagement SystemsAs the international standard forenvironmental management systems(ISO 14001) came into force in Sep-tember 1996, the Environment groupwithin the NK Quality AssuranceDivision (Environmental NK) had toquickly come to terms with the enact-ment of the rules for assessment andregistration of environmental manage-ment systems (EMS), developing thequality system for these new assess-ment and registration services, andthe training of auditors. The rules forassessment and registration were final-ized in December 1997, and a regis-tration certificate was issued to a com-pany for the first time in February,1998.

By July 2000, 12 companiesincluding, for the first time, a Japa-nese shipping company, had achieved

Asahi Tanker Co., Ltd., the first coastaltanker service in Japan to receive ISO14001 certification

Information for Readers

24

Official Marking for MED

registration of their environmentalmanagement systems.

Also, in June 2000, a certificateof accreditation was issued by the Ja-pan Accreditation Board for Confor-mity Assessment, to the Society,regarding it’s registration and auditservices for ISO 14001 environmentalmanagement systems.

Awareness of the importance ofenvironmental protection is increasingworldwide, and the number of organi-zations that want to be registered forthe environment management systemis increasing rapidly. The number ofISO 14001 certifications in Japan isalready 3,700 as at April, 2000, andthis is expected to increase rapidly.

Environmental NK offers assess-ment and registration services for ISO14001 anytime, and works hard tohelp develop a system that most suitsthe client’s needs.

NK Rotterdam OfficeCommences ConformityAssessment/Certificationunder European CouncilDirective 96/98 EC onMarine EquipmentMost countries around the worldtend to put more emphasis on theexport of manufactured industrialproducts to foreign countries thantheir domestic consumption. As oneconsequence of this, many inconve-niences due to differences in standardsand requirements among variouscountries have become obvious.

To solve those problems, in orderto improve product circulation andto promote safety and environmentalprotection, the European Union,(which promotes unification invarious fields such as currency), inattempting the unification of technol-ogy of products and test standards,announces EC Directives, which areadopted as domestic law by membernations.

The EC Directive in relation toships is called Council Directive 96/98on Marine Equipment (MED) andbecame effective after January 1999.Recently, you may have seen marineequipment displaying a “wheel mark”(see fig. below right). This mark indi-cates that the equipment was manu-factured and certified in accordancewith the new approval system formarine equipment, as per MED. ThisMED establishes conformity assess-ment/certification systems regardingmarine equipment related to life-saving appliances, fire fighting equip-ment, fire protection structures, navi-gation, radio and marine-pollutionprevention equipment, which areinstalled on ships registered in the 17European countries which make upthe EU member states, plus Norwayand Iceland.

While International Conventionssuch as SOLAS and MARPOL areadopted as they are, as the rule or thestandard for the certification, it hasbeen characteristic that the qualityguarantee system based on Typeexamination is widely adopted as theConformity Assessment procedure formarine equipment.

Now, the Conformity Assessmentprocedure must be carried out by anassessment body called a NotifiedBody. NK Rotterdam has been recog-nized as an experienced and knowl-edgeable body to undertake such tasksby the Government of the Nether-lands, which is a member state of EUand has been designated as a NotifiedBody. NK Rotterdam has begun carry-ing out the conformity assessmentprocedures related to the MED.

For more information, please feelfree to contact NK Rotterdam (Tel.+31-10-4137071, Fax. +31-10-4138530), the Material and Equip-ment Department (Tel. +81-3-5226-2020, Fax +81-3-5226-2019) or otherlocal survey offices who will processyour application or inquiry.

© Copyright 2000 Nippon Kaiji Kyokai

ISSN 1341-0091

NIPPON KAIJI KYOKAI

4-7 Kioi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8567, JapanPhone: +81-3-3230-1201

Fax: +81-3-5226-2012www.classnk.or.jp

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