Hamburg, 9th September 2014. Enhancing operational efficiency, improving safety, smarter data – these were the key themes for DNV GL, the world’s largest classification society, at the SMM trade fair today.
Tor E. Svensen, CEO of DNV GL Maritime, showed how DNV GL is working to modernise class and support its customers in reducing accidents and improving sustainability, while at the same time reducing the operational costs. He also looked at some of innovative new projects and research underway at DNV GL, especially the growing trend toward LNG ready vessels and the increasing use of a diverse range of alternative fuels.
SMM marked the first full year of operation for DNV GL, said Tor E. Svensen, having launched officially on September 12th 2013. Taking stock one year after commencing operations, the merger makes a lot of sense, he said. The financial performance of both the Maritime unit and the Group as a whole had been very strong over the past 12 months – a very positive sign of the trust and continued confidence that customers had in DNV GL. Svensen said that DNV GL will continue to focus on its core classification business as it recognised that the industry was still going through challenging times and needed the support of a competent class society. Moving ahead, Svensen said that DNV GL would continue to build on its strong focus on research and innovation, and on developing an even stronger technical support network.
The trend toward LNG as a ship fuel continues, said Svensen, with an order book that has shifted from a strong Norwegian focus to a more global mix. DNV GL has pioneered LNG as a ship fuel for more than a decade, he said, and the industry’s recognition of its expertise as a class in this field was reflected in the order intake.
There was also an increasing trend toward LNG Ready and a larger variety of alternative fuels were being explored, he said, including ethane, battery and hybrid vessels. DNV GL had taken a leading role in enabling many of the new technologies, Svensen said, and each offered different advantages and new technical challenges.
Later in the fair DNV GL would be presenting Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and the United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) with the first ever LNG Ready Approval in Principle for a true mega box ship – the series of 11 14500 TEU and 7 18800 TEU currently under construction with DNV GL class.
Albrecht Grell, head of DNV GL’s Maritime Advisory division, announced the launch of the new ECO Insight portal. ECO Insight brought together the transformative approaches of big data, advanced data analytics and increased connectivity together to enable greater operational efficiency, he said.
The new service provides a comprehensive and easily accessible way to manage the performance of a fleet – including voyage, hull & propeller, engine & systems performance. “ECO Insight allows our customers to take the next step towards greater efficiency. After exploiting measures to improve the vessels, like retrofitting or engine de-rating, many of our customers are taking an intensive look at how their vessels are being operated”, he said. “In order to enhance the way vessels are operated, and have a good basis for decision making, the natural starting point is to begin to monitor the performance in a structured way”, he added.
Mathias Ritters, DNV GL’s regional manager for Germany, spoke of the special place that the region holds in DNV GL. Hamburg is home to the Maritime headquarters, he said, and having such a strong presence in Germany meant that no other classification society was able to offer such a broad portfolio of services to its customers. More than one quarter of the whole DNV GL fleet, some 3500 vessels and 67 million GT, were held by German customers. The market was also marked by the complex requirements and technical trendsetting of many of the projects DNV GL was involved in, he noted, with container vessels and MPVs, offshore vessels & cruise ships being particular strengths. Germany is also leading the way in adapting to the changing regulatory and market conditions, he said, with retrofitting for improved energy efficiency.
Throughout the SMM week, DNV GL will also be holding a series of expert presentations at the DNV GL Forum. Some 41 speakers will hold 36 presentations covering 11 topics over the 4 days of the fair – giving a broader view on the latest technologies, market conditions and pressing challenges of the maritime world.