Last week I took part in the SEAaT Fuelling the Future Conference in London, chairing the afternoon session on future fuels. It was an interesting day and, with plenty of ship operators present, the presentations served only to emphasise the complexity of decision making for those operating in the ECAs as 2015 approaches.

Uncertainty reigns. Exemptions are being sought. For ferry operators the likely solution of switching to marine diesel in the face of short term lack of confidence in scrubbers seems to be the consensus decision. But the mix of government support for international regulation in shipping (re-affirmed by the UK Shipping Minister) but powerlessness to change European decisions; no way of knowing what the relative price and availability of competing mainstream alternatives HFO, diesel/gasoil, LNG; the likelihood that increased price of cleaner fuel (whatever is used – there is an assumption that costs will only increase) will have the perverse and unintended effect of closing ferry routes, driving traffic onto the roads and through already very busy places like Dover.

Overall, it was a bleak picture for those who have to make operational decisions. That was the morning. The focus was all about compliance, with very little emphasis on greenhouse gases.

Of course those condemned to operate in the ECAs as opposed to worldwide traders have very different perspectives. I need to see the slide again, but the fact that, as Damian Kennaby showed, 90% of the world’s bunkers are consumed by 20% of the world’s ships. Those are mainly large, worldwide trading, deep sea tankers, bulkers and container ships that do not spend a great deal of time in ECAs and, although he was looking at fuel availability, his slide makes the point that local air quality issues – to have a big impact – could be better addressed if they are not coupled with the global problem of greenhouse gases.

Could the deep sea players switch to gas or renewables? On the basis of the evidence we saw, as long as HFO is available – and scrubbers work by 2020, it’s hard to see any other alternative being attractive to most of the deep sea players.

In the afternoon, there was considerable interest in the presentations about future fuels before the Carbon War Room’s Peter Boyd talked about how the industry could reduce carbon and make money – he is working on a scheme to provide the structure to realise those savings.

The new sources of energy that were examined, in the longer term, may offer a way out of the impasse described in the morning sessions and discussing them seemed to raise the spirits. But, even if only for auxiliary power, wind power, biogas and hydrogen all have potential. Stena’s presentation on methanol offers a refreshingly practical approach to capitalising on the abundant availability of natural gas but without the need for LNG infrastructure.

For now, for deep sea ships, any meaningful impact – for the environment, for shipowners’ bottom lines – will probably have to come through efficiency measures. And I think we are going to hear a lot more about how to finance those measures.

Nick Brown is the Marine Communications Manager at Lloyd’s Register in London

M/V Alexandros, image: LR

LR-classed Alexandros and Aristotelis are the first of five new 5,000 teu super-efficient new ships, all to be delivered from HHI Gunsan by June 2013, that sees Capital expand its operations into the container sector

Capital Shipmanagement has marked the delivery of their new containerships, Alexandros (on charter as Hyundai Prestige) and Aristotelis (on charter as Hyundai Premium) delivered at HHI Gunsan, respectively, last month and on Monday this week. It is understood that the order represents the first such series of post-boom super-efficient container ships of this size.

Speaking in Piraeus on Friday at a Capital reception to mark the event, Evangelos Marinakis, CEO of Capital commented: “These are demanding times for all of us. We are doing our upmost to serve as best as possible the needs of our clients for the years to come. With fuel prices high and with our increasing environmental responsibilities we are investing in high performance, truly eco, environmentally-friendly new tonnage.”

Mr Marinakis added: “When contracting for this new series of 5000 teu container ships, we paid special attention to obtaining a design with engines which offer high efficiency throughout the entire load range in order to achieve speed flexibility with the best fuel consumption and a reduced carbon footprint. It’s great to see this new design in the water and safely delivered to our charterers Hyundai Merchant Marine.”

Apostolos Poulovassilis, Lloyd’s Register’s Regional Marine Manager, Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “Congratulations to Capital and all involved. We have been very proud to be working with HHI and Capital on this new series of LR classed container ships – our technical experts have been providing support every step of the way. This included our specially established design optimisation/verification service which examined many aspects of this high-specification design and how these features interact together holistically in order to meet the required standards of safety, environmental performance and energy efficiency across the whole operational envelope of the ships.”

The ships are equipped with AMP (Alternative Marine Power System), often known as a ‘cold ironing’ system facility, where shore can provide electrical supply while in port with maximum power of 3.2 MW. This is a system where a container vessel can, whilst in port, shut down its generators and ‘plug’ into the shore power. This reduces emissions from the exhausts whilst in port. It is not yet a widely used system but is particularly suitable for container vessels, which traditionally have a high consumption in port in order to run their generators for the reefer containers. In addition to this, each ship’s main engine has advanced automatic surveillance, performance, evaluation and diagnostic systems.

The ships are also fitted with an ‘X’ – twisted full spade rudder. The benefits of using such a rudder is that a twist in the upper and lower part of the rudder blade prevents cavitation and associated erosion problems developing as a consequence of rotational flow aft of the propeller. As well as this, the vessels are designed for one man bridge control and capable of sailing at slow and super slow speeds.

Image: Lloyd’s Register

Almi Sun and Almi Explorer have been delivered by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Shipyard (DSME) and have commenced operations.

These ships are a further development of the Almi Horizon which was delivered back in 2011. A significant development is that the latest deliveries have electronically controlled main engines, each turning a slightly larger propeller and they benefit from pre-swirl stators to further enhance energy efficiency.

Operators, Almi Tankers, based in Greece, said: “We welcome these even more eco-friendly tankers to our fleet. Both Almi Sun and Almi Explorer are designed to meet our responsibility to safeguard the environment. Almi Tankers recognises the need to consistently and continuously improve performance, especially with regards to environmental issues.”

The ships have been verified by LR in accordance with the voluntary energy-efficiency requirements of the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) for new ships. They are equipped with a UV ballast water treatment system and feature an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) in accordance with LR’s IHM service.

The design complies with IACS’s Common Structural Rules and the ships were constructed in accordance with ShipRight Construction Monitoring procedures, while the accommodation arrangements comply with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006).

Almi Sun and Almi Explorer were also designed to be built to LR’s Environmental Protection ‘EP’ notation, which recognises their enhanced features and demonstrates the operator’s commitment to, and investment in, environmentally friendly ships. The ships have also been enrolled in LR’s Ship Emergency Response programme.

Almi Tankers has been certified by LR for compliance with the OHSAS 18001, ISO 14001, ISO 9001 standards which recognise companies dedicated to excellence in relation to health and safety, the environment and quality. Almi Tankers also gained recognition according to the Investors in People standard, which demonstrates commitment to growth and to improving business performance through the development and recognition of people on all levels.

“Everyone at Almi Tankers strongly believes that a tanker management company needs to be totally trusted to deliver a reliable service that is safe, environmentally responsible and punctual. This is why Almi Tankers has adopted the value of operational integrity as its guiding principle,” said Captain Panayiotis Drosos, CEO of Almi Tankers.

With the heightened expectations of stakeholders in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon incident, Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has listened to its drilling operator clients and designed a new generation of drillship. The new 80k class, heavy duty, wide beam drillship design, HD12000, can drill up to depths of 12,000 feet.

It has greater versatility, strength and more available deck space than its predecessors and has been developed drawing on previous experience of drillships. The HD12000 has an increased beam, which allows for larger and more variable load capacity (up to 24,000 metric tonnes) and reserve buoyancy for heavy duty – with compartment arrangement improvements – as well as being able to accommodate a cylinder rig concept that could be used for bigger derrick load requirements.

The JDP put the wide beam drillship design through design review, ship motion analysis, fatigue and FE analysis. Throughout, and on a global basis, Lloyd’s Register experts in hull structures, marine, mechanical, electrical and drilling systems worked in co-operation with HHI’s lead engineers to review and give feedback on the design development.

At the closing meeting at HHI’s Ulsan shipyard, Gyung-Jin Ha, Executive Vice President, Hyundai Heavy Industries, commented:

“HHI and Lloyd’s Register have strong advantages in their own specialised fields, and it is therefore desirable to share experiences with each other and have cooperation between the two companies. HHI will never stop innovating to meet new market demands.”

Lloyd’s Register Drilling Integrity Services specialists in Moduspec were able to provide 25 years of valuable ‘people, systems and equipment’ insight and perspective regarding the drilling systems arrangements, when considering the operational integrity of the proposed design. Their input added strength to Lloyd’s Register’s holistic approach, in which a number of teams worked together on the JDP in various technology and support centres globally.

At 223 metres long, 40 metres wide and 18.5 metres deep, the HD12000 drillship can probe a depth of 40,000 feet below the rotary table and is designed to accommodate the increasing complexity, pressures and sizes of drilling equipment and their handling needs. In addition, the arrangement of mud pumps and riser hold storage inside the hull envelope provides for a large free deck area for tube storage and other equipment, as well as greater flexibility and versatility of operations. It has fully dynamic, positioning-compliant,
station-keeping capabilities, with sufficient power to allow it to maintain position in emergency situations.

Efficient
The HD12000’s innovative hull form design is based on HHI’s longstanding and accumulated technology on merchant vessels. It enables a high transit speed of 11.5 knots (reduced form resistance with integrated thruster pod to hull) with a reported 40% less fuel consumption, enhanced sea-keeping performance (reduced roll angle by 20%), reduced interaction and thruster efficiency improvement and enhanced DP capability (reportedly 20% less fuel consumption). A patented thruster canister design allows for in-site inspection and maintenance of the thruster without the need for docking, with reduced non-productive time.

Alan Williams, Lloyd’s Register’s Korea Marine Operations Manager, said: “Lloyd’s Register has been able to clearly demonstrate to a significant customer for drillship construction how it can support them, drawing upon the pool of expertise from across the organisation for that segment. Korea represents the technological coalface for drillship construction, gaining momentum for innovation, and we will continue to play our part. Lloyd’s Register is positioned to fully support the drilling operators and building yards through integrated marine and drilling system specialist teams, working closely with these clients to develop and offer solutions.”

The latest revision of LR’s rules for Mobile Offshore Units utilises the specialist drilling integrity capabilities of Moduspec and WEST, and will incorporate new classification notations for mobile offshore drilling units. These will be released in February.

Almi Horizon, Image: Lloyd’s Register

A Lloyd’s Register study on LNG bunkering infrastructure also suggests some owners would be wise to consider fuel flexibility

After 12 months of research and analysis, Lloyd’s Register has concluded its 2011-12 study on LNG bunkering and newbuilding demand for deep-sea shipping.

Outside of the niche markets, the study finds that the establishment of LNG bunkering infrastructure capable of supporting most of the world’s consumers will be highly sensitive to the price of LNG relative to alternative fuels. The full report will be made available in October in time for Gastech in London.

”The obstacles to the adoption of LNG as a marine fuel are practical factors, but they are not technical. They are commercial,” said Hector Sewell, the Head of Marine Business Development for Lloyd’s Register. ”Establishing safe, reliable global LNG bunkering capability is feasible. But it will require considerable investment and risk management, and it will have to cover significant operational costs to challenge existing fuel-oil delivery systems.”

Latifat Ajala, Lloyd’s Register’s Senior Market Analyst, built a dynamic demand model for the study that was rigorously tested and validated with key stakeholders, including shipowners, ports and engine manufacturers.

”We use a model based on LNG supply, trade routes, ship-type fuel consumption, port locations and bunkering demand, as well asshipowner and port surveys. We then applied three demand and price-driven scenarios,” said Ajala. ”What we found was that the likelihood of global LNG bunkering facilities being established will depend on high demand for LNG-fuel on deep-sea trades, which will be driven by the price of LNG relative to current and future alternatives.”

The study’s base-case scenario predicted that by 2025 there could be 653 deep-sea, LNG-fuelled ships in service, consuming 24 million tonnes of LNG annually. These ships are most likely to be containerships, cruise vessels or oil tankers.

When the study modelled relatively cheap LNG — for example, 25% lower than current market prices — the projected number of LNG-fuelled ships rose to approximately 1,960 units in 2025. If the cost of LNG increased 25% against current prices, the model found that hardly any new LNG-powered tonnage would hit the water.

”Excluding smaller ferries and local trades where there are local market, fiscal and regulatory drivers — such as in parts of the Baltic and Norwegian shelf – it was the container-ship and cruise-ship markets that were the most likely to adopt LNG,” said Ajala. “This is because of their relatively high energy requirements, the demands of customers in these two sectors, their regular trading patterns and the time those ships spend in emission-control areas.”

”The difficulty for those looking to make decisions is that forecasting energy prices has always been a dangerous business,” she said. “For shipowners looking to make these decisions, flexibility may be the key. Choosing engines that can burn both gas and fuel oil, or that can be converted, may be one way to manage the regulatory and commercial issues involved with fuel choices.”

A new guide from Lloyd’s Register provides owners and operators with the technical information to reduce emissions in a cost-effective manner.  

Understanding Exhaust Gas Treatment Systems, gives shipowners and operators an overview of the related technology and emerging regulations they need to make sound business decisions.

The technical teams at Lloyd’s Register worked closely with industry and used project experience to develop the guidance. Exhaust gas treatment systems (EGTS), or scrubbers as they are known, are one of a number of options available to meet ever stricter emissions regulations. EGTS will not be suitable for all ship types or operators, and the age of assets also will be a factor in making commercial decisions.

“The implications of emissions compliance will vary from owner to owner; for example, the needs of a Baltic ferry operator are likely to be very different to those of a bulk carrier owner whose ships trade globally,” said Katharine Palmer, Lloyd’s Register’s Environmental Manager. “For us, it’s not a question of being for or against these treatment systems. It’s all about building understanding of how scrubbers work, when they may be suitable, and providing operators with the information and confidence they need to make investment decisions.”

With new technologies emerging, providing the right support throughout the decision-making and design process is critical, says Palmer, who adds that the guide provides a clear picture of the technical realities involved in installing and operating EGTS, using case studies and real-world examples.

The challenge of meeting emissions-compliance requirements and reducing ship-energy consumption are closely related, she says.

Earlier this year, Lloyd’s Register introduced its ECA Calculator, a cost-scenario modelling tool, to help the industry to identify cost-effective routes to emissions compliance. The new EGTS guide is further support to the industry at a time when owners and operators are preparing to decide on compliance strategies.

The EGTS guidance provides technical insight and, together with the ECA Calculator, are the latest products from Lloyd’s Register to support the industry with the dual challenges of compliance and energy management.

The guide was developed with the support of the Shipping Emissions, Abatement and Trading (SEAaT), an organisation comprising owner-operators who are looking for cost-effective compliance solutions.

“SEAaT is happy to have assisted in the development of this very useful and timely guide to the issue of shipboard exhaust gas treatment,” said John Aitken, SEAaT’s General Secretary. “As regulations concerning vessel emissions to air become more stringent, this guide will be of considerable assistance to ship owners and operators as they look for the most cost-effective means of compliance.”  

Theodore E. Veniamis, President of the Union of Greek Shipowners

The period 2009–2011 was undoubtedly one of deep crisis and major upsurge for the entire planet. We just need to remember the spreading of the piracy threat, the Fukushima disaster, the turbulence in the eastern Mediterranean with events in Syria, Egypt and Libya, the phenomenal economic crunch and the subsequent diminution of strong economies in Europe and in the US. The crisis has massively affected sea transport too with a reduction in worldwide trade and financial scarcity, consequences of unknown length and unforeseen intensity.

In this negative climate, Greek shipping continued its impressive course over recent years. It conserved and further strengthened the power of its fleet and its vessels continued their work disregarding the charter market volatility and management controversies. In 2011, Greek-managed shipping demonstrated a satisfactory performance. Suggestively we mention that the Greek- owned fleet represents 41% of the tonnage of the European and 14% of the worldwide fleet.

Apostolos runs Lloyd’s Register’s Marine Business for Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) covering a vast region from western Africa to Pakistan in the East and Scandinavia and Russia in the north to Cape Town, South Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

Apostolos Poulovassilis,Regional Marine Manager – EMEA, Lloyd's Register

Based in Piraeus, his biggest shipowner/shipmanager market is Greece, but his teams manage a wide variety of clients and challenges.

“Life is always interesting, that’s for sure,” he says. “We have an incredible variety of operating philosophies and cultures within the EMEA region. While we have experts in every required language we all have in common the language of shipping.

“Here in Greece we are particularly close and responsive to the market demands and changes. With 140 staff in our Piraeus building we provide a high level of support to clients in the area. And our support for Greek owners worldwide is additionally helped by the diaspora of our Greek nationals. But across the region, with, for example, design support offices in London, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Madrid, Trieste and Piraeus we provide a depth of service that is hard to match.”

Asked about the big challenges facing the market he cites the need for greater efficiencies and help in meeting new regulatory requirements, while managing in the overall global economic downturn.

“We can help shipowners – as well as designers, manufacturers and shipbuilders – to meet the need to improve energy efficiency. An important area, where we have pioneered a new approach for shipping, is in the application of the ISO 50001 energy management system standard for the shipping industry. Although we are marine experts, Lloyd’s Register’s leadership in providing quality assurance through our LRQA business enables us to provide and deliver a broader and integrated range of services in a holistic manner for the maritime community.”

Emissions regulation and higher energy prices are the two leading factors changing our industry. New technologies and innovation will play a vital role in the immediate and long-term future of shipping.

At Lloyd’s Register we believe that we stand on the brink of a new era.  We have talked about this as a ‘new paradigm’. Any evolution will be gradual, but at Lloyd’s Register we can already see changes happening.

New fuels, new engines and new designs are becoming available.

Apostolos was recently named ‘Manager of the Year’ at the annual Efkranti Awards organized by the magazine Naftika Chronika and the Hellenic Association of Maritime Economists (ENOE).

Republished with permission via Horizon’s Magazine

UACC CEO, Jens Grønning

UACC’s CEO, Jens Grønning, wants a balanced approach to risk. “Managing risk is one of the most important tasks we face,” he said. “We need to deal with various risk factors on a daily basis. We have always minimised risk as much as we feel is possible, and we try hard to manage the fine balance between what is theoretically possible and what is feasible when running international shipping operations.”

Mr Grønning continued: “In many ways the chemical sector is more ‘industrialised’, and therefore more steady than other more volatile shipping segments such as the products market. From a risk point-of-view, we believe our presence in both the chemical and products markets balance each other out, at least to a certain extent. In addition, we operate in pools because we like the scale it creates and the partnership between owners.”

UACC vessels frequently sail through piracy-affected areas in the Indian Ocean. Regarding this matter, Mr Grønning commented:

“To deal with the risk of attacks by pirates we use armed guards, and we follow the guidance established under Best Management Practice 4 (BMP4). Our ships have been attacked twice, but each time they have been deterred because we were prepared, well trained, and use armed guards to defend the crew, ship and cargo.”

Mewis Duct, courtesy Becker Marine Systems

Reducing emissions is a growing priority for many owners, including UACC, and in the area of environmental risk and how to find efficiency gains, Mr Grønning has clear views. UACC has tested new silicon hull paint available in the market, and the four ships on order will all have Mewis ducts installed. Mr Grønning said: “I am a believer in the Mewis duct, but we have only done model tests so far and I am looking forward to seeing the results of the sea trials. The important thing to remember is that if we can grab 1, 2, 3, 4% savings here and there, they all add up. If we get to 5% fuel savings, it will easily represent a saving of $1,000 a day at sea.”

Mr Grønning pointed out that UACC do slow steam on ballast passages and that its vessels occasionally go down to ultra-slow speed, and especially on ships which are equipped with slide fuel valves and blowers.

Referring to alternative fuels, Mr Grønning believes that LNG is credible, but that it is not a viable solution for the tanker sector any time soon, especially with the current highly diversified trading pattern which includes both remote and under-developed ports. However, Mr Grønning said that he believes LNG is an interesting option for ships plying a regular trade, such as ferries, container
ships and the like.

Mr Grønning believes UACC’s future prospects are bright. “We have faced many challenges already. We were launched during the sub-prime crisis, and that affected things.

The growth in the petrochemical and refinery sectors is very strong and intact, and with refining and production capacity declining in the west, the tonne/mile ratio is going to be favourably affected by sourcing cargoes from farther afield, such as the Arabian Gulf and India,” he said.

Danish-born Jens Grønning joined UACC in October 2008 and is its President and CEO. He was previously COO of Eitzen Chemical ASA, one of the world’s largest chemical transportation companies.  He has more than 20 years’ experience in the shipping industry, with extensive experience of shipping and finance.

He graduated with a higher commercial examination from Copenhagen Business School and took an extensive management course at IMD Business School, Lausanne, Switzerland.

t Mr Ali Obaid Al-Yabhouni, CEO of ADNATCO and NGSCO, image: Lloyd's Register

What do you think are the most important changes your company and the industry can make to meet the challenges of new regulations, high-energy prices and the need for more efficient ships?

In the short term, our aim is full compliance with the MARPOL Convention, particularly Chapter 4 of Annex VI. We aim to have a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) implemented in all the vessels in our fleet by the beginning of next year.

In the longer term, there is a clear need to invest in new energy efficient ships. Current designs can lead to a sharp decrease in energy consumption and, as fuel prices rise, this makes increasing commercial sense. Of course, charter rates are currently at a very low level, but shipowners need the vision and courage to invest in new vessels that are both energy efficient and have lower emissions. Inversely, new building costs have also come down, so there is an incentive for forward looking companies such as ADNATCO to invest in new tonnage, and the ADNOC Group of Companies has plans to continue ordering new vessels.

We feel that the time is right to continue expanding our fleet with a long-term eye to the future market in which energy efficient facilities, bunkering barges, storage tanks onboard and ashore etc. vessels are valued by charterers.

Will most deep sea ships still be burning HFO in 2020? And, if not, what fuel will they be using – for instance, will low sulphur MDO be available in sufficient quantities?

Fuel choice is clearly a major challenge facing the global shipping industry in terms of cost, efficiency and emissions. Whereas the burning of LNG as fuel is a practical and clean solution for LNG tankers, such as our own LNG tanker fleet, it is unlikely to be an option for other vessels. Burning LNG for propulsion power onboard ships other than LNG carriers will require massive investments in bunkering facilities, bunkering barges, storage tanks onboard and ashore etc.

The reality is that there is at present no readily available substitute for HFO. Low sulphur MDO represents an interesting alternative but, for the time being, is not available in sufficient quantities due to insufficient refining capacity. However, as a shipping company owned by a national oil company with significant refining capacity, I would point out that the refining industry has historically shown itself ready to invest in supplying changing demand patterns. Reconfiguring refineries and installing new units takes time, but if the global shipping industry decides to go down the MDO route, the refining industry will respond accordingly. However, this is not something that can be done unilaterally by any single company. There has to be consensus in the industry and a decision that this is the best way forward.

How can other stakeholders in the shipping industry – class, shipbuilders, charterers, insurers and banks – best help operators to manage the challenges of the future?

Shipbuilders and class have a greater role to play in this regard, because of the vast resources and experience they have in designing the new ships with more efficient and environment friendly engines.  The shipowners are ready to spend extra provided the technology is available.

The class in collaboration with shipbuilders could focus on increased research related to energy efficient ship designs, including using low sulphur and alternative fuels, installing fuel efficient and emission compliant engines, integrated power plants, and the use of exhaust-after-treatment devices.

In an ideal world, charterers would reward energy efficient ships with increased rates, while insurers would reduce their premium rates for new energy efficient ships. We need market-based mechanisms to ensure that this happens.

About Abu Dhabi National Tanker Co…

(ADNATCO) was established in 1975 for the transportation of petroleum products. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).

ADNATCO owns and operates a fleet of oil tankers, a molten sulphur carrier and two ro-ro vessels and is involved in the marine
transportation of petroleum products and the bulk carrying of sulphur.  National Gas Shipping Company (NGSCO) was formed in December, 1993 to transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) on behalf of Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Company (ADGAS). 

NGSCO operates a fleet of eight LNG carriers, each with a capacity for 137,000 m3 of LNG. NGSCO took deliver y of it s first vessel Al Khaznah in July 1994, followed by a further seven vessels, the last of which was delivered in June 1997. The first four ships were built in Japan and the other four in Finland. Both the Japanese and Finnish built vessels are Moss Rosenberg designs and, when built, were the largest LNG carriers in the world.

The company’s LNG fleet was initially managed by third parties but since the end of 2007 all vessels are fully managed by NGSCO.

Original drawing of the apparently "unsinkable" Titanic, image courtesy Lloyd's Register HORIZONs Magazine

-By Christopher Browne, Editor of Lloyd’s Register HORIZONs magazine

The message was brief and cryptic: “Struck an iceberg and sank in latitude 41.16 N, longitude 50.14 W”. It might have been just another daily entry in Lloyd’s Register’s Casualty Returns. But it hid perhaps the most infamous event in shipping history – the sinking of the Titanic.

That was 100 years ago – on 14 April 1912 to be precise. Since then a flurry of historians, scientists, investigators, conspiracy theorists and media pundits have pondered and puzzled over just why this great and ‘unsinkable’ vessel should founder on a lone iceberg.

A spectacular array of events are being held this year in the seven European and North American cities involved in the mighty ship’s last voyage. However behind the ritual and razzamatazz are some curious post-disaster stories including one about the role of Lloyd’s Register.

A few days after the incident, the national press wrote a series of reports suggesting the Titanic had been built ‘considerably in excess of the requirements’ of Lloyd’s Register. Although we had not classed the vessel, and the information was patently wrong, you could argue it was a form of faint praise by association. Although our Secretary at the time, Sir Andrew Scott, didn’t quite see it like that.

“I am directed to say that these statements are inaccurate. On the contrary, in important parts of her structure the vessel as built did not come up to the requirements of Lloyd’s Register for a vessel of her dimensions,” he wrote in a letter to The Times of London.

“I do not for a moment suggest that this circumstance had any bearing whatever upon the loss of the vessel and therefore, for obvious reasons, this letter has been delayed until after the close of the Inquiry (the Mersey Committee set up in the UK to investigate the loss). But in justice to this society and to those who rely upon its classification, it is felt to be only right to dispel the erroneous impression which might be created regarding the standard of classification of Lloyd’s Register for such vessels if the statements referred to remain uncontradicted.”

A pithy riposte indeed. As Andrew Scott points out, we were not involved in classing the Titanic, however we did approve her anchors which still lie intact on the seabed of the North Atlantic Ocean. We also classed the passenger liner Carpathia which arrived to assist the sinking ship a few hours later, saving 705 men, women and children from the Titanic’s lifeboats.

The tragedy with its disturbing death toll of 1,523 had an important sequel. In 1914, the impact of several inquiries in the UK and USA led to the set ting up of the fir st International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), its aim to improve maritime safety and help prevent any future catastrophes.

SOLAS’s principles – robust lifesaving appliances and lifeboats, improved vessel design and equipment, better fire protection, effective satellite communications, rescue planes and helicopters and properly trained personnel – have been the major safety code for the global marine industry ever since.

Christopher Brown edits HORIZONs magazine, a quarterly publication by the UK-based classification society, Lloyd’s Register. Mr. Browne’s accolades include: Winner of the 2006 Consumer Broadsheet Journalist of the Year in the BIBA Awards; nominated in 2007; shortlisted for journalism’s Oscars, the British Press Awards; nominated four times for the IBP Journalism awards.