ClassNK's New Tonnage Tops 20 Million Again in 2014

In March 2014, the SLNC PAX, owned by Schuyler Line Navigation Company, became the first U.S.-flagged vessel to be classed by ClassNK. Photo courtesy SLNC

International classification society ClassNK has announced its fourth straight year registering new tonnage in excess of 20 million gt in 2014, with 833 new vessels for a combined total of 21,466,272 gt.

Despite a global downturn in the newbuilding markets which, according to Clarkson Research Services figures, has seen deliveries fall by an estimated 15%, ClassNK says it still registered 548 newbuildings with a combined total of over 16 million gt, or more than 25% of all newly built tonnage in 2014, according to Clarskon’s data.

The growth was also driven by transfers from other societies, which reached a record 285 vessels in 2014, including the class societies first US-flagged and German-flagged vessels on the heels of ClassNK’s establishment of new Survey Operations Headquarters in New York and Hamburg. Continuing trends from previous years, European shipowners, led by German and Greek owners, accounted for roughly half of all transfers to the ClassNK register in 2014, ClassNK said.

“At ClassNK, we strive to deliver the highest level of service as the only classification society offering 24/7 assistance 365 days a year and ClassNK’s growing register reflects our ability to meet the changing needs of the industry,” ClassNK Chairman and President said of the success. “In addition to the establishment of our Survey Operations Headquarters in Hamburg and New York last year, the acquisition of software leaders NAPA and Helm Operations has enabled us to widen the scope of our activities throughout Europe and North America to better serve the global maritime industry.”

At the end of December 2014, ClassNK had a total of 8,872 vessels on its register with a combined total of 232,871,435 gt. Of the 833 vessels added, 548 were newbuildings totaling 16,158,319 gt and 285 vessels were existing vessels with a total of 5,307,953 gt.