American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)

“Many of our sustainable transportation programs and initiatives tend to become mode-centric, but it is critically important to optimise the overall sustainable freight transportation across modes from origin to destination, which requires a system of systems focus.” That was the message to U.S. transportation industry and Government pioneers from ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki at the Sustainable Freight Workshop at the White House. Marine transportation mode Advantages of freight shipping and how it worked best by linking with other transportation sectors Wiernicki emphasised the advantages of freight shipping and how it worked best by linking with other transportation sectors. “Marine transportation has significantly lower emissions per ton-mile than other transportation modes, is the most cost-effective mode for freight, can move freight at a scale that other transportation modes cannot match, provides import and export options that other modes cannot reach, and often has less vulnerability to infrastructure damaging events such as natural disasters." "However, marine transportation can be slower and has fewer delivery location options, which requires close partnership with other modes for safe, efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable transportation of freight,” he said. Overall intermodal transportation system Wiernicki added: “ABS’ approach is to work on the broader picture of cargo freight sustainability. The bottom-line carbon content of freight moving through the marine transportation and through the overall intermodal transportation system from origin to destination is a key measure of sustainability performance.” The U.S. Maritime Administration’s Office of Environment and Innovation has selected ABS to establish and operate the U.S. Centre for Maritime Innovation under a five-year cooperative agreement. Authorised by the U.S. Congress, the Centre is intended to support the adoption of clean energy on U.S. vessels through a wide-ranging program of research and development and training support. Development of the U.S. transportation systems The workshop showed how the centre would be at the heart of the growth of the end of U.S. transportation systems The workshop heard how the centre would be at the heart of the development of the future of sustainable U.S. transportation systems. “The Centre is a new national resource that can play a key role in the envisioned industry-led, freight-focused partners working group proposed as a core objective for this workshop, and the Centre is a key resource to help support public and private implementation of the freight modal plan for maritime,” said Wiernicki. Sustainable Freight Workshop The Sustainable Freight Workshop is organised in collaboration with industry, environmental organisations, and government, including the U.S. Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. The workshop brought together representatives across the freight sector representing the maritime, rail, and trucking industries, state and federal government, utilities, infrastructure providers, ports, and environmental and labour organisations.

ABS Wavesight™, the ABS-affiliated Software-as-a-Service company, is pleased to announce that UNI-FLEET SDN BHD, a specialised shipping company operating tanker vessels primarily focused on the transportation of ammonia across Asia, has chosen to implement Nautical Systems (NS) Maintenance Manager and Purchasing Manager modules to revolutionise their maintenance and inventory processes. Integration of NS Maintenance “We’re excited for the opportunity to support UNI-FLEET with Nautical Systems,” said Staci Satterwhite, CEO at ABS Wavesight. “The integration of NS Maintenance Manager and NS Purchasing Manager will equip UNI-FLEET with the tools they need to automate maintenance processes, manage inventory efficiently and drive operational excellence.” NS Maintenance and NS Purchasing Manager  NS Maintenance provides UNI-FLEET with a strong, integrated database that brings critical maintenance NS Maintenance Manager will provide UNI-FLEET with a powerful, integrated database that brings together critical maintenance and purchasing information to streamline scheduling, tracking and forecasting, helping to reduce costs and increase uptime. NS Purchasing Manager will assist UNI-FLEET in revolutionising procurement and inventory control activities by facilitating competitive bidding, contracting and inventory tracking and connecting these activities back to their maintenance operations. Implementation of ABS Nautical solutions  “The implementation of ABS Wavesight’s Nautical Systems solutions marks a significant step forward for our organisation in enhancing our maintenance and procurement operations,” said Mohd Iylia Tan, General Manager at UNI-FLEET SDN BHD. “We are confident that this technology will streamline our processes and strengthen our operational efficiency.”

ABS has awarded Hanwha Ocean Approval in Principle (AIP) for its Pre-FEED Standard FPSO Design intended to create an asset optimised for deployment in the deep waters of West Africa. The FPSO design is 340 m long and capable of storing approximately 2.38 million barrels of crude oil, with a daily crude oil production capacity of 190,000 barrels. Developed to accommodate topsides for crude oil and or gas production facilities, the hull is designed to operate for up to 20 years without the need for dry docking. Advanced digital solutions All kit has been electrified to reduce operational costs throughout unit’s lifecycle To address the recent tightening of environmental regulations, the FPSO is set to incorporate technologies such as zero-flaring, GHG monitoring, and an energy management system.  All equipment has been electrified to reduce operational costs throughout the unit’s lifecycle. Additionally, advanced digital solutions, including cybersecurity, digital twin, and predictive maintenance, have been integrated. Technological innovation and product development “ABS is a world pioneer in FPSO classification and we are proud to be able to use this experience to support Hanwha Ocean with their innovative, flexible approach,” said Matt Tremblay, ABS Vice President, Global Offshore. Hanwha Ocean Engineering Manager of Standard FPSO Project and Company officials of Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd said: “We anticipate continued growth in demand for offshore plants, particularly in West Africa and South America. We will continue to strengthen our global competitiveness through continuous technological innovation and product development.”