ClassNK News

ClassNK has released the report – ‘ClassNK Alternative Fuels Insight’, which summarises the characteristics and latest trends of alternative fuels to support their customers’ future fuel selection. Amidst the pressing need for society-wide reduction of GHG emissions, regulations aimed at further promoting GHG emission reductions in international shipping are being introduced. This heralds the arrival of an era where GHG emissions from ships will incur costs. Adoption of...

ClassNK has released a new tool, ‘WACDAS (WAve Climate Data Aggregation for Ships)’, for calculating the route correction factors essential for ensuring the safety of container lashing and support container stacking optimisation. Responding to rapid increases in the size of container ships and advances in lashing technology, ClassNK released ‘Guidelines for Container Stowage and Securing Arrangements (Edition 3.0)’ last year to enhance the safety and efficiency of marine...

ClassNK has commenced joint research with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to establish an evaluation method for the compatibility of ship materials with liquefied oxygen (LOX). The aim is to contribute to suppressing fire accidents on ships handling liquefied hydrogen, where LOX could be generated, and to reasonable material selection. Liquefied hydrogen carriers To construct a supply chain for hydrogen, which is expected to be a clean energy source in a decarbonised society, th...

ClassNK has granted its Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to an internet payment facility – ‘V.Pay’, an AI maritime camera surveillance solution – ‘V.Sight’, and a wearable AR smart-glass solution ‘V.Sion’, developed by iO3 Pte Ltd. ClassNK verified functions of ‘V.Pay’ ClassNK has verified the functions of ‘V.Pay’, 1. Crew internet payment facility with user-friendly portal, 2. Flexible Wi-Fi plans, 3....

ClassNK has verified the methane slip reduction effect of the methane slip reduction system, jointly developed by Hitachi Zosen Corporation, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and Yanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd. (Yanmar PT), and issued a Statement of Fact (SOF). A concept of the methane oxidation catalyst system was designed by Hitachi Zosen and Yanmar PT as part of a project that was adopted by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) as 'Development of...

ClassNK has awarded an approval in principle (AiP) for a methanol fuel supply system developed by Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. Methanol is considered one of the promising alternative fuels for decarbonisation, and a significant reduction in GHG emissions on a lifecycle basis is expected by using green methanol, such as sustainable biomass-derived bio methanol and e-methanol synthesised from CO2 and renewable energy-derived hydrogen. Safe use of methanol On the other hand, methanol po...

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co, Ltd., a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has acquired Approval in Principle (AiP) from the Japanese classification society - ClassNK for an ammonia fuel supply system (AFSS) for the ‘X-DF-A’, a large, low-speed 2-stroke ammonia-fuelled engine under development by WinGD, a Swiss designer and licensor of large marine engines. The AiP presentation ceremony took place at ‘Sea Japan 2024’ international maritime exhibition and confer...

ClassNK has granted approval to the basic design drawings of a multi-purpose container carrier developed by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) utilising 3D models. This milestone marks the world's first ocean-going ship to complete the basic design process, including class approval, solely through 3D drawings from the conceptual design to the basic structural design, during the initial stages of ship construction (as researched by NYK Line and ClassNK as of 28 March 2024). Structure des...

ClassNK has issued a type approval certificate for the Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) management software - ‘SVESSEL CBM’, developed by Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI). CBM has garnered attention as an elemental technology for autonomous ships being developed against the background of advancements in sensing and IoT technology in recent years, as it enables the remote real-time monitoring and diagnosis of the condition of engines etc., serving as a key enabler for maintenance auto...

ClassNK has granted its Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to two elemental technologies of ‘CMP-MAP’, ‘Performance estimation method of ships based on hull roughness and fouling condition’ and ‘Performance and operational analysis solutions’, provided by Chugoku Marine Paints, Ltd. (CMP). ‘Performance estimation method of ships based on hull roughness and fouling condition’ is a technology that estimates the impact of each antif...

ClassNK has issued a statement of fact (SOF) for the results of the hull performance analysis and operational profile analysis by Chugoku Marine Paints, Ltd. (CMP) based on actual data of a ship in service. Through its hull data analysis service "CMP-MAP", CMP offers hull performance analysis based on the ISO19030, the standard for evaluating fouling and age-related changes, in combination with their own methodology and operational profile analysis. Data processing and calculations This time,...

ClassNK has signed a joint R&D agreement with Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. (NSY) and IMC Co., Ltd. (IMC) to ensure the safety and performance evaluation of anti-roll tanks (ART) installed on large container ships. An anti-roll tank is a device designed to suppress the ship's roll by moving liquid, such as water, within the tank. Consideration for ART installation on large container ships is advancing due to the expectation of improving container loading efficiency by reducing roll motion and pr...

ClassNK has extended its services to support concrete actions by customers towards a smooth transition to shipping zero-emission. With the revision of IMO's GHG emissions reduction targets and the introduction of the EU climate policy package for the shipping sector, regulations towards zero-emission are becoming increasingly stringent. However, the infrastructure for supplying zero-emission fuels is still under development. Shipping industry players need to select and utilise the appropriate...

Tokyo – based classification society, ClassNK has issued a type approval certificate for the lithium-ion storage battery system - ‘ORCA Energy’, developed by Corvus Energy. Recently, the utilisation of lithium-ion storage batteries as ship’s main sources of electrical power has been increasing in response to the growing momentum toward decarbonisation. Based on its ‘Guidelines for Large-Capacity Storage Batteries’ issued in 2013 and industry feedback, ClassNK...

ClassNK has carried out a regular reshuffle of its full-time executives, underlining its commitment to charting the maritime industry’s shift through a period of significant transformation. President & CEO - Hiroaki Sakashita and Senior Executive Vice President (SEVP) - Junichiro Iida continue in their current roles, while Executive Vice President (EVP) - Hayato Suga is promoted to SEVP. Additionally, Dr. Toshiro Arima, Masaki Matsunaga, and Dr. Yoshiya Yamaguchi have been appointed a...

ClassNK has granted its Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to two initiatives by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd., “FOCUS” and “Sustainable Seafaring, Wellness Living”. “FOCUS” is an operational data analysis software system developed by MOL that collects and analyses detailed data from ICT-enabled vessels. ClassNK has verified the functions of “FOCUS”, 1. Vessel performance analysis that integrates abundant operational knowledge and na...

ClassNK has granted its “ELW” (Excellent Living and Working Environment) notation to “ELETTRA”, a bulk carrier owned by Fuyo Kaiun Co., Ltd. The vessel becomes the first in the ClassNK registry to have the “ELW”. As part of its “Innovation Endorsement” service for innovative technologies and initiatives, ClassNK has established requirements to indicate on a class certificate that a ship is equipped with measures and facilities that contribute...

Under Zero-Emission Accelerating Ship Finance (“the Program”), which is jointly operated by Development Bank of Japan Inc. (DBJ) and ClassNK, ClassNK evaluated the ammonia carrier “GAS INNOVATOR” (IMO No. 9958688), which was designed and built based on the basic certification for ammonia-fuel-ready ships and is owned by IINO Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd. (IINO Lines). Development Bank of Japan Inc. (DBJ) provided financing to IINO Kaiun Kaisha, Ltd. (IINO Lines). Comprehensive sco...

ClassNK has granted its Innovation Endorsement for Products & Solutions to a Smart Ship© Hub, developed by Smart Ship© Hub Digital. Smart Ship© Hub is described as an easy & quick to deploy remote vessel management platform for safety, reliability and operational efficiencies. ClassNK verified its functions ClassNK has verified its functions, 1. Condition and health monitoring of the machinery, 2. Pattern recognition of the machinery’s operation data to determine...

ClassNK has granted its Innovation Endorsement for Products & Solutions to a vessel & voyage performance monitoring platform called “Cassandra” developed by Deep Sea Technologies SMPC. "Cassandra" is a platform that integrates performance data from vessels with AI technology, and then enables real-time monitoring of the ship’s current status. It is cloud-based and designed to monitor fuel consumption, CO2 emissions, as well as hull and engine performance from shore. C...

Hitachi Zosen Corporation and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha are pleased to announce that the jointly proposed 'Development of N2O Reactors for Ammonia-Fueled Carrier' has been selected by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO) as a 'Next Generation Ship Development' which was additionally invited in November 2023 as a part of Green Innovation Fund Project (hereinafter 'GI Fund Project'). In July 2023, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) set a target o...

ClassNK has granted its Innovation Endorsement for Products & Solutions to a straight leg course control - called “ACE Function” (ACE: Advanced Control for Ecology), which can be integrated with the autopilot systems, “PR-9000” and “PR-6000” offered by TOKYO KEIKI INC. The company describes that “ACE Function” can automatically create a straight route and implement navigation at the shortest distance, only by setting the ship's current positio...

ClassNK has awarded an approval in principle (AiP) for the design of a multi-functional floating offshore windfarm support vessel (MFSV) developed by “K” Line Wind Service, Ltd., a joint venture of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. and Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen Kaisha, Ltd, together with Japan Marine United Corporation and Nihon Shipyard Co., Ltd. Floating offshore wind turbines The installation of floating offshore wind turbines requires mooring works by vessels, with the whole mooring syst...

Tokyo - ClassNK has released 'Environmental Guidelines (Edition 4.1).' The guidelines newly specify the class notations related to green steel products and microplastics collecting systems. In response to environmental challenges such as climate change and marine pollution, the introduction of various environmental technologies to ships, beyond compliance with regulations, is promoted. For evaluating these efforts, ClassNK has issued its ‘Environmental Guidelines’ which set out crit...

ClassNK has awarded an approval in principle (AiP) for the design of a prismatic ammonia fuel tank (IMO Type B independent tank) for container ships developed by the Planning and Design Centre for Greener Ships (GSC). Ammonia is expected to be used as a marine fuel for shipping decarbonisation since it does not emit CO2 when combusted. However, its utilisation presents challenges, such as the risk of leakage and relatively low volumetric efficiency. Shape of the storage space While Type B tan...

ClassNK has granted its Innovation Endorsement for Products & Solutions to the Digital Learning Management System (Ver.2) developed by MarinePALS, a unit of Maritime Knowledge Ltd. Digital Learning Management System is an education and training suite of micro-learning videos, gaming apps for learning and virtual reality programs, and mentoring online. Functions of management system ClassNK has verified the functions of the Digital Learning Management System. A comprehensive digital le...

ClassNK has issued an Approval in Principle (AiP) for a maritime hydrogen fuel cell system developed by YANMAR Power Technology Co., Ltd. (YANMAR PT). This is the first AiP certification for a maritime hydrogen fuel cell system developed by a Japanese manufacturer. Hydrogen fuel cells are gaining attention as a potential means to help reduce GHG emissions from shipping. Meanwhile, due to the unique characteristics of hydrogen, distinct from conventional gas fuels, safety discussions are activel...

ClassNK has released new features for its GHG Emissions Management Tool, 'ClassNK ZETA (Zero Emission Transition Accelerator)'. ClassNK ZETA is a tool for visualising GHG emissions and CII ratings of ships. and is used for over 5,000 ships. Based on data submitted to 'ClassNK MRV Portal', a system for fuel consumption reporting in compliance with regulations, such as IMO-DCS and EU-MRV, ClassNK ZETA provides accurate current status and simulation for reducing GHG emissions from ships and suppor...

ClassNK has issued Approvals in Principle (AiPs) for four cutting-edge ship designs developed by Marine Design & Research Institute of China (MARIC). The four designs – a 210k methanol dual-fuelled bulk carrier, a 210k ammonia dual-fuelled bulk carrier, a 210k LNG dual-fuelled bulk carrier, and an 88k LPG dual-fuelled very large gas carrier – represent MARIC’s approach to offer a range of environmentally friendly alternatives for the industry transitions towards the ultima...

ClassNK has issued Approvals in Principle (AiPs) for three vehicle carrier designs developed by the Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI). The first AiP acknowledges an ammonia ready LNG dual-fueled vehicle carrier with a capacity of 7,000 CEU, a significant first in China’s independently developed design. For the ship with the dimension of LOA 199.99m x B 38m × D 37m, Draft 8.6m, SDARI integrates the GTT MARK III Flex containment system for LNG and ammonia...