Green design carrier exceeds expectations

The project was started in 2009 to research the commercial, functional and design feasibility of environment-friendly, low-carbon, economical bulk carriers. Owners in Asia and in Europe are showing interest in the designs and Bestway says it is now applying the design criteria to a number of different ship sizes. According to the provisional data from the project, the 35,000 dwt bulker design will achieve an 18% improvement in environmental (CO₂) efficiency over comparable existing ships when measured against the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index.

The new design, known as Emerald, exceeded targets in severalkey areas: it reduced the Handysize model’s steel weight by 12%, making room for more revenue-generating cargo without increasing fuel consumption (the target was a 10% reduction); it also reduced fuel consumption by 19.5% (the target was 15%). Both companies have since committed to return to the drawing board to see what further practical gains can be made with the 35,000 dwt bulker and other ship designs to answer market demands for more efficient ships.

“This project clearly demonstrates what can be achieved through the power of technical co-operation,” said Nick Brown, LR’s country and marine manager, China. “It showcased our technical expertise and ability to provide timely insights and support to innovative designers such as Bestway right from the initial design stage. This project also highlighted the leadership Bestway is taking in the area of ship design. We are confident about working together again with Bestway on safe and efficient designs in the future.”

“This project demonstrated and strengthened the strong relationship between Lloyd’s Register and Bestway. It is an excellent example of effective co-operation between a local design company and a leading classification society,” said Prof. Liu Nan, Bestway chairman and general manager. “I am sure that with more co-operation our Emerald series and other bulk carrier ship-types will be optimised and all these ship-types will satisfy a growing demand from the global ship-owner community.”