Year Book 2013 : Progress of Marine Engineering Technology in the year 2012
1.2 Classification Societies
1.2.1. ClassNK Technical Rules
The following is a summary of the main amendments made in the period between January 1,
2012 to December 31, 2012 to the ClassNK technical rules relating to machinery and electronics /
electrical systems.
(1) Class Notation affixed to the Classification Characters of the ship when particular measures
are taken (Regulations for the Classification and Registry of Ships) - Effective from June 15,
2012
In recent years, as one of countermeasures against air pollution, the ports to request the use of
high voltage shore connections instead of using the onboard generators during stay at berth have
been increasing, and therefore, ClassNK has investigated the necessary conditions for the safety
of the ship equipped with the power receptive facility for high voltage shore supply systems,
consulting IEC/ISO/IEEE80005-1 (2012) which are the reference standard, and they have
produced “Guidelines for High Voltage Shore supply Systems”. As a result of the above, the
relative rules have been amended so that the adaptation could be notated by Classification for the
ship that has cleared the necessary conditions of the safety specified by the said Guidelines.
(2) Open-up surveys of machinery and equipment at Planned Machinery Surveys (Guidance for
the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships, Part B and other documents) – Effective since June
15, 2012, November 15, 2012 and December 15, 2012.
・In the Guidance for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships, Part B, the open-up surveys in
the presence of surveyor has been so far required for the principal components of main engine
such as crank shaft, main bearing and crankpin bearing etc., however, the relevant rules have
been amended so that the open-up inspection done by chief engineer of the ship could be approved
on condition that the surveyor confirms the appropriate condition of maintenance and control on
the principal components, since the reliability of these parts have been remarkably improved
these days and at the same time the proper maintenance and management have been
thoroughgoing in compliance with the International Safety Management Code (ISM Code).
・Under the circumstances that the environmental measures against the exhaust gas of engine
has proceeded in the ships, the use of low sulfur fuel oil has been promoted. On the other hand, as
the low sulfur fuel oil is of low viscosity and its lubricating performance is worse, and therefore,
there have been appearing the ships which use the fuel oil cooler for improving these weak points.
Since the above fuel oil cooler is the apparatus necessary for stable operation of main engine, the
relevant rules have been amended in the way that the fuel oil cooler should be added to the
survey items of the Planned Machinery Surveys.
(3) Ship’s cable (Guidance for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships, Part H and other
documents.) – Effective since June 15, 2012.
The requirements in the ClassNK Rules for the cables reference Japanese Industrial Standard
JIS C3410. Recently, however, JIS C3410 was amended with respect to cable screens, etc. and in
order to bring it into line with IEC60092-350 (2008), an international standard for cables.
Amendments were made to the requirements related to the maximum rated conductor
temperature of insulation as well as to the test method for high voltage cables, etc. Therefore, the
ClassNK rules also need to be amended accordingly.
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Year Book 2013 : Progress of Marine Engineering Technology in the year 2012
(4) Materials of switchboard busbars (Guidance for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships,
Part H and other documents.) – Effective since June 15, 2012.
In the Guidance for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships, the copper that excels in the
electric characteristics is required as the materials of switchboard busbar. On the other hand, in
IEC 60092-302 and JIS F8065, it is approved to use aluminum alloy as the said material, and so,
aluminum alloy has been also used as the materials of busbar of cables and switchboard in the
electric facilities on land. Under such background, the relevant rules have been also amended in
order to approve the use of the above in the Guidance for the Survey and Construction of Steel
Ships by referring to the relevant standard of IEC and JIS.
(5) Lighting circuits (Guidance for the Survey and Construction of Steel Ships, Part H and other
documents.) – Effective since June 15, 2012.
The upper limit in number of electric light instrument to be connected to one circuit is regulated
in the present rules with a view to taking into consideration the increase of indefinite loading of
electric current from the standpoint of the protection from the excessive loading of electric light
circuit, since it is difficult to assume the actual loading current due to the receptacles etc. being
arranged generally in electric light circuit. However, there is a case that the receptacles are not
provided and it is possible to fix the total loading current in the electric light circuit provided in
other places than accommodation. In such circuit, the electric circuit may be protected
independently of the number of electric instrument, and therefore, the relevant rules have been
revised so that the electric instrument may be installed on this circuit irrespective of number, in
the event that the electric light circuit could be surely protected.
1.2.2. Trends in IACS Activities
The following is a summary of the main revisions made to IACS technical rules, such as Unified
Requirements (UR) and Unified Interpretations (UI), relating to machinery and electrical
systems, approved by IACS from 1 January to 31 December 2012.
(1) The energy efficiency etc. of ship (The revisions related to the interpretation of time of
replacement and modification of diesel engine) (UI MPC98);
In respect of the compliance with NOx exhaust standard upon the replacement or modification of
diesel engine that is specified in the paragraph 2.2 of chapter 13 of Annex VI of MARPOL, the
unified interpretation to prescribe the detailed handling about the time of the said replacement or
modification has been adopted as IACS UI MPC98.
(2) On-load release systems for life boats (UI SC254);
Since the necessary conditions of test that are prescribed in the Guidelines (MSC. 1/Circ. 1327) as
to the preventive system from falling of life boat which is the support instrument for releasing
lifeboat at the time of drill operation have been partly not clear, the unified interpretation to make
clear the test items and essential conditions has been adopted as IACS UI SC254.
1.2.3. IMO Trends
There are two technical committees in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that
oversee the matters related to international conventions and associated instructions. One is the
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Year Book 2013 : Progress of Marine Engineering Technology in the year 2012
Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), which deals with the safety of life at sea, and the other is the
Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), which deals with the prevention of
pollution of the marine environment. As the trends of MSC and MEPC in the period between
January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012, the summary of some of the key topics relating to
machinery and electrical systems is presented as follows.
(1) Major amendments relating to SOLAS;
Major amendments relating to SOLAS adopted by MSC90 (May, 2012) and MSC91 (November,
2012) are enumerated as follows.
(a) MSC90
・ The revision of FSS code;
MSC has adopted the overall revisions of Chapter 6 prescribing the necessary conditions of fixed
foam extinguishing system and the revision of Chapter 8 for making clear to approve the dry type
of automatic sprinkler system in the control stations where there is a certain equipment to be
damaged by water. These revisions will be applied to the fire-fighting equipments installed on the
newbuilding ships whose keels are laid or are at a similar stage of construction on or after
January 1, 2014.
(b) MSC91;
・ MSC has reinforced the existing onboard noise code (the resolution of general meeting A. 468 (X
II)) based on the recommendation of revision of SOLAS Convention (Paragraph 3-12 of chapter
II-1 of SOLAS Convention) to amend the onboard noise code and to reinforce the said code, and
this reinforcement is to make compulsory, and as a result, the revised codes will be applied to the
ship over 1,600 gross tons which comes under any one of the following descriptions;
- Ships for which the building contract is placed on or after July 1, 2014
- Ships whose keels are laid or are at a similar stage of construction on or after January 1, 2015
(In the absence of a building contract)
- Ships which are delivered on or after July 1, 2018
・ The reinforcement of heat preventive safety of Ro-Ro operation area etc. (Clause 9 of Chapter
II-2 of SOLAS Convention)
In respect to the Ro-Ro operation zone and the vehicle loading zone of passenger ship and cargo
ship to accommodate passengers below 36 persons, this revision is to reinforce the standard of
heat preventive safety for which the partition between these zones and deck are ranked A-30 and
the open deck of Ro-Ro zone is ranked A-0, and the revised rules will be applied on the ships
whose keels are laid or are at a similar stage of construction on or after July 1, 2014.
・ The expansion of application of the fixed local application fire-fighting systems (Clause 10.5.6.3
of Chapter II-2 of SOLAS Convention);
In the matter of the fixed local application fire-fighting systems, the installation of which is
required in the machinery spaces of category A, although its installation is presently required in
the place where the internal combustion engines to be used for main propulsion and main
generation are installed, the revision has enlarged the application of the installation extent to the
place in which the internal combustion engine for other purpose than main propulsion and main
generation is installed. This revision will be applied to the newbuilding ships whose keels are laid
or are at a similar stage of construction on or after July 1, 2014.
(2) Major amendments relating to MARPOL
Major amendments (effective since February, 2012) relating to MARPOL are introduced as
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Year Book 2013 : Progress of Marine Engineering Technology in the year 2012
follows.
・ The revision of NOx technical code which makes it possible to obtain the approval by separating
SCR and engine.
In Annex VI of MARPOL Convention, the ships whose keels are laid or are at a similar stage of
construction on or after January 1, 2016 will be required to comply with the NOx TierⅢ
regulations in the Emission Control Areas (ECA) designated by IMO. In reference to the Selective
Catalyst of Reduction (SCR) system which is one of the technologies complying with the said
regulations, the adoption has been made about the revision on NOx technical code to make it
possible to obtain the approval in the way that the said system and engine are separated.
1.2.4. Studies at ClassNK Research Institute
A brief overview of the main research on the engine and machinery carried out at the ClassNK
Research Institute in 2012 is presented as follow.
・ The research related to the prediction of onboard noise.
ClassNK has been developing the prediction program of onboard noise jointly with the university
and domestic shipyards as “the cooperative research based on the requirement from the industry”.
The purpose of this research is to contribute to the construction of the ships which will meet the
noise level limits becoming obligatory.
1.2.5. Trends in Japan based on ClassNK Data
A total of 664 ships with prime movers installed onboard were newly built and registered to
ClassNK in 2012. The total number of prime movers onboard these ships was 805. Table 1.2.1
shows a breakdown of the output of these systems by engine type. Compared to the previous
year, the number of ships increased by 60, and that of prime movers increased by 91, while the
total output decreased by 123,321 kW.
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Year Book 2013 : Progress of Marine Engineering Technology in the year 2012
Table 1.2.1 Distribution of Engine Output of Ships Newly Registered with ClassNK in 2012
Output (kW)
Steam Turbines* or
Electric Motors
No. of
ships
No. of
engines
30,000～
0
0
25,000～30,000
0
20,000～25,000
18,000～20,000
2-Stroke Diesel Engines
No. of
ships
No. of
engines
Total
output
No. of
ships
No. of
engines
0
8
8
365,970
0
0
0
0
4
4
108,360
0
0
0
0
9
9
196,195
0
0
0
35
35
654,825
16,000～18,000
0
0
0
24
24
14,000～16,000
0
0
0
11
12,000～14,000
0
0
0
10,000～12,000
0
0
0
9,000～10,000
0
0
8,000～9,000
0
7,000～8,000
0
6,000～7,000
Total
No. of
ships
No. of
engines
0
8
8
365,970
0
0
4
4
108,360
0
0
0
9
9
196,195
0
0
0
35
35
654,825
414,310
0
0
0
24
24
414,310
11
163,805
0
0
0
11
11
163,805
35
35
456,748
0
0
0
35
35
456,748
18
18
196,857
0
0
0
18
18
196,857
0
67
67
638,827
0
0
0
67
67
638,827
0
0
94
94
799,983
0
0
0
94
94
799,983
0
0
49
49
376,285
0
0
0
49
49
376,285
0
0
0
54
54
349,084
0
0
0
54
54
349,084
5,000～6,000
0
0
0
34
34
195,443
0
0
0
34
34
195,443
4,000～5,000
0
0
0
15
15
65,555
0
0
0
15
15
65,555
3,000～4,000
1
2
6,400
16
16
58,550
8
8
26,472
25
26
91,422
2,000～3,000
0
0
0
3
3
8,100
13
14
35,892
16
17
43,992
1,000～2,000
0
0
0
0
0
0
34
43
65,157
34
43
65,157
0～1,000
6
12
9,200
0
0
0
126
250
149,730
132
262
158,930
Total
7
14
15,600
476
476
5,048,897
181
315
277,251
664
805
5,341,748
Above - Under
Total
output
4-Stroke Diesel Engines
Total
output
Total
output
Notes:
1) The prime movers installed onboard all subject ships (476 ships in total) equipped with a 2-stroke diesel engine consisted of one
main engine with one tail shaft.
2) Of the 181 ships equipped with 4-stroke diesel engines onboard, the prime movers of 47 ships consisted of one main engine with
one tail shaft and those of 134 ships consisted of two main engines with two tail shafts.
3) Ships equipped with electric propulsion systems onboard (7 ships in total), the prime movers consisted of two main motors with
two tail shafts
4) The number of ship with steam turbines system as the prime movers is 0.
1.2.6. Statistics and Summary of Machinery Damage
The following is the summary of the incidents of machinery damage that occurred onboard the
ships classed with ClassNK based on the results of an examination of survey records for 2011.
Figure 1.2.1 shows the year-to-year changes in the number of main diesel engines installed
onboard the ships and the damage rate of these engines. This figure indicates that the number
of two-stroke engines was almost the same as that of four-stroke engines for the period between
1990 and 1993. After 1994, the general trend distinctively shows that the number of four-stroke
engines decreased whereas the number of two-stroke engines installed onboard increased.
However, after 2006, the number of four-stroke engines also increased.
Although the slight increase or decrease of damage rate has been observed in the transitional
trend depending on the year, the damage rate transition has remained in the level below 10 % for
the past 10 years and the rate has shown the decreasing inclination as a whole.
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Damage rate (%)
Number of engines
Year Book 2013 : Progress of Marine Engineering Technology in the year 2012
Year
Number of 2-stroke engines
Damage rate of 2-stroke engines
Number of 4-stroke engines
Damage rate of 4-stroke engines
Figure 1.2.1 Year-by-year shifts in the number of main diesel engines installed
onboard ships and their respective damage rates.
(Written by Toshiyuki Matsumoto)
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