At the time of writing, the 78th session of the Marine Safety Committee (MSC 78) has just come to an end. I dare say that the outcome of a MSC meeting has seldom been observed with more interest by the world’s bulk carrier owners and newbuilding yards.

Several Formal Safety Assessments regarding bulk carrier safety have been carried out. No doubt these assessments show the importance of ships’ sides and hatch covers and how structural failure in these elements has often resulted in tragedies, especially involving ships designed and constructed at the end of the 1980s and early 1990s. Stepwise improved rules, greater attention to maintenance and enhanced survey schemes have certainly contributed to the improved loss figures. Hopefully, the counter-measures taken will prove successful.
The proposal regarding a mandatory requirement of double side skin for bulk carriers of more than 150 m in length was originally discussed at MSC 76 and further considered by the Sub-Committee on Design and Equipment at its 47th session (DE 47), held in February 2004. The DE 47 decided to make no changes to the proposed requirements, thereby continuing on the suggested path towards mandatory double side skin. It is important to keep in mind that there has never been any discussion whatsoever regarding phasing out single skin bulk carriers in parallel on tankers. Single skin ships were supposed to serve until technically or economically worn out.
Several yards have started to design and construct double hull bulk carriers and it appears that the shipping world expected the double skin to be made mandatory. We see several designs not only complying with existing rules but also incorporating the expected ones.
However, the discussion at MSC 78 resulted in a turnaround. The members voted, with a large majority, for double side skin as a voluntary option. Although not made mandatory, I believe the double side bulk carrier has come to stay.
New rules covering double side skin bulk carriers are under development, and shipowners will of course retain the option of ordering new ships with a single skin. These ships’ bulkheads must be reinforced to cope with cargo hold flooding. For owners ordering new double side skin vessels, the flooding requirements will not apply until the amendments to SOLAS Ch XII come into force in 2006.
In the meantime, DNV will offer the additional class notation Enhanced Strength ES (D, S18, S20) or ES (D, S17, S18, S20) on a voluntary basis to double side skin bulk carriers and combination carriers that exceed 150 m in length and are capable of withstanding cargo hold flooding.

Ulf Freudendahl
DNV Business Director,
Bulk Carriers
(Ulf.Freudendahl@dnv.com)

Date: 12 February 2008