In December 2005, the IACS Council adopted the Common Structural Rules (CSR) for tankers and bulk carriers. This new standard applies to all tankers longer than 150 metres and all bulk carriers, single or double hull, longer than 90 metres. The new Rules enter into force on 1 April 2006. This standard will apply to all such vessels for which a contract for construction is signed on or after this date.
In April, only five months after the Rules were adopted, DNV will issue software that supports the Common Structural Rules for both Tankers and Bulk Carriers and will thus be the first Classification Society that has managed to develop software supporting the new rules for both ship types.
Do the new Rules result in any benefits?
Once adopted by all IACS members, the new Rules will allow shipbuilders and designers to work with one common set of Rules, instead of one set from each class society.
The new Rules aim to encourage the design and construction of safe and robust bulk carriers and to eliminate competition on scantlings
More stringent requirements as to
critical areasThe minimum fatigue design life
has been upgraded from 20 years of worldwide trading to 25 years in a
North Atlantic environment.The Rules include design standards
for a vessel’s net scantlings, meaning that the renewal thicknesses for the
in-service time are defined and known at the newbuilding stage.The corrosion additions that have
been established take into account both the location and the environment to which the structural member’s surface
is subjected.
Why software support for the new Rules is so critical
The new rule requirements introduce a move towards more computerisation of the rule formulations and structural assessment. Hence, good software support is critical so that Class can provide timely and rational support to shipowners, designers and shipbuilders.
In response to this, DNV’s well established Nauticus Hull program has undergone a major upgrade to provide efficient support for the new Rules.
DNV’s commitment to supporting the industry
While the DNV (CSR) Tanker software has been used by the industry for a while and DNV has been working with the industry on new tanker designs, DNV is now scaling up its activities world-wide to assist clients in implementing the Common Structural Rules for Bulk Carriers.
An extensive training programme has been implemented for all approval units, enabling our staff to be well prepared to provide efficient and local support to the industry.
Roald Vårheim,
Head of Section Bulk Carrier
and Container ships
Roald.Vaarheim@dnvcom
Morten Løvstad,
Project Manager Maritime ICT
Morten.Lovstad@dnv.com
Date: 07 February 2008