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Maritime Reporter Magazine - December 2007 - Page 12
GREAT SHIPS of 2007 Go Gas Name: Type: Owner: Builder: Tembek LNG OSG Samsung Heavy Industries Name: Type: Owner: Builder: Gas ships dominate this year's annual Great Ships Awards, with six of the 22 ships honored being gas carriers. Al Gattara LNG OSG Hyundai Heavy Industries Name: Al Ruwais Type: LNG Owner: Pronav Builder: Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Name: Al Safliya Type: LNG Owner: ProNav Builder: Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Korea in Command with Q-Flex Newbuildings The year 2007 is notable for a revolution occurring in the LNG transport industry with the delivery of the first of a new class of Large LNG carriers (LLNG), built by three major Korean shipyards and programmed for Qatar Petroleum projects. These Q-Flex size vessels are designed to be compatible with most major LNG terminals. The vessels are designed to deliver Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) cargo more efficiently, resulting at a lower transportation cost, and achieving a new milestone in LNG transportation efficiency. This is the first time in many years that the LNG vessel size has increased so dra- matically. Four Q-Flex vessels have been delivered so far and additional deliveries of Q-Flex vessels as well as the larger size Q-Max vessels are expected to be delivered in 2008 and continue up to 2010. All the designs have high efficiency twin diesel HFO propulsion plants, efficient hull form and onboard reliquefaction systems that see the first application in these innovative, new generation vessels. The latter allows the reliquefaction of the boil-off gas so that it is returned to the cargo tanks. Conventional LNG steam driven LNG carriers use the boil-off as fuel for propulsion. These first Q-Flex LNGC are for charter to Qatargas II, a Joint Great Ships of 2007 Ship Name Al Gattara Al Ruwais/Al Safliya Al-Wataniya Alakai American Star British Emerald Cosco Asia Cosco New York Flanders Liberty Libertas Maersk Altair Monte Tamaro Natchan Rera Providana Seri Ayu Seychelles Prelude Stena Drillmax Stena Traveller Tembek Yacht Express Wafrah 12 Type LNG LNG Bunker Tanker Passenger Passenger LNG Containership Containership LPG Bulk Carrier Containership Containership Passenger Vessel Cargo/Container LNG Tanker Drillship RoRo/Passenger LNG Heavy Lift Ship Tanker Owner Builder OSG Hyundai Pronav Daewoo Shipbuilding Kuwait Oil Tanker Jurong SML Hawaii Superferry Austal USA American Cruise Line Chesapeake BP Hyundai COSCO Hyundai Cosco Hanjin Exmar Marine Daewoo Shipbuilding Atlantska Plovidba STX A.P. Moller Samsung Hamburg-Sud Daewoo Shipbuilding Higashi Nihon Ferry Incat Masterbulk Oshima MISC Samsung Seychelles Petroleum Lindenau Stena Samsung Stena Vitae Fosen OSG Samsung Heavy Industries Dockwise Yantai Raffles Shipyard Kuwait Oil Tanker Daewoo Shipbuilding Venture of Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil, both of whom have been involved in the development and design of these new vessels and continue to monitor the engineering and construction activities, along with the ship owner organizations. The vessels are owned and operated by other companies. Special, ground breaking features of these notable designs include: � Five large LNG cargo tanks with special reinforcements at strategic locations to counteract sloshing forces � Extended fatigue life for membrane containment system support structure � Provision of fully integrated automatic onboard reliquefaction plant that converts the boil-off gas from the cargo tanks back to liquid. This plant uses a simple two-cycle process allows for consideration of more efficient slow speed diesel propulsion systems and delivery of additional LNG cargo to the market. Redundant rotating equipment for boil-off reliquefaction plant and a back up Gas Combustion Unit allows for similar or greater level of redundancy than that provided on steam ships � Provision of redundant propulsion power plant and ancillary equipment to ensure that no single equipment failure, power supply or system malfunction will jeopardize the overall safety and control of the vessel or the automatic unattended plant operation. � Twin screw with shafts equipped with a clutch to allow one-engine operation while the other engine shaft is either locked or free-wheeling enabling engine maintenance in port, or at sea, if required. � Provision of electronically controlled diesel engines to reduce emissions, increase reliability and provide a high degree of flexibility of operating modes � Improved maneuverability exceeding IMO requirements � Advanced, environmentally friendly tin free silicon based fouling release coatings � Enhanced security surveillance and safety systems � Microprocessor based fiber optic type hull stress monitoring system � Mooring tension monitoring system � Navigational arrangements for periodic one man watch and integrated bridge design � Integrated automation system certified for periodically unattended machinery space � Loading computer connected to the integrated automation system with online and off-line modes � Capability for automatic ballast exchange � Closed circuit television system integrated into the Integrated Automation System (IAS) � Environmentally friendly fire extinguishing system agents Characteristics of the vessel designs are provided below Al Ruwais and Al Safliya built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. (DSME) OKPO shipyard for PROVAV under the survey of Lloyd's Register with the notation +100A1 "Liquefied Gas Tanker, Ship Type 2G, Methane in Membrane tanks, Maximum vapor pressure 0.25 bar, Minimum Temperature minus -163o C, ShipRight (SDA, FDA plus, CM), LI, +LMC, UMS, NAV1, IBS, *IWS with the descriptive notes of ShipRight (PCWBT, SEA (HSS-4L, VDR), SCM, #PMS(CM), ETA". Al Gattara, built by Hyundai Heavy Industries for OSG under the survey of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News
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