First Vessel Launched with DNV GL's GAS READY Notation

Naming ceremony of Barzan on 29th April at Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries in Mokpo, South Korea.

DNV GL (DNV) Monday announced that United Arab Shipping Company's (UASC) newest ship, the 18,800 TEU containership Barzan, is the first of 17 newbuilds ordered by the company to receive classification society DNV's new GAS READY notation.

The classification denotes Barzan's liquefied natural gas (LNG) readiness, indicating that it was designed and constructed in order to undertake "a quick and cost efficient retrofit to LNG" in the future.

"We have worked closely with DNV GL to deliver the industry's greenest container vessel to date, the Barzan," said Jørn Hinge, President and Chief Executive Officer of UASC.

DNV says that Barzan is calculated to have an Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) value that is almost 50 percent less than the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) limit set for 2025.

Barzan, built by Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HSHI), will be followed shortly by five other sister ships.

All of the vessels will incorporate energy saving technologies, such as a Waste Heat Recovery System (WHRS), which converts thermal energy from the exhaust gas from the main engines into electrical power to maximize the system efficiency.

A further 11 vessels of UASC's latest eco-ship generation with 15,000 TEU capacities have also been ordered by the company, all set to receive the GAS READY notation as well.

"It is by working with forward looking owners and yards like UASC and HSHI that we at DNV GL have been able to build our competence in this field and offer such unique solutions as the GAS READY notation," said Gerd Würsig, Business Director LNG fuelled ships at DNV GL – Maritime.

DNV first announced its new GAS READY notation at the end of 2014.