Bureau Veritas (BV) has announced that it will class CMA CGM’s “breakthrough order” for nine new 22,000 TEU liquefied natural gas (LNG) containerships.
CMA CGM’s decision to choose BV for the classification is an important one for the laboratory testing, inspection and certification services firm as it is an industry first to fuel ultra-large container vessels (ULCV) with LNG.
BV found that the new ships will need a bunker capacity close to 18,000 cubic metres — a significantly higher volume than previously needed in the LNG fuelled ship market — after it completed feasibility studies with CMA CGM, shipbuilding group China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and GTT, the containment system designer.
This is not the first time that CMA CGM has chosen BV to class ULCVs built by CSSC.
In 2013, CMA CGM selected the firms to be involved in its project to construct what was then the largest containerships ever built in China — three 16,000 TEU vessels.
Read 'The Future is Here: Cargo Handling for Mega-Ships', a technical paper by CMA CGM, to learn about the company's achievements in the Trans-Pacific trade lane
Philippe Donche-Gay, President, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, said: “This is a breakthrough order for gas fuelled shipping – both in scale and in the use of a membrane containment system.
“Bureau Veritas has been supporting the project throughout, providing assistance to ensure the requirements for the safe use of LNG are addressed.”
Jean-François Segretain, Bureau Veritas Marine Technical Director said: “As CMA CGM have said, they will be the first shipping company in the world to equip giant containerships with LNG propulsion, pursuing a strong commitment to the protection of the environment and to ocean conservation.
“For us this is an exciting project to be involved in and our teams in China, supported by expertise in Paris, are looking forward to working on these innovative new ships.”
“The award of class to Bureau Veritas further underlines Bureau Veritas leadership in the classification of LNG fuelled ships with, presently, the largest share of the orderbook for gas fuelled ships.”
