ITALY-based classification-society RINA has met shipowners’ needs to demonstrate that their vessels exceed basic regulatory requirements by providing three new Additional Class Notations. The three notations, covering fatigue life, permanent means of access for inspections and ballast water treatment, will all be available from January 1, 2008 for those ships which meet the higher criteria set by the voluntary standards.

Antonio Pingiori, head of RINA’s marine division, says, “Our shipowners want ships which go beyond the basic minimums set by IMO regulations and normal classification. They want to set higher standards and to be able to show the world that they have met those voluntary standards. These additional notations provide a framework for assessing, verifying and communicating the higher standards set by the owners in their ships. The notations are already in demand for some of the vessels we are classing which are building in China.”

The three new notations are:

FATIGUELIFE (Y): assigned to ships designed for a fatigue life greater than Y years, where Y is to be greater than 20 years. The Notation requires that the fatigue life calculated for the Special Structural Details specified in the Rules is not less than Y years.

PMA: assigned to Bulk Carriers of  20,000 gt or more and Oil Tankers of 500 gt or more, which are provided with Permanent Means of Access complying with SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-6, as amended by Resolution MSC 151(78), with the associated “Technical provisions for means of access for inspections” in IMO Resolution MSC 158(78), and the relevant interpretations in IACS UI SC191.

BWM-E: assigned to ships complying with the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments by means of a Ballast Water Exchange system. The notation is followed by either Sequential, Flow Through or Dilution depending on the system used. This notation will bridge the gap until Ballast Water Treatment systems come in and Exchange systems are phased out.

BWM-T: assigned to ships complying with the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments by means of a Ballast Water Treatment system.

ITALY-based classification-society RINA has met shipowners’ needs to demonstrate that their vessels exceed basic regulatory requirements by providing three new Additional Class Notations. The three notations, covering fatigue life, permanent means of access for inspections and ballast water treatment, will all be available from January 1, 2008 for those ships which meet the higher criteria set by the voluntary standards.

Antonio Pingiori, head of RINA’s marine division, says, “Our shipowners want ships which go beyond the basic minimums set by IMO regulations and normal classification. They want to set higher standards and to be able to show the world that they have met those voluntary standards. These additional notations provide a framework for assessing, verifying and communicating the higher standards set by the owners in their ships. The notations are already in demand for some of the vessels we are classing which are building in China.”

The three new notations are:

FATIGUELIFE (Y): assigned to ships designed for a fatigue life greater than Y years, where Y is to be greater than 20 years. The Notation requires that the fatigue life calculated for the Special Structural Details specified in the Rules is not less than Y years.

PMA: assigned to Bulk Carriers of  20,000 gt or more and Oil Tankers of 500 gt or more, which are provided with Permanent Means of Access complying with SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-6, as amended by Resolution MSC 151(78), with the associated “Technical provisions for means of access for inspections” in IMO Resolution MSC 158(78), and the relevant interpretations in IACS UI SC191.

BWM-E: assigned to ships complying with the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments by means of a Ballast Water Exchange system. The notation is followed by either Sequential, Flow Through or Dilution depending on the system used. This notation will bridge the gap until Ballast Water Treatment systems come in and Exchange systems are phased out.

BWM-T: assigned to ships complying with the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments by means of a Ballast Water Treatment system.