Container ships

Container ship sizes have increased dramatically as owners and operators seek efficiency. Bureau Veritas helps you meet the specific challenges associated with ultra-large box ships.

STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY FOR ULTRA-LARGE BOX SHIPS

World trade is reliant on safe, efficient container ships. Clients of container shipping companies want a fast, competitive service: container shipping lines and owners seek to lower costs and comply with environmental regulations. To achieve these aims, owners are ordering ever-larger ships exploring clean fuel solutions: but these evolutions present major technical and safety challenges.

HOW WE SUPPORT YOU

Bureau Veritas’ Rules for containerships are among the most up-to-date in the industry, designed to help you optimize cargo capacity and gain operational flexibility. Our presence in key shipbuilding locations and ports supports your vessel’s safety.

LEADING CLASSIFICATION OF ULTRA-LARGE SHIPS

Today’s largest box ships are over 20,000 TEU, posing major technical challenges. Bureau Veritas’ Rules for containerships are based on extensive research into the physics and engineering requirements of large ships. They aim to help owners achieve greater flexibility in loading containers, while maintaining structural strength and safety.

Photo credit ©CMA CGM

PIONEERS IN LNG AS FUEL

Bureau Veritas is playing a central role in the adoption of LNG as fuel in container shipping. To support the development of the first LNG-fueled large containerships, we addressed risks relating to sloshing and bunkering in our Rules, also working with terminal and port authorities to understand their concerns. In addition we offer a GAS-PREPARED notation to help owners future-proof their ships for environmental compliance.

OPTIMIZING CARGO LOADING

Our structural research and development has led to a strong understanding of cargo capacity. The result is our container lashing software VeriSTAR Lashing 3.0, which enables greater flexibility in container loading, including safe loading of heavier containers higher in a stack.

IMPROVING STRUCTURAL SAFETY

We support owners from design stage in addressing hull girder strength and fatigue issues related to hydroelasticity. Large box ship owners benefit from our WHISP additional service features, based on our expertise in whipping and springing calculations and supported by our industry-leading software tools.

ADDRESSING FIRE SAFETY

Fire safety is a particular challenge for ultra-large containerships. Bureau Veritas offers a range of services for fire safety ranging from Alternative Designs, to certifications for health and safety management onboard.

PREVENTING DAMAGE WITH ESA

The flexible hull of ultra-large containerships in comparison to their stiff shaft line may lead to costly damages of the shafting system during operation. Our Elastic Shaft Alignment Notation (ESA) aims to prevent damage to your vessel.

ADDRESSING CYBER SECURITY

Intelligent data and real-time, connected equipment have been of incredible benefit to the shipping industry, but digitalization has also presented new challenges. Cyber attacks have shown that current security solutions aren’t necessarily a match for sophisticated hackers. Consequently, shipping industry actors can no longer afford a ‘business as usual’ approach. Now cyber security should be considered essential to safety management in shipping and offshore operations.

To provide best-in-class cyber security services, Bureau Veritas leverages expertise across the maritime industry, including safety and security of ship operations and ship design, industrial control systems, smart ships, networks and telecommunications. Here is how we do it:

Cyber compliance, detailed notations and practical guidelines for both newbuilds
and ships in service
Secure your design and run efficient testing with our global network of leading cybersecurity experts
Industry leader in regulation compliance (IMO, IACS, OCIMF, BIMCO, ICS, Flag administration, etc.)