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NYK, Wing Maritime Service Corporation (head office: Yokohama; president: Toshinori Yamashita), and Keihin Dock Co. Ltd. (head office: Yokohama; president: Tsutomu Shoji) have jointly received the Technological Development Award at the 17th annual Logistics Environment Awards* sponsored by the Japan Federation of Freight Industries (JFFI). The award recognized the environmental load reduction achieved by Japan's first LNG-fueled tugboat, Sakigake. This is the third time since 2009 that NYK has been honored at this annual awards ceremony.
NYK has been conducting technical research and development on the use of LNG to fuel ships in order to meet the tightened regulations on CO2 emissions** from vessels. Sakigake, which was delivered in August 2015 and comes equipped with dual-fuel engines that can use either LNG or diesel oil, was highly evaluated by the Japan Federation of Freight Industries because LNG fuel has much less of an environmental impact compared with heavy fuel oil.***
In accordance with the NYK Group???s ???More Than Shipping 2018??? medium-term management plan, NYK has been implementing a number of creative solutions, such as the construction of the world???s first LNG-fueled car carrier and LNG bunkering vessel. NYK has also teamed with Engie and the Mitsubishi Corporation to develop the LNG bunkering business, and will contribute to the continuing promotion and development of LNG fuel for ships for reduced environmental loads.
* Logistics Environment Awards
Organizations, corporations, and individuals are recognized by JFFI (chairman: Yasumi Kudo) for efforts to protect the environment and enhance environmental awareness in the sphere of logistics and thereby contribute to the sound development of logistics. These awards were founded in 2000 and are presented annually.
** Tightened Regulations on CO2 Emissions
The requirements applicable to ships for controlling sulfur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are becoming stricter every year. In particular, regulations aimed at reducing SOx emissions by vessels are becoming ever more stringent. Applicable emission limits were reduced from 1.0% to 0.1% in 2015 in certain emission control areas, or ECAs (the North Sea, the Baltic Sea area, and areas around North America). Outside the ECAs, emission limits will be reduced from the current limit of 3.5% to 0.5% in 2020 or 2025.
*** Environmental Impact of LNG Fuel
Use of LNG almost completely eliminates SOx and particulate matter (PM) emissions, and the operation of LNG-fueled vessels can result in a reduction of nearly all SOx and PM emissions compared to emissions by vessels powered with conventional heavy fuel oil. Use of LNG can also reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 30% and can reduce NOx emissions by up to 80%. The widespread adoption of LNG is thus considered to be an influential measure by ships to control greenhouse gas emissions.
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Four R&D projects which NYK and its Group company, the Monohakobi Technology Institute (MTI), are jointly participating in were selected by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) for '2016 Support Projects for R&D in Advanced Safety Technology of Vessels.'
Safer and more economical vessel operation by leveraging IoT* and Big Data is highly expected in the maritime industry. Against such a backdrop, these R&D support projects aim to vitalize and increase the global competitiveness of Japanese maritime industry by encouraging R&D activities that are beneficial to and also enhance the safety of maritime transport.
These projects are also being undertaken as joint research studies with ClassNK, a general incorporated foundation. Brief outlines of the four selected projects are provided below.
- Study on monitoring the structural health of vessel hulls for very large container ships
Participating companies: NYK, MTI, and Japan Marine United Corporation
Outline:
To prevent maritime accidents in advance, a new voyage-monitoring system under study measures and collects such data as bending moment and other forces affecting containership hulls, in addition to navigation records, weather, and marine conditions. By sharing, the data between on board crew and onshore staff, it makes possible to help navigational judgement and design more rational vessel, taking into consideration hull structural strength.
- Study on utilizing Big Data to enhance safe, economical operations by prevention of vessel machinery plant trouble
Participating companies: Japan Marine United Corporation, NYK, MTI, Diesel United Ltd., Wärtsilä Japan Ltd., Sunflame Co. Ltd., Terasaki Electric Co. Ltd., and Mitsubishi Kakoki Kaisha Ltd.
Outline:
Through collaborative work among shipbuilders, vessel-related manufacturers, and maritime companies, aiming to reduce vessel machinery plant accidents, especially high-risk accidents that have major societal and cost impacts, by taking advantage of Big Data.
- Study on technology that supports safe LNG transport by utilizing ship-shore communications
Participating companies: NYK, MTI, and JRCS MFG. Co. Ltd.
Outline: Aiming to develop (1) forecasting technologies for LNG cargo movement and for monitoring vaporization activity in storage tanks during LNG carrier operations, and (2) other fundamental technologies for Big Data applications on LNG carriers.
- Study on collision risk judgement and autonomous operation of vessels
Participating companies: NYK, MTI, Japan Marine Science Inc., National Maritime Research Institute MPAT, Furuno Electric Co. Ltd., Japan Radio Co. Ltd., and Tokyo Keiki Inc.
Outline:
The study includes development of (a) functions to facilitate judgement related to avoiding risk of collision with other vessels; (b) remote operations by land operators during emergencies; and (c) devices related to AR(Augmented Reality)** of nautical instrument information.
Based on the business strategy defined in its ???More Than Shipping 2018,??? medium-term management plan, the NYK Group strives to promote R&D that further enhances the safety of vessels.
*IoT
Internet of Things
A concept wherein all objects are linked together through the internet and are autonomously and optimally controlled without human operation or input
**AR
Augmented Reality
A live view of physical, real-world environments, the elements of which are augmented by computer-generated sensory input
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Three NYK vessels managed by NYK Group companies have been recognized with the Best Quality Ship Award for 2015 by the Japan Federation of Pilots??? Associations (JFPA).* The honored ships include the car carrier Antares Leader, managed by NYK Shipmanagement Pte. Ltd., the bulk carrier Hisui Horizon, managed by Hachiuma Steamship Co. Ltd., and the LNG carrier LNG Dream, managed by NYK LNG Shipmanagement (UK) Ltd. An awards ceremony was held on June 24 at the Todofuken Kaikan in Tokyo.
The Best Quality Ship Award was founded in fiscal 2003 with the aim of enhancing awareness of not only safe vessel operations but also the need for environmental conservation within our ports and oceans.
Comprehensive evaluations by pilots were done for vessels that requested pilot operations at pilotage districts throughout Japan during the months of September and October 2015, and seven vessels ??? three of them NYK ships ??? were recognized for their excellent operations.
The ships were evaluated for their sure implementation of safety measures, sufficient training of bridge crew in Bridge Resource Management,** directive and command systems on board the vessel, crew awareness for safe operations, and systems in place for easing cooperation with pilots.
Encouraged by this award, the NYK Group will continue its efforts to secure safety operations for on board and land-based parties, ensuring safety as our most important task, and reinforcing our reputation as a trusted and reliable partner of our customers.
* Japan Federation of Pilots??? Associations (JFPA): Under the revised Pilotage Law, the JFPA was founded on April 1, 2007, as an incorporated national federation composed of district-wide pilot associations.
** Bridge Resource Management: Management method employing the concept of Cockpit Resource Management developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This method aims to utilize human resources on the bridge from where a ship is controlled, and to improve human/machine interfaces.
