APL ships first to win accreditation for hull maintenance
POSTED: 8:59 a.m. EDT, June 25,2007
Singapore's APL has become the first container shipping company in the world to achieve Lloyd's Register Hull Assessment Scheme (HAS) certification, the industry's highest standard for vessel hull structure maintenance.
A company statement said APL worked closely with Lloyd's Register to develop the new process, which is an extension of Lloyd's Register's existing Hull Renovation Scheme and will help to raise the bar on hull maintenance and reduce the environmental impact of older vessels.
At present, two of the line's 15-year-old 3,821-TEU A-class vessels - the APL Alexandrite and the APL Almandine - have undergone the HAS verification process. A third ship - the APL Amazonite - is undergoing the same assessment.
"The Hull Renovation Scheme is a comprehensive hull assessment, renovation and certification service that helps owners and operators to enhance the condition of their ships' hulls, making them comparable to ships of a lesser age," said Brian Henry, global manager, ship inspection and assessment services, Lloyd's Register.
The average age of APL container ships is nine years, with every vessel certified to the latest International Management Code for the Safe Operation of ships and for pollution prevention standards. |
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