Container ship technology the answer to improved bulker design?

摘要

The past five years have seen the worldwide bulk carrier fleet expand by an average of 5% annually, according to an article last year in GL Magazin, the journal of the classification society Oermanischer Lloyd. Today, bulk carriers provide just over a third of the world merchant fleet at 249million dwt. Studies highlight the level of older bulk carriers - particularly those which have been in service over 15 years - as making up as much as 43% currently in operation; coupled with the recent IACS ruling which requires ships of 10 years and older to undergo additional strengthening of their No 1 hold to withstand chance flooding and new IMO regulations, the trend seems set for further new tonnage.