VENTURE JOY AND COLOR HYBRID SCOOP NOR-SHIPPING 2017 AWARDS
Venture Joy, a 43,500dwt, geared Handysize bulker, and Color Hybrid, set to be the world’s largest hybrid ship, have won the Energy Efficiency Award and Next Generation Award, respectively, at this year’s Nor-Shipping.
Announced this morning, the coveted accolades recognise vessels with the capacity to set new benchmarks in the industry, paving the way for greater environmental performance, smarter design and a more sustainable shipping sector.
Each of the winners was selected by the jury after considerable debate. With a diverse range of vessels populating the shortlist, comparing the attributes of different ship types was no easy task, with each of the final projects seen as “outstanding” for different reasons.
For the Energy Efficiency Award, the judging panel chose Venture Joy, designed by Deltamarin for Hamburg Bulk Carriers, Germany. Malcolm Latarche, Chairman of the judging panel said that the jury members had been impressed by the fact that the ship had been designed from the outset with energy efficiency and environmental performance levels in mind while still managing to satisfy the needs of an “industry workhorse”.
Latarche comments: “Not only has this ship been assessed as meeting the highest EEDI requirements nine years ahead of time, with a CO2 emission level 40% below the average for the Handysize fleet, but it is also intended for further upgrades to her environmental protection measures that will reduce CO2 emissions by a further 20%.
“The jury also felt that by fitting a dual-fuel ready engine to a vessel that will voyage the globe, it will add momentum to building a world-wide LNG bunkering infrastructure.”
For the Next Generation Award, the jury selected the large hybrid plug in ferry currently known as Color Hybrid being built for Color Lines. Although not yet complete, the 30,000gt ro-pax ferry designed by Fosen Yard, and being built by Ulstein Verft, will be the world’s largest hybrid craft.
As with the winner of the other award, the jury felt that the ship had the ability to influence the design of many more types of vessels.
“The impact of shipping emissions on health are seen as tarnishing the image of the whole industry” says Latarche. “By installing a hybrid propulsion system on this vessel, it will be able to enter ports without any emissions and much less noise than conventional vessels. That is something all vessel types can seek to emulate, making this vessel an ideal candidate for the Next Generation Award.
“Even if ships only generate a small amount of excess power during operations having an energy storage system that can be topped up when alongside will allow them to enter and leave ports emission free and have some reserve for emergencies at sea”.
Color Hybrid has other attributes including a waste heat recovery system and further energy saving measures that also featured in the jury’s decision making.