ABS and SDARI working together on next generation feeder container carriers

ABS, a leading international classification society, has signed a Design Development Agreement with Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI) to develop a new generation of feeder container carriers. ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Howard Fireman and SDARI President Jintao Hu, signed the agreement at SDARI on 3 December in Shanghai, China.
ABS’s services are meant to promote security of life and property and to preserve the natural environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine and offshore assets.
Mr. Fireman thus explained the motivations of the agreement: “Changing environmental regulations, unpredictable energy prices and volatile freight rates have made it imperative for ship designers to continuously improve the operational and environmental performance of their next generation designs. ABS is working with industry as designs change and new concepts are introduced.”
The project aims to develop next-generation feeder design with a focus on operational efficiency and flexibility, bringing together innovative design and technology solutions. The novel concept will incorporate technology-readiness features to enable cost-effective implementation of present and future regulations by providing extensive life-cycle cost analyses. The expected innovative feeder container carrier design is aiming to meet future market and trade needs that are being driven by the increase in ultra-large container carriers and the growth of specific regional markets.
“SDARI has always promoted ship innovation and technology development. At this crucial moment when China is transforming from shipbuilding nation to a shipbuilding power, the collaboration that we have strengthened with ABS in container carriers positions us to generate new concepts based on market demand and to launch cutting-edge products,” says Jintao Hu, “I believe the development of this new generation of feeder container carriers will further strengthen the partnership between SDARI and ABS, promoting the transformation and upgrading of Chinese shipbuilding industry.”