O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) announced that on August 27, the CERULEAN ACE, an LNG-fueled car carrier operated by MOL and managed by MOL Ship Management Co., Ltd. has been granted certification “Additional Fire-Fighting measures for Vehicle Carrier (AFVC)” by the Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) for its voluntary measures to prevent onboard fires during the transport of electric vehicles. This is the first case in the world in which an ocean shipping company’s voluntary measures against electric vehicle fires have earned certification from a ship classification society.
ClassNK established certification rules for fire safety measures on car carriers in its Guidelines for the Safe Transportation of Electric Vehicles, which were formulated in August 2023, to enable an objective evaluation of advanced safety measures taken by shipowners and ship management companies. The CERULEAN ACE was certified as meeting three of the guideline’s requirements: FD (Fire Detection), FF (Fire Fighting) and EFF (Enhanced Fixed Fire-extinguishing system).
One of the most advanced initiatives among the three provisions certified this time is the installation of cameras and artificial intelligence systems for smoke recognition in the cargo holds of new vessels, including the CERULEAN ACE, for early detection of fires (Note 1). When the AI system detects an abnormality in the images captured by the camera, it sends an alarm to the crewmember onboard and to the onshore ship management company. The system was highly evaluated for its usefulness in the early detection of vehicle fires, resulting in the certification.
This certification represents ClassNK’s official recognition of MOL’s effort to pursue advanced safety initiatives. As a leading company in the transport of completed vehicles, MOL will continue to promote fire prevention and ensure safe transport.
This certification represents ClassNK’s official recognition of MOL’s effort to pursue advanced safety initiatives. As a leading company in the transport of completed vehicles, MOL will continue to promote fire prevention and ensure safe transport.
“Cerulean Ace” was built by Shin Kurushima Dockyard (Japan) and delivered on March 13, 2024. It is the first of 11 new LNG dual-fuel car carriers ordered by MOL from Nihon Shipyard to transport cars produced by Japanese automaker Mazda Motor Corporation. With a length of nearly 200 meters and a width of 38 meters, the car carrier can carry 7,050 vehicles.
It is fueled by LNG, and MOL is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by about 25-30%, sulfur oxides (SOx) by about 98%, and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by about 85% compared to similar ships using conventional fuel oil.
