ClassNK has entered a collaborative research and development (R&D) agreement with Nihon Shipyard (NSY) and IMC aimed at ensuring the safety and performance evaluation of anti-roll tanks (ART) installed on large container ships.
Anti-roll tanks are specialized devices designed to mitigate a ship’s roll by moving liquid, such as water, within the tank. The consideration for ART implementation on large container ships is gaining traction due to the anticipated enhancement of container loading efficiency through reduced roll motion and the prevention of parametric roll incidents, which are recognized as significant factors contributing to container collapse accidents.
Parametric roll is a type of resonance phenomenon where the ship’s roll amplifies, that occurs when the natural roll period is twice the wave encounter period
ClassNK has established stringent requirements outlined in its “Guidelines on Preventive Measures against Parametric Rolling (Edition 1.0)” to grant a notation to ships equipped with ART.
Furthermore, following ART-related research and development tank tests conducted in 2023 with the National Maritime Research Institute in Japan, ClassNK has verified their effectiveness in mitigating both parametric and synchronous roll, while also compiling valuable data.
For expanding the application of ART to large container ships, NSY, a world leader in the development of large container ships, IMC, which has extensive experience in the design and sales of ART, and ClassNK have signed this joint R&D agreement. Utilizing the obtained data and knowledge, each party will collaborate to ensure the safer application of ART on an actual ship and performance evaluation. The roles in the joint R&D are as follows,
| NSY | Design of optimal installation plan of ART on large container ships |
| IMC | Demonstration of ART’s reduction effect on ship’s roll |
| ClassNK | Establishment of appropriate evaluation methods for ART Updating guidelines and regulations with more practical and concrete requirements |
ClassNK said it will continue to strive to contribute to the safe operation of container ships by establishing standards with utilizing outcomes obtained by collaboration with industry frontrunners.
