Trust in service levels and technical capability proved to be winning combination for Lloyd’s Register in Asia in 2010. Success has been particularly marked in both China and Korea

Lloyd’s Register’s teams in China and Korea have established a strong position in terms of ships ordered in 2010 which will be built to Lloyd’s Register class. Lloyd’s Register’s share of 2010 orders is, respectively, 29.6% in China and 28.3% in Korea.* While orders are from traditional areas of strength such as Greece, the continued expansion of ship owning in Asia is also driving demand.

It’s been an exciting year’, said Nick Brown, Marine Country Manager, China. ‘We have made a huge investment in China and have developed innovative services to support Chinese shipbuilders and both Chinese and international owners building in China. We have been listening to yards and owners and providing the services that they need. It’s very rewarding to see the market recognising this investment and placing their trust in Lloyd’s Register in China.’

In their annual survey Lloyd’s Register was recognised as the leading classification society by the Korean Shipbuilders’ Association (KOSHIPA). Country Manager in Korea, Luis Benito: ‘We are doing all that we can to help ensure consistent, safe, service delivery and we see this recognition as a great honour – as well as a reflection of the hard work put in by our teams to support Korean newbuilding projects.

In both China and Korea, as also worldwide, Lloyd’s Register’s efforts share a common theme: helping ensure quality. But the challenges in the two countries are different. In Korea shipbuilding is more established and is consolidated in fewer shipbuilding groups. The Busan Design Support Office (DSO) has been expanding its services to shipyards through design support and technical advice for ships being built by Korean shipbuilding groups outside of Korea as well as ‘in-country’ construction. Additionally, rules and support for new technologies and structures such as floating offshore installations are being provided as Korean yards expand into new areas.

Lloyd’s Register in China has led the Group in developing technical performance management services and oversight, focusing on the quality of welding, materials and components, non destructive examination (NDE) and coating application. New gap analysis services were evolved by Lloyd’s Register in China to help shipyards understand, and then deliver, required standards, in paint coatings and welding and NDE. Through these gap analysis services the Group is able to help yards identify what they need to do to deliver the standards expected by both local and international shipowners. Through training and improvement programmes provided by Lloyd’s Register, the shipyards are able to upgrade and enhance their performance.

Lloyd’s Register’s training is also important. The third wave of delegates graduated last September from Lloyd’s Register’s 25 week intensive programme at the Marine Surveyor Training Institute in Shanghai. The MSTI’s innovative programme provides a highly structured approach to technical training and is the bedrock of ongoing staff development, comprising training in corporate values and ethics and interpersonal skills as well as technical aspects under the mentorship of dedicated MSTI instructors. The MSTI graduates are now in the field putting their knowledge to good use.

With the industry looking to develop new, more efficient designs, in both Korea and China Lloyd’s Register has an impressive project workload supporting owners’ and yards’ ambitions. Hydrodynamics, LNG as fuel, nuclear propulsion and other new technologies are on the table. Projects such as the Bestway bulk carrier project in Shanghai demonstrate (see separate release to follow) how Lloyd’s Register’s technical expertise can provide real value and support to designers and owners both at the initial design concept stages and deliver real results in efficiency benefits – an 18% improvement in the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) over previous designs whilst lifting more cargo. Innovative projects like this benefit yards, owners and the environment and are further proof that environmental Asia is responding to the environmental challenge.

*By number of ships, data supplied by Clarksons Research Services

Members of the Lloyd’s Register Group (herein referred to as ‘Lloyd’s Register’) provide independent assurance to companies operating high-risk, capital-intensive assets in the energy and transportation sectors. Lloyd’s Register enhances the safety of life, property and the environment by helping our clients to ensure the quality construction and operation of critical infrastructure. The Group comprises charities and non-charitable entities, with the latter supporting the charities in their main goal.