Energy Efficiency Award
The Energy Efficiency Award goes to Harvest Frost, the first of three vessels designed to serve primarily for grain carriage as part of ADM Logistics’ growing fleet.
This 95,000 dwt bulk carrier was designed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), built by Oshima Shipbuilding and delivered to Archer Daniels Midland USA on October 29, 2014. MHI provided most of its innovative features, including the conceptual design, various green technologies and the Mitsubishi Air Lubrication System. The vessel also features a new bow shape designed to reduce wave-making resistance. For propulsion, it has adopted an innovative system that effectively converts the main engine power into propulsion power by positioning fins forward of the propellers and placing special grooves in the propeller boss cap.
“All of the shortlisted candidates had strong merits but Harvest Frost won, not for any single aspect of its design, but for its sheer number of energy saving measures,” says Malcolm Latarche, Chairman of the Energy Efficiency and Next Generation Ship awards. “The design also shows forward thinking. The vessel will be able to transit the new Panama Canal locks, making for better operational efficiencies and economies of scale as compared with current trade routes and cargo tonnages.”
The Energy Efficiency Award pays tribute to the ship with the greatest contribution towards energy efficiency in relation to its function or operation. This award addresses more than emissions, focusing on the root of the problem rather than its consequence. Partnering with Nor-Shipping for this award is the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Next Generation Ship Award
The Next Generation Ship Award goes to Ulstein X-STERN, Ulstein Group’s new design feature that reduces acceleration, pitch and heave, improves comfort and safety, and widens the operational window. It has already been commissioned for an SX175 offshore wind service vessel to be built at Ulstein Verft in Norway for German owners Bernhard Schulte/WINDEA Offshore.
Developed for vessels dependent on the best possible motion characteristics, X-STERN has a sloping and higher stern, allowing for a sharp shape in which the transom plate is replaced by a pointed aft. With the X-STERN, a vessel can stay positioned with the stern facing towards the weather, even in harsh conditions.
“Competition for the Next Generation Ship Award was particularly fierce. We needed extra rounds of voting even to draw up a shortlist,” says Latarche. “Ulstein’s X-STERN was eventually selected after long debate. The jury was unanimous that the winning entry had to be one likely to be adopted by several types of vessels serving in one of the most innovative shipping sectors. The fact that an order has already been placed reinforced the judges’ decision.”
The Next Generation Ship Award honors the most promising design for ships that will be at sea in the coming decade, with the ship project demonstrating the greatest advances and innovation in design receiving the award. The design is assessed with respect to energy efficiency, innovation, suitability and flexibility, use of technology, safety and security and environmental sustainability. All ship types are given equal consideration, regardless of size or segment. DNV GL returns as Nor-Shipping’s partner for this award, lending its industry expertise.
Young Entrepreneur Award
The Young Entrepreneur Award goes to Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup (Netherlands).
Boyan Slat combines technology and entrepreneurship to tackle global issues of sustainability. He devised a system with an array of floating barriers that catch and concentrate ocean debris to enable a platform to efficiently extract plastic afterwards. In 2014, the concept turned out to be a technically feasible and financially viable method to clean up half the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 10 years' time. Raising $2.2 million through crowdfunding, the organization was able to enter the pilot phase of the project. The system will be first deployed in 2016, with waters between the Japanese mainland and the Korean Peninsula proposed as the location.
“Boyan Slat’s entrepreneurial venture inspires us all to realize we must be better stewards of the ocean and the earth, and that we can create new business solutions to support this mission, says José María Figueres Olsen, Chairman of the Board of the Rocky Mountain Institute and Carbon War Room, who was part of the Young Entrepreneur Award jury. “The shipping industry, as a custodian and beneficiary of the ocean, should be particularly inspired by Mr. Slat to find innovative profitable solutions and technologies to address the many challenges facing the ocean and the shipping industry today.”
The Young Entrepreneur Award is part of the joint Nor-Shipping/YoungShip effort to further develop Nor-Shipping as an arena for the next generation. Open to nominees from all segments of the industry, it honors an under 40-year-old professional who has founded a successful company that tackles challenges or solutions in a new way. YoungShip, the fast-growing international organization for young maritime professionals, is Nor-Shipping’s partner and the administrator of the award.
Record year
In Nor-Shipping’s 50th anniversary year, a total of 63 nominees have submitted their entries, making it the highest number ever for Nor-Shipping Awards.
An independent jury of nine has been set up for each award in order to bring in unique competence particular to that award’s criteria. Organizations represented included, among others, the International Maritime Organization, DNV GL and The Norwegian Marine Technology Research Institute (MARINTEK).
“The variety and innovation presented made it difficult to choose the winners. So many worthy entrants were fiercely argued over by the panel of shipping experts drawn from all areas of the industry,” says Latarche.
“Today we warmly congratulate the winners of the Nor-Shipping 2015 Awards,” says Nor-Shipping Director. “In Nor-Shipping’s 50th anniversary year, we have received a record number of entries, and it is a great achievement to have been chosen a winner among so many outstanding candidates. I am confident today’s winners will inspire others towards excellence, and their innovative thinking will drive our industry for many years to come.”