SINGAPORE: Indian Register of Shipping, a Mumbai-based
globally recognised ship classification society has started its next phase of
expansion in India after strengthening its footprint in major maritime centres
abroad.
"We are working with Inland Waterway Transportation
Authority (IWTA) on a number of projects which include Liquefied Natural Gas
(LNG) fuelled vessels and fuelling stations within the National Waterway 1
project on Ganga," said Arun Sharma, Executive Chairman of Indian Register
of Shipping (IR Class) at the Sea Asia 2017, a premier maritime conference
yesterday.
For India, it has drafted guidelines for operation of LNG
vessels and is working out a number of programmes to support development of
port-related facilities.
IR Class also has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Bureau Veritas for tapping into their LNG expertise for LNG-fuelled vessels
which will be increasingly used within ports in the country.
"This puts IR Class in new businesses relating to
LNG," said Sharma, highlighting the mega developments being planned along
the waterways and main coastal areas.
India has planned out 12 major ports and 400 minor ports,
where IR Class services will be required in certifying facilities such as oil
terminals, bunkering, cargo transfers and cranes operations among others.
IR Class is also working with the Shipping Ministry to set
up a Centre of Excellence which will develop skill for the marine industry,
shipbuilding, ship designs and other related services.
IR Class has increased its services in classifying ship breaking
yards in India and Bangladesh.
These yards are certified in their practices to meet
European standards and account for 75 per cent of the world's ship breaking
industry, said Sharma.
IR Class is also doing monitoring, reporting and
verification of Carbon dioxide emission from vessels based on standards
required in the European Union.
Sharma said, IR Class has expanded its global footprint with
48 offices, 24 of which are outside India.
It has just opened an office in Kuala Lumpur, and will set
up offices in Indonesia and the Philippines in due course.
Sharma said the 40-year old IR Class will stay focus on
niche businesses covering small vessels, shipping business and facilities.
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