7th January 2019
Korean Register launches new IHM service and secures NSC contract
Client news
NSC Group has signed an agreement with Korean Register (KR) for the IACS classification society to provide IHM (Inventory of Hazardous Materials) services across the NSC Group’s fleet of container vessels, bulk carriers, conbulkers, car carriers and tankers.
From 31 December 2020, all existing ships sailing under the EU-flag and ships flying the flag of a third country calling at an EU port or anchorage must have on board an inventory of hazardous materials (IHM) verified by the relevant authorities or a recognized organization like Korean Register. The same rules came into effect for EU-flagged vessels on 31 December 2018. The regulation will improve safety, protecting people and property onboard the ship and meeting any mooring requirements.
KR will be working with partners HMI GbR (QSU & exag) and NautilusLog GmbH to deliver the specialist IHM service. Many shipowners and operators have yet to decide on IHM service providers, but the KR partnership is well established with plans for future projects already underway and many new ideas to benefit customers in development.
Sebastian Völchner, Project Manager NSC said: “We are very satisfied that we have found the right partners following an intensive tendering process. We appreciate the value offered by KR, HMI GbR (QSU & exag) and NautilusLog GmbH as they work together as a consortium, to offer a complete comprehensive service package as one team.”
Michael Suhr, Technical and Commercial Director of Korean Register North Europe added: “KR is pleased to offer its customers this technical solution which has been developed at the best competitive price for the market. The experience and expertise of our partners in this field, combined with KR’s established expert global network will allow us to offer excellent business synergies to our shipowner and ship manager customers.”
Frank Schneider, Managing Director of HMI GbR (QSU & exag) added: “We are happy to be working with KR to provide this specialist service in direct response to increasing demand from industry as the entry into force date gets closer. We anticipate that demand will outstrip supply over the next year or so, creating a ‘bottleneck’ simply because there are a limited number of HAZMAT experts and specialist laboratories providing this service.”
HMI GbR (QSU & exag) is an established service supplier approved by KR, with many experienced in-house Hazmat experts ready to inspect and serve the entire NSC Group fleet across the company’s worldwide network. NautilusLog GmbH has recently won several awards including the Hamburg Innovation Award, Pitch Blue Award by VDR and Digital Logistic Award.
Otto Klemke, NautilusLog GmbH founder and managing Director added: “We are proud to support our Partners with the best digital tools allowing them to serve more ships in less time and effort.”
An IHM report will be linked to the entire lifespan of the vessel, eventually covering the building stage, its operational stage and the recycling stage.
ENDS
Picture from left to right: Otto Klemke (Nautilus GmbH), Frank Schneider (HMI GbR), Sebastian Völchner (NSC Group), Michael Suhr (Korean Register)
Background Info on IHM Conventions:
The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 (the Hong Kong Convention), was adopted at a diplomatic conference held in Hong Kong, China, from 11th to 15th of May 2009, which was attended by delegates from 63 countries. The aim of the Convention is to ensure that ships, when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risks to human health, safety and to the environment.
The Hong Kong Convention intends to address all the issues around ship recycling, including the fact that ships sold for scrapping may contain environmentally hazardous substances such as asbestos, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, ozone-depleting substances and others. It also addresses concerns raised about the working and environmental conditions at many of the world's ship recycling locations.
The Convention applies to ships in service and to newly built ones. It is not in force yet but expected to come into force over the next few years. The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted the Ship Recycling Regulation on the 20th of November 2013. The Regulation brings forward the requirements of the 2009 Hong Kong Convention, therefore contributing to its global entry into force. The EU SRR requires the testing of some other materials in addition, thus more samples are necessary.