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Marine Rules

Common tanker rules

Helping you to understand their implementation
Industry, environmental and political pressures have led to a need to develop new rules for oil tanker structures. As a result, early in 2002, Lloyd's Register, ABS and DNV joined forces with the objectives of eliminating variations in minimum structural standards and providing an enhanced level of structural durability.

What are the common tanker rules?

The Rules form a single, robust structural design standard drawing upon the accumulated new-construction and in-service experience from each of the three societies. Throughout their development, the new Rules have been discussed with an external review group that includes shipbuilders, shipowners, designers and independent consultants.

The new Rules and Regulations for the Classification of Oil Tankers of 150 or more metres in length were published late in 2005 and became effective from April 1, 2006. They will supersede the current rules for the new construction of oil tankers for Lloyd's Register, ABS and DNV.

What are the benefits?

The new Rules:

  • create a higher level of structural durability through increased steelweight, thereby offering the potential for a longer asset life
  • eliminate competition between shipyards and designers on minimum structural scantlings by creating an industry standard
  • provide a common approach to aspects that were previously inconsistent, such as fatigue and finite element analysis
  • define a simple and unambiguous structural renewal thickness value.

How does Lloyd's Register help?

Investment to help you

Lloyd's Register has assessed a range of standard designs from the world's leading shipbuilders and is working with many more on similar projects. These cover the whole range of tanker sizes and are in addition to those used in the joint Rule project. As a result, we have gained a comprehensive understanding of the implications of the new Rules on the scantlings of typical oil tanker configurations, and personnel in our plan approval centres have acquired expertise in the application of the new Rules. This network of experts has helped to train key employees in local offices so that they can provide you with face-to-face advice and guidance.

Training

We have created training courses to provide you with an understanding of the Rules and how to apply them, together with their use in the Lloyd's Register software tools, RulesCalc and ShipRight SDA, which have been updated to expedite their application.

What next?

For more information please see our frequently asked questions.

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