Fure Vinga 1st BV classed ship to get full smart ship status

Furetank’s Fure Vinga, a 17,997 dwt chemical tanker flying under the Swedish flag, has been granted a complete suite of smart ship class notations by classification society Bureau Veritas (BV).

The chemical tanker with an overall length of 150 meters, built back in 2020 by China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Yangzhou) Dingheng, is a part of Swedish Gothia Tanker Alliance fleet.

Fure Vinga has been equipped with smart systems for monitoring the ship’s hull condition (H), as well as integrated machinery (M) and navigation (N) systems. It is said to be in compliance with all tier 1 requirements included in the Rule Note Additional Service Feature SMART (NR675) issued in January 2021, and is granted SMART (H1, M1, N1).

“Furetank have achieved this across the key systems of FURE VINGA and therefore the ship has become the first BV classed ship to be assigned the full suite of smart notations,” Gijsbert de Jong, Marine Chief Executive for Bureau Veritas’ Nordic region, stated.

What is more, the ship has optimized hull lines and is fitted with a ducted propeller as well as being equipped with a dual fuel engine capable of burning both liquid natural gas (LNG) and liquid bio-gas (LBG). A UPS battery pack for hybrid operation lowers fuel consumption and prevents blackouts.

The tanker also has a high level of digitalization and integration of onboard systems and equipment. Computer-based systems incorporating smart functions for the collection, transmission, analysis and visualisation support the crew with informed decision-making to enhance safety and optimize operations and maintenance.

“As the maritime industry continues its digital transformation journey, improving safety and minimizing operational risk using smart technology for monitoring and decision support makes a lot of sense. Furetank have achieved this across the key systems of Fure Vinga and therefore the ship has become the first BV classed ship to be assigned the full suite of smart notations,” Gijsbert de Jong, Marine Chief Executive for Bureau Veritas’ Nordic region, explained.

“Our new generation of intermediate sized oil and chemical tankers get us to the next level in terms of on-board system integration. We are happy to work with Bureau Veritas as they support innovative solutions with relevant classification notations and technical requirements, which set new standards in our industry,” Lars Höglund, Managing Director for Furetank, said.

In the past, the original Fure Vinga had been sold to the Quebec-based Desgagnés, and its named changed into Gaïa Desgagnés. The new vessel with the smart-ship characteristics is a part of six sister vessels, all designed with dual-fuel capability.