Fire damaged MSC FLAMINIA to be modified into eco - ship

 TIN news:    MSC-FlaminaMSC FLAMINIA which had been docked in the Daewoo shipyard in Mangalia, Romania since February 2014, will call the Italian port of La Spezia on July 23rd. There, the vessel will be phased into scheduled service for MSC. After an incident in 2012 which heavily damaged the vessel MSC FLAMINIA was repaired in Mangalia and subsequently transformed into a modern eco-ship.
 
The aim of the modifications to the original design was to reduce fuel consumption and to make the vessel more efficient and economic overall. By analyzing vessel performance and through the cooperation with partners, REEDEREI NSB was able to create an extensive eco-design-package.
 
After the successful completion of the works, REEDEREI NSB offers its charterer MSC a vessel which still bears the name MSC FLAMINIA but is fundamentally optimized for the challenges of the current shipping market.
 
“By installing a new bulbous bow and a new propeller, fuel consumption of MSC FLAMINIA will be considerably lower than previously. Analyses by our departments TOM (Technical Operating Materials) and EOD (Engine Operating Department) show that under ideal conditions 12 percent of fuel can be saved due to these two modifications alone”, explains Vice President of the REEDEREI NSB Bozidar Petrovic, who led the repair and modification team. “We also use MSC FLAMINIA to demonstrate which opportunities eco-design offers: Namely that older ships can compete with the efficiency of modern vessels. Of course we offer this package and our know-how to other shipping companies as well.”
 
Already some weeks ago an optimized bulbous bow was installed at CMA CGM HUGO, which is also managed by REEDEREI NSB. Another potential for optimization as a result of low speed is gained by a Turbo Charger Cut-Out, which has been installed on many ships of REEDEREI NSB since 2013. Even areas which do not directly increase the fuel-efficiency have been –modernized – among them were for example a new ballast water treatment system.
 
All retrofit steps took place parallel to the repairs. Apart from hundreds of smaller repairs, the middle sections of the vessel were completely exchanged, the electric installation was overhauled and major parts of the superstructure were renovated. During an Atlantic crossing in July 2012 MSC FLAMINIA caught fire and as a consequence several explosions occurred. Two crew members died during and after fire-fighting procedures and another crewman is reported as missing.