Non-bulbous bow VLCC enters service

K Line has taken delivery today of the 311,979-dwt VLCC Tedorigawa, the first in a series of new-generation VLCC and Aframax tankers. Its most outstanding feature is the lack of a bulbous bow.

According to a statement released by K Line, Tedorigawa’s plumb bow, coupled with an ultra-long stroke low-speed main engine and highly-efficient large diameter propeller will achieve a 20% reduction in fuel consumption compared with similar vessels. The VLCC newbuilding is also fitted with a ballast water management system.

The tanker was constructed at Nantong COSCO KHI Ship Engineering in China and is classed by ABS. It was ordered in 2016 as part of a contract for three VLCCs and two Aframax tankers, as reported in Tanker Shipping & Trade in 2016.

• Why and when the bulbous bow was introduced is widely disputed, but it has been a feature of commercial shipping since the 1960s and there are many variations on the theme.