ClassNK becomes first ship register to pass 150 million gross tons

ClassNK becomes first ship register to pass 150 million gross tons Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, the Japanese classification society also known as ClassNK, said today the total tonnage of the ships on its register has surpassed 150 million gross tons, the first time any ship classification society has reached that mark.
   As of the end of August, ClassNK had 6,729 ships with a total of 150.05 million gross tons on its register.
   The society said it has benefited from the “continued robust buoyancy” of the global newbuilding market, which combined with the recent trend towards the construction of ever-bigger ships, has increased shipowners’ thirst for classification related services.
   As a consequence of the surge in new ship orders, some 10 million gross tons of newbuilding tonnage has been added to the ClassNK register since the start of 2007 and the average age of the ClassNK fleet continues to be comparatively young at about ten years.