Lloyd’s Register (LR) has revised its Fatigue Design Assessment (FDA) methodology for containerships and gas carriers, introducing updated global trading patterns based on 11 years of Automatic Identification System (AIS) data.
The class society says that the new approach marks the first major update to FDA trading routes in more than a decade and aims to deliver improved structural assessments aligned with actual vessel operations.
The revised data shows an increase in predicted fatigue life of up to 15% for containerships and up to 10% for gas carriers, LR notes.
LR has also introduced an updated containership classification system to reflect the structure of the modern container fleet. New categories include Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) over 14,501 TEU, alongside revised ranges for New Panamax, Post-Panamax, Panamax, Feedermax, and Feeder segments.
“This comprehensive update to our Fatigue Design Assessment methodology represents a significant advancement in how we evaluate vessel structural integrity,” said Nick Gross, Global Containerships Segment Director, Lloyd’s Register.
“Our analysis of extensive AIS data revealed that ships are operating quite differently from our previous models, particularly in terms of route optimisation and weather routing. This translates directly into improved fatigue life predictions that shipowners can rely on for better operational and maintenance planning.”
