Ionic Ariadne, a 112,000 deadweight ton (dwt) Aframax tanker built in 2020 by Sumitomo in Japan, has proudly earned the e-Zero designation under the US Coast Guard’s QUALSHIP21 program. This accolade is a testament to the vessel’s exemplary commitment to environmental compliance and stewardship.
The e-Zero program, an extension of QUALSHIP21, aims to recognize vessels that consistently adhere to environmental compliance standards while demonstrating an firm commitment to environmental stewardship.
Established in 2013, Ionic aimed to become a top-tier ship management company focused on operating a medium-sized fleet of high-quality modern vessels. The company has consistently integrated the highest standard tanker management practices both ashore and on board since its inception. Ionic’s commitment to excellence and quality has earned recognition from the USCG for meeting the stringent requirements of the QUALSHIP21 program.
Ionic Ariadne Vessel Specifications
- Length Overall (LOA): 237 meters
- Beam: 44 meters
- Depth: 21 meters
- Deadweight: 112,007 tons
- Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT): 60,435 tons
- Cargo Tanks: 14
- Cranes: 1 x 15 tons
- Main Engine Maker: MAN B&W
- Main Engine Series: 6G60ME-C 9.2
- Vessel Type: Tanker
- Size Type: Aframax
- Hull Type: Double Hull
- Classification Society: Lloyd’s Register
- P&I Club / FD&D: UK Club
- Flag: Marshall Islands
- Yard: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Japan
- Year Delivered: 2020
About Qualship21 and e-zero program
The US Coast Guard aims to eliminate substandard shipping practices and focuses on improving methods to identify poor-quality ships, recognizing and rewarding higher-quality ships at Port State Control (PSC) inspections.
The QUALSHIP 21 initiative, implemented on January 1, 2001, identifies and incentivizes high-quality ships, promoting safety and quality operations during PSC inspections. and the E-Zero program, launched on July 1, 2017, is integrated into the QUALSHIP 21 framework, establishing stringent environmental criteria for eligible vessels.
For a vessel to be eligible for E-Zero, it must be enrolled in QUALSHIP 21, exhibit zero MAPROL detentions and environmental deficiencies in the US for the last three years, and comply with international environmental conventions and US ballast water regulations.
E-Zero provides a higher level of recognition within the QUALSHIP 21 program, emphasizing the US Coast Guard’s commitment to environmental stewardship and maritime excellence. To be eligible for the QUALSHIP 21 program, a non-US flagged vessel must adhere to specific criteria, including being registered to a QUALSHIP 21 qualified flag administration.
QUALSHIP 21 eligibility requires a vessel to have no substandard detentions in the US in the last 36 months, no marine violations, serious casualties, and no more than one Notice of Violation.
A successful US PSC safety exam in the last 24 months is a prerequisite for QUALSHIP 21 eligibility.
Vessels eligible for QUALSHIP 21 must not be owned or operated by any company with more than one PSC detention in the US in the last 24 months.
QUALSHIP 21 eligibility also stipulates that vessels’ statutory convention certificates cannot be issued by a targeted Recognized Organization (RO), and the USCG retains the authority to restrict eligibility in special circumstances.
Source Ionic