GUIDE FOR THE CLASS NOTATION

ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY (ES) 2001

NOTICE NO. 1 April 2003
The following Rule Changes are EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UPON PUBLICATION.

Commentary on the Revised 15.5.2

ABS has received numerous inquiries from ship owners, shipyards, designers and refrigeration system manufacturers to accept refrigerant gases where the Global Warming Potential (GWP) index exceeds 2000, which is required by the ES notation. Current refrigeration systems, which rely on noncompliant refrigerant gases are traded widely in the market place. The clear mutual understanding between industry and ABS is that such gases are to be eliminated or substituted with an appropriate gas having GWP less than 2000 by 1 January 2020. In view of this industry situation, ABS intends to provide the new special notation, ES2020 to denote that the GWP of the refrigerant gas used exceeds 2000 but that refrigerant is to be replaced with an appropriate one by 1 January 2020. This Notice becomes effective immediately on publication.

15.5

Refrigeration Systems
15.5.1 (Remains unchanged)

15.5.2 Acceptable Refrigerants (2003) Refrigeration systems are to be provided with environmentally friendly refrigerants. The use of ozone depleting refrigerants is not allowed, however, the use of hydro-chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) will be permitted until 01 January 2020. Furthermore, the use of refrigerants with Global Warming Potential index, GWP, greater than 2000 is prohibited as a condition of the notation, ES. For a refrigeration system where the use of refrigerant gases exceeds GWP of 2000, a special notation, ES2020 will be assigned provided all other conditions as required in this Guide for ES notation are met. This signifies the owners commitment to replace the existing refrigerant with one having GWP less than 2000, by the year 2020. (The rest of the requirements remain unchanged)