%0 Journal Article
%T Efficient Ships: Some Present Trends and Practices
%A Rajoo Balaji
%A Saharuddin Hamid
%J Journal of Sustainability Science and Management
%D 2010
%I 
%X Shipping business trends have generally been cyclic, given the high debt-to-equity ratio of the business. After facing a low, shipping has looked up in the beginning of this century and is reaching new highs. The last decade of the twentieth century witnessed incidents and issues having greater bearing on shipping, particularly in safety and performance optimisation. Since the oil crisis of the seventies in the last century and considering the share of fuel in operating costs going up to 70-75%, the focus has been on fuel efficiency. Also, technological advancement has been trying to keep pace with stricter environmental laws. With rising costs and competition, shipping companies are compelled to reinvent better management techniques. It is imperative such factors are looked at from time to time. The Paper has attempted to highlight some trends of recent decades in ship building, ship¡¯s equipment and ship operations. Table1 highlights some advantages for the ship-owner with the current trends.
%U http://jssm.umt.edu.my/files/2012/05/15.Jun10.pdf