International classification society RINA is focussing its efforts on helping shipowners to face up to heightened environmental expectations. At a seminar held today during Posidonia, after a welcome by Spyridon Zolotas -Country Manager for Greece –  RINA’s head of Innovation and Research, Andrea Cogliolo, showed shipowners how a step-by-step approach to fuel saving could reduce overall energy costs and also assist compliance with regulations. He also highlighted how an index-based approach such as RINA’s Green Plus scheme could improve environmental performance and minimise cost by helping owners make appropriate choices of technology and operational practices.

Cogliolo, explaining how RINA’s experience with gas and its new rules could help owners to adopt this option, introduced Mr Giulio Tirelli, Wartsila Director Business Development. He showed shipowners how moving to LNG as a fuel could improve both economic and environmental results, and highlighted the progress made in setting up LNG as fuel for marine engines. He gave an overview on the current LNG market situation and touched upon emission impacts and possible future developments.

Ballast Water Treatment is a major concern for shipowners today, so RINA used the seminar to explain how the IMO regulations work, highlight pitfalls for owners and point them towards appropriate solutions for their vessels.

Andreas Papalimneos, Piraeus Training Centre Manager, presented the new RINA Training Centre in Greece, which delivers a wide range of courses for shipowners and operators. All are aimed at strengthening the most vital resource for shipowners, the human factor.

At a separate ceremony Ugo Salerno, Chairman and CEO of RINA, presented Mr Nicky Pappadakis with a commemorative shield in thanks for his service as Chairman of RINA Hellenic Advisory Committee from 2006 to 2011.

Today the RINA-classed Greek fleet tops 280 vessels totalling 4.5 MGT, and the Group provides a local plan approval service and consultancy support in Piraeus. The current fleet is well diversified with a strong presence in each sector – bulk, dry cargo, tanker, passenger, warships and service craft.

Thanks to its experience in the passenger ferry RINA acquired a leading position in this sector. Today, RINA is consolidating its position also in the tanker sector, with a growth of ten per cent by dwt during 2011.
RINA has had a presence in Greece for over 20 years and is a well-known certification body providing international certification schemes such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, SA 8000, ISO 27001 and several code of conduct standards.