Year Book 2015: Progress of Marine Engineering Technology in the year 2014

9. Outfitting & Deck Machinery

9.1. Outfitting
9.1.1 Active use of 3 dimensional CAD (3D-CAD) systems and their data for engine room outfitting;
With regard to the situation of the utilization of 3D-CAD systems and so on, the author has been
introducing in the Progress of Marine Engineering Technology in the years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and
20131)-5). Nowadays 3D-CAD systems and their data have been in active use in several stages from the
basic design stage to the outfit design one such as the detailed engine room arrangement planning
shown in Fig.9.1.16).
In recent developed 3D-CAD systems many kinds of design modules for each shipbuilding stages are
linked on single database, so a modification in any stage of them can be quickly and easily propagated to
others7)-10).
The new FORAN V70R3.0 SENER has launched consists of the module FGA for the general
arrangement, the module FBASIC for the naval architecture calculations and other modules for hull
structure, outfitting, piping and for visualization of the 3D model already generated in FORAN9),10).
The general arrangement 3D model generated by the module FGA is linked intrinsically to the spaces of
the ship under construction and used for solutions in further outfitting stages.
Loading conditions and a user-defined stability criteria of the FABSIC can also be defined in the FGA.
Examples of 3D model by FORAN V70R3.0 are shown in Fig.9.1.2.

(a) Screenshot of the FGA module for basic design

Fig 9.1.1 An example of arrangement around main

engine by 3D-CAD System6)
(b) Visualization of the vessel through FVIEWER
Fig 9.1.2 Examples of 3D model by FORAN V70R3.010)

9.1.2 New technologies in a shipbuilding yard;

Tsuneishi Iron Works Co., Ltd., a member corporation of Tsuneishi Holdings Corporation, has developed
in house the automatic welding system for straight pipes11). In this system data input by an operator is
not necessary and the system can recognize welding patterns and conditions automatically. So the
operator just switches on then welding starts. 700~6000mm length medium diameter (65A~250A) size
pipes are available. This system has improved the productivity substantially
To enhance the durability of weld joint by managing the residual stress at the weld toe, new welding
systems have been developed. In order to achieve the desirable fatigue properties of weld joint without
deteriorating the productivity and the cost of manufacturing processes, JFE steel corporation has
developed the new hybrid welding process consisting of gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and plasma
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Year Book 2015: Progress of Marine Engineering Technology in the year 2014

welding12). Fig.9.1.3. shows its overview. By controlling the polarity of the leading GMAW electrode and
the trailing plasma welding electrode, the weld bead results in a wide and low smooth surface profile.
Moreover, offsetting the trailing plasma welding electrode is effective on the smoothening the weld toe
profile on the offset side. These mitigates the stress concentration at weld toe and exhibits the fatigue
strength approximately twice as much as that of conventional CO2 gas shielded arc welding.
The demonstration test of Laser-Arc hybrid welding system was held by Namura shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
13). Fig.9.1.4 shows its overview. This is the one of the tests introducing the new strain-less high speed
welding system for building merchant vessels mainly made of thick steel plates. The test was carried out
using a 5m length member and got good bead but there was a problem with grooving accurately. More
tests are going to be continued toward practical use.
IHI Corporation has been trying to build a new system for easy real time sharing of information about
work instructing and work performance by using tablet personal computers in factories or at installation
site instead of instruction documents or performance reports14). The user environment for using tablet
PCs is to be constructed by creating on screen an Excel-based common format sheet for easy date
input/output. At present in welding yards of IHI Corporation work performances are gathered through
tablet PCs in real time. This method makes it easy to gather and tabulate work progresses and then
makes it possible to understand the situation, to analyze the cause of delay and to take countermeasures
in a short time. Conventionally when troubles occurred in yards staffs went to the site and made
accident reports. Then the repots were delivered or circulated among the parties concerned. This method
took a long time to share information, to analyze the cause and to take countermeasures. But now the
system has been built that a comment written on site about the accident with a picture taken by a
Tablet PC's camera is mailed to the party and the system has enabled quick sharing, analyzing and
coping.
There are many newly developed technologies for maintenance of steel production plants or ocean rigs,
some of them mentioned below will be utilized for outfitting and maintenance of ships in future. The
non-overhaul valve inspection and diagnostic system using ultrasonic technique named PASS15) , the
piping inspection system using infrared thermography16), the internal welded pipe inspection device
comprising a self-propelled vehicle named WeldChecker17), the thickness measuring instrument using
eddy current named PEC18). Fig.9.1.5 shows PASS (Phased Array Sequence Scanning) kit and its
inspection data image, and Fig.9.1.6 shows the overview of WeldChecker.

Fig 9.1.3 Setup illustration of plasma-arc hybrid welding12)

Fig 9.1.4 Laser-arc hybrid welding13)

Fig 9.1.6 The WeldChecker system17)

Fig 9.1.5 PASS Kit and inspection data image15)

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9.1.3 Various outfitting equipments;

Fig.9.1.7 shows the leak-free non-welded prefabricated pressure proof pipe connection system of
GS-Hydro Corporation. This system covers tubes with an outside diameter of 16 to 609mm, the highest
allowed operating pressure being 690bar. Prefabricated pipes with bending, coating, etc. can be
fabricated in advance in exclusive workshops with the ideal machinery and by professional personnel.
This makes accurate and reliable pipe connection in a short installation time compared to welded
connection19).
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), the Monohakobi Technology Institute (MTI) and Semco Ltd.
have jointly developed Honesty, a tank sounding device20),21). Fig.9.1.8 shows its overview. The device is
lightweight and portable, and it works on standard batteries. The sensor installed at the top end of the
measure for tank sounding touches the liquid surface and simultaneously detects accurately the
distance between the sensor and the surface. This significantly streamlines tank sounding process and
improves measuring efficiency. Moreover, the sensor does not react to bubbles on the liquid surface, so
an accurate measurement of the quantity of bunkered oil is provided, even when cappuccino bunker
occurs. The device can measure colorless and transparent liquid, including lubricating oil, ballast water,
and bilge, in addition to fuel oil.

Fig 9.1.7 Leak-free high-pressure piping system19)

Fig 9.1.8 Honesty21)

9.2 Deck machinery;

9.2.1 Power unit of recent deck machineries;
The motivation of movement from electro-hydro system to full electrically-driven system in deck
machineries is mostly the desire of ship owners for economical and environmental friendly operation.
Full electrically-driven system eliminates hydraulic piping and reduces installation time for outfitting.
Eliminating of sizable design work for equipments of hydraulic system means that the deck design can
be accomplished more quickly and that there is more flexibility in planning for the installation of other
deck equipments. These are also merits for shipyards. Naturally move to full electrical operation
increases cabling and electrical work and requires some skill, so consequently some training is needed
for the electricians22).
Otherwise the modern market demands quick turnaround times, so hatch cover sizes are increasing
while their operating times are decreasing. This requires powerful electric motors for conventional
electro-hydraulic deck machinery operating systems. For a heavy-duty electric motor the starting
current peak can be up to ten times its operating current at nominal running output power, and so it is
important on the ship's electrical supply management to reduce this peak. MacGregor has developed
new electric starter cabinet with an intelligent function that avoids starting current peak, and it also
reduces stresses on mechanical and hydraulic components23). A ship has a closed electrical system and
current peaks may cause disturbances elsewhere in the system. Therefore it is not good to repeat
start/stop sequences of electric equipments with high starting current peak. This cabinet reduces peak
current and make the hydraulic power unit stand-by condition not at work. Then it reduces the
temperature of the oil, which in turn prolongs the oil's working life. And it also means less wear for the
main components. Fig.9.2.1 shows the controlled starting current peak by the device.
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Fig 9.2.1 Start up currents in comparison

with nominal current23)

9.2.2 New deck machineries;

MacGregor has signed to deliver their first fully electric heavy-lift cranes for Danish operator24). They
have variable frequency drive (VFD) systems and are to be installed in pairs on a series of eight 12,000
dwt multipurpose vessels built at Chinese shipyard.
IKNOW MACHINERY Co., Ltd. has developed the new fully electric-driven flat-type grab bucket crane
as the next-generation crane for the coastal cargo ship conventionally equipped a gat crane25). The grab
open/shut operation is driven by also electric motors and the crane is operated by inverter control system.
It leads to easy operation through a joy stick control function and makes continuous operation possible.
The company also manufactured a fully electric-driven 30t-4rope crane shown in Fig.9.2.2 as one of the
world's largest crane for grab loading and delivered to the barge for transshipping coals26). The crane can
grab 20m3 of coal at a time and has performance of 20m slewing radius, twice slewing speed and 4 times
hoisting speed of conventional cranes. Fully electric-driven system was adopted considering 24 hours
continuous operation under severe environmental condition in the tropical regions.
Huisman has developed the Hybrid Boom Crane, a heavy lift offshore crane with deep and ultra-deep
water subsea construction capabilities27)-29). Fig.9.2.3 shows its overview. It was formerly named Rope
Luffing Knuckle Boom Crane. This crane has good operability on the harsh ocean without the
disadvantages of conventional knuckle boom cranes, such as the heavy boom that affects the crane load
curves and impacts ship stability. The new crane offers a large capacity at outreach and a high lifting
height. Furthermore, the boom of the crane can be stored vertically saving valuable deck space. The
main hoisting system comprises a winch system and a separate Active Heave Compensation System.
This means both lifting/lowering and heave compensation can occur simultaneously with no
performance interdependency, resulting in a better overall system performance and increased safety.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Marine Machinery & Engine Co., Ltd. has delivered three 50t deck cranes
with a synchronous control system for a long-cargo transport vessel constructed by Shin Kurushima
Dockyard Co., Ltd. 30),31). Fig.9.2.4 shows its overview. The three cranes, which were arranged at
intervals of approximately 50m along a 155m hold, have a synchronous control system that enables
simultaneous and uniform control of three deck cranes' synchronized hoisting and lifting operations by a
single operator. The cranes can be operated not only from the cabin but also remotely from the deck.
This enables the stable and efficient loading and unloading of large quantities of 150m-long steel rails at
full size conventionally divided and transported. Moreover this system has other functions for safety as
follows. A function that enables switching of the hook control reference position to either the hull or the
wharf for cargo handling irrespective of the hull's inclination. An automatic stop function as an overload
protection system. A synchro-fail function that halts operation when the deviation of the hook position
between the three cranes exceeds its tolerance. A function to provide operation priority to the controller
of either the cabin or the deck.
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Fig 9.2.3 Huisman's Hybrid Boom Crane29)

Fig 9.2.2 Full electric-drive 30ton-4rope grab crane25)

Fig 9.2.4 Deck crane with synchronized control functions31)

Fig 9.2.5 OSV operation simulator33)

9.2.3 Deck machinery simulators;

In general replaced new deck machineries have new functions, so some of the manufacturers supply a
simulator with a machinery. This enables the crew to become skilled in various operations using it
during any spare time onboard32). To train crews in dynamic positioning (DP) of OSV(Offshore Support
Vessels) and ocean rigs or in cable manipulation on aft decks of seismic vessels, various simulators are
being developed33),34). Fig.9.2.5 shows one of them.
9.2.4 Other deck facilities;
An motion compensated helideck (MCH) has been developed to increase the window for helicopter
landing opportunities on offshore platforms28),35). Bayards Aluminium Constructions B.V. has paired up
with Barge Master B.V.. Fig.9.2.6 shows its overview. Barge Master's technology measures vessel
motions and actively compensates one translation (heave) and two rotations (roll and pitch) by means of
three hydraulic cylinders. Two translations (surge and sway) and one rotation (yaw) of the vessel or
barge can be constrained by using a dynamic positioning system (DPS) and so on35).
As a newly designed superstructure and so on which bring energy efficiency were introduced in the
Progress of Marine Engineering Technology in the years 2012 and 201336),37), and since then, practical
technologies for raising additional value of new vessels have been continuously studied.
Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and the Engineering Research Department of Hiroshima University
Graduate School concluded in June, 2014, a comprehensive research cooperation agreement, aiming to
develop technologies for ship design and environmental conservation. Since then, this cooperation has
continued for 10 years and based on the results of this research, Tsuneishi Shipbuilding has put on the
market the TESS64 AEROLINE , a newly designed 63,700t-type bulk carrier38)-41).
JMU has also delivered PELOREUS the next generation energy-saving bulk carrier, which has adopted
a low wind pressure superstructure developed on the results of research in Universal Shipbuilding, one
of the two companies created JMU by integration42),43).
There has been a marked downturn in the frequency of pirate attacks in recent times off the coast of
Somalia by the deployment of international naval forces. But it is impossible to predict whether or not
this trend will continue into the future and now ship owners are investing in new passive anti-pirate
security systems44),45). They are deterrent systems consist of barriers or ballistic blinds. Guardian
Maritime Limited and Marine Armor System is two of the companies developing those systems46)-48).
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Year Book 2015: Progress of Marine Engineering Technology in the year 2014

Fig.9.2.7 shows the overview of the GUARDIAN Guardian's anti-piracy barrier system46),47). The
GUARDIAN is composed of plastic barriers made from a polymer with a high level of UV protection,
resistant to a wide range of chemicals and oils etc, and will remain robust over the high temperature
range. The GUARDIAN profile makes it virtually impossible for pirates to climb over onto deck. A
single unit or section can be removed or refitted in minutes, for operations such as mooring or vessel
maintenance. Furthermore it can be easily swapped between vessels.
Norsafe AS has designed the Maxima-120 a new totally enclosed lifeboat (TELB) which is the largest
one in its history and the GES-21 a new TELB which takes up less deck space than other lifeboat
davits49),50). The Maxima-120 is a 12m-long lifeboat with a capacity of 150 persons. It also has features
like integrated longitudinal double stiffeners in the hull for added strength and possibilities for large
engines and bow thrusters. Overviews of these boats are shown in Fig.9.2.8 (a) and (b) respectively.
Norsafe has opened two new training centers in Norway and Greece49). The center in Greece is focusing
on training for ships crew and the other center in Norway on the free-fall type lifeboat training for
offshore rig's crew. In addition the latter has a test tower and they can conduct free-fall tests without
any assistance from crane ships. Fig.9.2.8(c) shows its overview49).

Fig 9.2.6 Motion Compensated Helideck35)

Fig 9.2.7 Guardian anti-piracy barriers47)

(a) Maxima-120

(b) GES21

(c) Test tower in Norway

Fig 9.2.8 Norsafe new boats and the test tower49) ,50)

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45)
46)
47)
48)
49)
50)

Shipping World & Shipbuilder, (July/August 2014), 32-33.

Guardian Maritime Limited, News Letter, Vol.1(Spring 2015)
Guardian Maritime Limited, HP, Web brochures, http://www.guardian-maritime.com/
Maritime Armor System, HP, Web brochures, http://www.maritimearmorsystem.com/
Norsafe AS, HP Web news(2014.8.21), http://www.norsafe.com/.
Norsafe AS, HP Web news(2015.3.31), http://www.norsafe.com/.
(Written by Hajime Yoshida)

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