Highlights.

Issue 57/2013

PAGE Make A Difference on LNG

8 –9 AFKAB,
collaboration project with Sirius Shipping, Viking Line, DNV,
PREEM and the Swedish Shipowners’ Association.

SEAMAN simulations Port of Rotterdam E-Fleet

improve fairway, port maneuvers in SSPA´s A strategic decision support
tool for energy-efficient fleet
planning and design simulator lab design.
An upgrade of our in-house tools. Optimize to improve accessibility.

Page 2 –3 Page 4–5 Page 10–11

Large Area Propeller Prediction of under- Marine transport in

(LAP) water radiated noise the Stockholm
SSPA is one of 21 partners in Testing tools in a benchmark Bypass project
the STREAMLINE project. study. Risk analysis, evaluations and
costings.
Page 6 –7 Page 12–13 Page 14–16
Highlights.
Susanne Abrahamsson
President
SEAMAN simulations improve
fairway, port planning and design
Designing a new port, or modifying an existing one, are complicated processes
involving many stakeholders and even more fields of expertise. Using the
expertise of mariners, infrastructural planners, logistics experts, environmental
Knowledge as a tool experts and a few dozen more fields of expertise these projects are truly a
multi-disciplinary endeavor. SSPA’s staff of mariners, risk analysts, plus
As a company SSPA is growing, both in size
maneuvering and port management experts have, for more than 40 years, been
and in adding new knowledge. The main focus
areas in which we work include: involved in many port infrastructure projects, in order to provide customers
• acting as a bridge between research and with efficient and safe operational solutions. At present SSPA has upgraded its
implementation in the maritime industry in-house simulation tools, with specific focus on adequate mathematical
• optimizing for energy efficiency while modeling and virtual reality, all in order to meet customers’ needs for optimized
keeping environmental, financial, human and
solutions, flexibility and rapid response.
technology factors in mind and
• ensuring sustainable development through
proper risk management.
Our vision is unchanged as we strive to be
recognized as your most rewarding partner for
innovative and sustainable maritime develop-
ment. To be able to reach this vision we have
defined four core values that we as a compa-
ny believe in and live by. One of them is to
use our knowledge as a tool producing both
holistic overviews as well as offering specific
expertise.

In this issue of Highlights you will find a

selection of articles describing some of the
things that are going on at SSPA. You will
find the latest results from work on the tool
for energy efficient fleet design and what we
are doing with regards to URN “prediction of
underwater radiated noise” as well as large
area propellers. There’s also an introduction
to the Stockholm Bypass project in which
SSPA is contracted in the work on future
maritime transport solutions.
We have broadened our maritime simula-
The SEAMAN simulation tool offers flexibility and rapid response. Here a test of a tug situation at
tion capacity and have rebuilt our simulation a given time.
facilities, where both the main ship and tugs
can be maneuvered simultaneously. To understand customers’ needs and problems, Various missions
A first workshop has been held in one of the SSPA invites them to an open and professional A simulation program is always tailor-made.
Zero Vision Tool projects, Make A Difference, dialogue. This is where the best use of SEAMAN If the most efficient solution is a set of fast-time
where the world’s first ship-to-ship LNG bunker- simulations can help resolve key issues. Since simulations, desktop simulations or even full
ing vessel Seagas, the LNG fuelled passenger SEAMAN is designed for this, it can handle a mission with separately controlled tugs they can
ferry Viking Grace and Ports of Stockholm were number of customer concerns: bank and shallow all be simulated using SEAMAN, using the same
visited and safety issues and regulations were water effects, stratified and time variable advanced dynamic models of ships and fairways.
discussed with regards to building a shipping currents, wind and wave effects, etc. SEAMAN Sometimes the right solution might also be an
infrastructure for Liquid Natural Gas. is designed as a tool to help solve our custo- incremental one, which starts with desktop simula-
mers’ concerns and our simulation experts are tions and ends with a full mission environment.
Do not hesitate to contact us, with feedback, very well versed in its capabilities. It is also im- However all the simulations are performed in
comments or questions. We hope you enjoy portant to understand and see the broader picture, different configurations of SEAMAN, with
issue 57 of SSPA Highlights! to understand its purpose in order to provide consistency of the different simulations guaran-
clients with results and recommendations. teed by the use of the same core software and

the same dynamic ship models during the entire
project.
To reach a good, optimized solution, close
cooperation and dialog between SSPA and the
customer is promoted. This also covers exchange
of geospatial data, hydrological data, meteoro-
logical data, etc. Fortunately, SEAMAN handles
all of the common formats for the above data.
When modeling ships, SEAMAN has a built-in
capability of ship modeling, the SHIPGEN and
software, that draws on the thousands of model
tests taken at our facilities, as well as the expe-
rience of our experts. The SHIPGEN software
is completely integrated with SEAMAN. This
provides the highest fidelity of modeled ships
and environments, used by our experts.
Executing
The execution of simulations can take place
wherever it is most convenient, either in SSPA’s
own simulation lab or at the customer’s office,
in order to open up for a wider range of involved
representatives.
The environment in which the simulated
ships operate is complex and the people parti-
cipating in the simulations usually have creative
ideas that come from the last simulation perfor-
med. After a simulation a pilot might say: “We
will never get into the harbor using the planned
manoeuver, but what if we moved this buoy to
that place, and try this maneuver instead. Then
the ship might enter safely”. Since these types
of request are common, SEAMAN is designed
with flexibility for changes, and our simulation
experts, together with port representatives, will
keep the integrity of the simulations results
intact, making sure that the results can still be
used to answer the customer’s initial questions.
Highlights 57/ 2013 – SEAMAN simulations 3
Photo Jim Sandkvist
Deliverables questions even better, faster and more efficiently.
The reports from simulations will be focused SSPA is not primarily selling a simulation;
on the initially defined needs and answers we sell port efficiency, safe operations, cost
requested. They may focus on operational limits effective solutions – with all the responsibility
due to weather, the need for tugs, are safety that comes from that commitment.
levels improved when using escort tugs versus
costs, operational manuals, etc.
SSPA is also fully aware of the importance
of who will be the reader; will it be onboard
officers? permitting authorities? investors? The
answers contain the Pilots and SSPA maneuve-
ring experts’ opinions and conclusions on the
safety of each simulation, as well as a grade, or
Safety Index, automatically calculated by
SEAMAN. The Safety Index takes into account
available margins expressed as variables such as
distance to the edge of fairway, use of rudder,
engine and a number of other factors.
Your solution partner
The SEAMAN simulator is based on decades
of development by ship maneuvering experts,
who have drawn on decades of model scale tests Jim Sandkvist
at our own facilities, customer cooperation and Vice President.
nationally and internationally funded research He graduated from Lund
programs. University of Technology,
Over the past two years SSPA has made major Civil Engineering, in 1975
efforts to make this hydrodynamic knowledge and was then employed
more accessible to its customers by developing a as a research engineer dealing with arctic
more powerful and flexible simulation engine, a engineering at Luleå University of Tech-
more customizable bridge layout, 3D visualiza- nology, where he also presented his thesis
tion, and a multitude of other important updates. on accelerated ice growth in ship channels.
He has been employed at SSPA since 1984,
While we are passionate about the state-of-the-
working primarily in the marine environment
art technology behind these it is not in itself our
field.
goal. The goal is, as it has always been, to help
customers in their daily work, business and Contact information:
future planning. Having developed these tools Direct: +46 31 772 90 78
just means that we meet clients’ needs and Email: jim.sandkvist@sspa.se
4 Highlights 57/ 2013 – Port of Rotterdam

Linus Aldebjer
Project Manager.
He studied Engineering
Physics at Chalmers

Port of Rotterdam maneuvres in

University of Technology.
Previously he worked as
Software Architect at Saab Underwater

SSPA´s simulator lab gives higher Systems, Motala, Sweden. Since he was
employed at SSPA in January 2011, he has

accessibility for large tankers been leading the work to upgrade SSPA’s
simulation tool, SEAMAN. He has also been
involved in various research projects
SSPA was contracted by the Port of Rotterdam to improve the maneuverability developing route optimization and mathe-
matical modeling.
for large tankers at the Port and to optimize dredging requirements to
Contact information:
improve accessibility for large tankers into the Botlek area. The customer put Direct: +46 31 772 90 77
very high demands on model accuracy regarding vessel behavior, operating Email: linus.aldebjer@sspa.se
in very shallow waters and under stressed tidal and multilevel current varia-
tions. Effective and flexible simulation tools giving pilots high accessibility
was of the utmost importance. The project was a challenge for SSPA’s experts
due to the advanced modeling of stratified current patterns to be carried out
using the well-established SEAMAN simulation tool. At the same time, it
would be the maiden voyage for SSPA´s new and improved simulation lab.

Currents
The current is always a concern when maneuver-
ing a vessel in the Port of Rotterdam and the
pilots who work there have extensive know-
ledge of the current at different times during its
24-hour cycle. In order to improve accessibility
and safety for large tankers into the Port of
Rotterdam, hypothetical future scenarios had to
be analyzed and questions answered: how will
dredging change the current situation and how
would this affect pilots maneuvering vessels
into the area? The Port Authority had developed
a very advanced CFD model of the currents in
the harbor area. Very high-resolution current
patterns in the harbor were presented in four
dimensions, time and space.
How much would the proposed dredging
increase the maneuverability of vessels entering
the port, and what would this mean for accessi-
bility? How many more vessels would be able
to enter during a high water period after the
dredging?
The key issues were defined and highlighted
immediately. Realistic vessel behavior was
extremely important for reliable simulation
results. Furthermore, due to the huge variation of
currents over depth and position at the port area,
correct modeling of the currents’ influence on
the vessel was another critical issue to achieve
that realism. SSPA´s SEAMAN Software and
SSPA´s considerable knowledge in modeling
shallow water operations could meet the vessel-
maneuvering modeling required. The project
plan and number of variations to be simulated
demanded high flexibility in layouts and condi-
tions, as well as high accessibility.
Customized lab set up
The tool used for simulations at SSPA is
SEAMAN, as described earlier in Highlights.
SSPA’ s simulation tool has been developed
in-house for 30 years, drawing on decades of
theoretical and practical research, as well as
model scale tests carried out in SSPA’s basins.
It is used for all types of simulations in different
configurations: fast-time, desktop, full mission,
or in any other variant that is needed to solve
the customer’s problem. It is truly a bespoke
simulation tool.
SEAMAN was used to set up two bridges,
one full mission bridge with a 300° view, and
one designated tug bridge with a 150° view,
both located in SSPA´s simulator lab. In addition
to the tug-bridge, up to three automatic tugs
controlled by the simulator operator were used.
 Highlights 57/ 2013 – Port of Rotterdam 5

The Botlek area of Rotterdam was built up to pro-

vide both visual models to the bridge view and
input to SEAMAN’s mathematical models of the
influence of banks and depths on the vessels. Mo-
difications were made in SEAMAN to handle the
detailed current model provided by the customer.
Two sets of typical simulations were carried out
– one with the more detailed current model and
one without. Comparison of these two results
made it clear that the customer had been correct
in their first assumption, correct modeling of the
complex current patterns in this area significant-
ly improved the accuracy of the simulation.
SEAMAN was modified to handle a fourdimen-
sional current model. This was the first real time
simulation tool able to handle this that the
customer was aware of.

Simulations
Two skilled pilots recruited from the
“Loodsweezen” together with a tugboat captain
and port representative, carried out the simula-
tions in close cooperation with SSPA´s maneuver-
ing experts. Models were created and used of
four different types of vessel and two different
tugboats.
For each simulation, the opinion of the
mariners of the outcome of the simulation was
compared with SSPA’s margin-based Safety
Index calculations. SSPA’s project manager and
nautical experts compiled results to answer the
Port of Rotterdam’s initial question: How much
will accessibility to the harbor increase with the
modifications?
Answering the customer’s question
After two weeks of successful simulations
and analysis, the results were quantified and a
“window of opportunity” for docking was created
for each port configuration and type of vessel.
The challenge when entering or departing the Botlek area is to maneuver in multilevel currents
with major variations due to tidal and weather conditions. On the basis of current information and
modeling provided by the customer, various dredging alternatives were modeled in SEAMAN
and simulated in SSPA´s simulation lab.
This was the answer to the customer’s question. This demanding and challenging project showed
SSPA’s long tradition of simulations, the decades the capability and flexibility of SSPA´s modern
of experience in vessel dynamics, the modifica- simulation lab and well-established modeling re-
tions made to fit this particular project, sources, all of which have been set up to provide
as well as close cooperation with the the customer with reliable answers.
customer, all gave credibility to the After SSPA presented the final
results. But the ultimate proof report the Port of Rotterdam was
was from the professional confident they had enough
This demanding
experts in vessel manoeuvring background information to
at the Port of Rotterdam –
and challenging project make a decision. It was
the pilots operating there. showed the capability decided to dredge the “thorn”
“After the initial calibra- and flexibility of SSPA´s portion of the investigated
tions, the behavior of the modern simulation lab area, as this would increase
vessels was very realistic,” accessibility for large tankers
said Jose Van Rijsewijk, a pilot significantly.
at the Port.
6 Highlights 57/ 2013 – Streamline Large Area Propulsion

Björn Allenström
Vice President.
He graduated (M.Sc.)
from Chalmers University
of Technology in 1976

Large Area Propeller and has been employed

at SSPA since then, except for a two-year
break. He has been involved in several
In 2012-2013 SSPA carried out a number of model tests in the EU project research and development projects over the
STREAMLINE, using a new concept called ‘Large Area Propeller’ (LAP). years in the field of hydrodynamics, but most
Compared with conventional propeller designs, the LAP is placed behind of his work has focused on propulsion
problems.
the transom. This means that the size of the LAP propeller is not limited
Contact information:
by the clearance to the hull. This will enable new propeller designs making Direct: +46 31 772 90 66
it possible to achieve very high levels of efficiency, but runs the risk of E-mail: bjorn.allenstrom@sspa.se
propeller ventilation.

The first LAP concept design. This design includes a conventional sized rudder. For the final High levels of efficiency using large
design the rudder was prolonged to keep a straight course without using rudder angles. The propellers
structure holding the rudder is preliminary, for functionality in the model tests.
An 8,000 DWT tanker was used for this study.
The main idea with the LAP concept was of
course to increase the total efficiency of the
STREAMLINE ship, and the towing tank tests carried out at
SSPA confirmed that this is the case. Compared
Stands for STrategic REsearch for innovAtive Marine propuLsIoN concEpts
with the reference vessel that used a conven-
(www.streamline-project.eu), and is a EUR 10.9 million project within the tional propeller location and design, the LAP
EU’s 7th Framework programme’s Sustainable Surface Transport. The project concepts showed a power reduction from 6% at
is led by Rolls-Royce, and focuses on propulsion. SSPA Sweden AB is one low speed (10 knots) up to 17% at the highest
of 21 partners, and as a work package leader mainly involved in the LAP test speed of 16 knots. Of course, the increase in
concept, water-jet development and advanced pods. Other major partners total efficiency mainly comes from an increase
in propeller efficiency caused by the much larger
involved in the LAP concept are Chalmers University of Technology, which
LAP. The possible drawbacks using such a large
carried out extensive CFD optimizations and of course Rolls-Royce which propeller is that the propeller tips will fall below
was responsible for the design. the base line, with a greater risk of damage in
shallow waters and a greater risk of propeller
ventilation.

Only a very slight tip vortex could be detected during the cavitation test.
Ventilation a possible problem
Even though propeller to hull clearance is no
longer an issue, when placing the propeller aft
of the transom, the distance between propeller
and water surface will still be an important
design aspect. Putting the propeller too close to
the waterline can result in problems with venti-
lation and in the most extreme cases, propeller
blades will even come out of the water. The tests
in SSPA’s towing tank have however shown that
ventilation will not be a problem in calm water.
It seems that the wave pattern behind the ship
will have a positive effect, where the propeller
is located under a wave peak.
Extensive tests have also been carried out in
SSPA’s towing tank and at the Maritime Dyna-
mics Laboratory, to examine what will happen
when wind waves are present. Propellers will
experience tougher working environments at
sea. The wave motion, as well as the motion
of the ship will vary the flow to the propeller.
The flow variation will lead to a corresponding
variation in thrust and torque. From the tests,
it seems that the LAP will have a higher torque
variation, compared to the reference vessel
using a conventional propeller location and
design. This will be a structural engineering
challenge with the LAP concept.
Highlights 57/ 2013 – Streamline Large Area Propulsion 7
Propeller blade out of the water
at seakeeping tests in the Maritime
Dynamics Laboratory with 5 m
significant wave height.
Tough environment for the propeller in seakeeping tests during ventilation.
Almost cavitation free Martin Alexandersson
Tests in SSPA’s cavitation tunnel revealed the Project Manager.
expected, namely very little cavitation. At Graduated with an M.Sc.
design condition only a very slight tip vortex in Naval Architecture
from the Royal Institute
could be detected. Still, however, pressure pulses
of Technology in 2009. He
could be detected at the transom of the ship. The
previously worked as a Project Engineer for
pulses are created by the non-cavitation pressure
Rolls-Royce Propulsion in Ulsteinvik,
variations, coming from the propeller. Showing Norway. Since being employed at SSPA in
very little cavitation, this solution is to be regar- November 2011, he has been involved in
ded as very environmentally-friendly, as well various research and consultancy projects in
as having no risk to either propeller or rudder seakeeping and maneuvering.
erosion damage. Contact information:
Direct: +46 31 772 90 32
Will the market agree? E-mail: martin.alexandersson@sspa.se
We have shown that there is good potential for
saving fuel using the LAP concept. We have also Erik Wiberger
investigated and quantified some of the possible Project Manager.
risks and engineering challenges. The initial cost Graduated with an M.Sc.
for this concept will inevitably be higher, due to in Naval Architecture from
its greater size and torque. It will be very inte- Chalmers University of
resting to see if the market agrees to this greater Technology in 2010. He
initial cost, to achieve significant fuel reduction was previously employed as a Graduate
of around 15%. Trainee at Rolls-Royce Marine, Norway. He
joined SSPA in May 2012 and works mainly
with project management, towing tank testing
and hull design.
Contact information:
Direct: +46 31 772 90 85
E-mail: erik.wiberger@sspa.se
8 Highlights 57/ 2013 – Make a Difference
Make A Difference on LNG
The introduction of the SECAs (Sulphur Emission Control Areas) is resulting
in some challenges for ship owners and ports trading in the north of Europe.
The forthcoming LNG infrastructure in ports provides the opportunity
of using LNG as a fuel for ships sailing mainly within SECA areas. This
collaboration project on LNG-fuelled vessels, harmonizing with ports, is
financed by TEN-T and led by SSPA.
Regulations and guidelines are in place for
LNG-fuelled and LNG-laden vessels. The IMO
IGF Interim regulations are used for gas-driven
ships and IMO IGC code for gas carriers that
have been applied for e.g. Seagas, the world’s
first LNG bunkering vessel. The regulations for
bunkering operations are partly included in the
local port regulations.
In order to make LNG more widely used, ship
owners have to make sure that the preconditions
and requirements in the different ports are
conformed with, i.e. that the national or harbor
regulations in each port are consistent and that
bunkering with the same vessel will be possible
in each port. Technical equipment needs to
have certain standardization in order to have
couplings, vapor return lines, or data links that
are compatible.
Economically it is important to ship owners that
bunkering can take place while loading/unloading
the vessel with passengers or cargo. The priority
of safety sets certain limitations and the view of
national authorities and harbors varies.
The Make A Difference project aims to research
all these challenges and find suitable solutions
for LNG fuelled vessels. Project partners
include: Sirius Shipping, Viking Line, DNV,
FKAB, the Swedish Shipowners’ Association,
PREEM and SSPA. The project is supported
by the Ports of Stockholm and Skangass, MAN
and the Finnish Shipowners’ Association.
The project consists of six main activities:
Activity 1:
LNG certification process for vessels and
operators
The objective of this activity is to use the IMO
guidelines (Resolution MSC.285(86); Interim
Guidelines on Safety for Natural Gas-fuelled
engine installations in ships) in a real case,
where the input from port countries will also be
incorporated. The suggested regulations in the
draft “International Code of Safety for Gas-fuel-
led Ships” (IGF Code) that is under development
at IMO will also be used and analyzed during
the work.
This work will aim for certification of a
specific vessel. This way, the practical problems
Johannes Hüffmeier
Project Manager.
He graduated as an
Engineer in Naval
Architecture and Ocean
Engineering (Diplom-
Ingenieur Schiffbau und Meerestechnik)
from Hamburg-Harburg Technical University
in 2007 and joined SSPA after graduation.
Since then he has been project manager in
risk analysis and marine safety projects, as
well as ships maneuvering simulation
studies. He has also worked with developing
SSPA’s simulation, calculation and risk
programs and tools.
Contact information:
Direct: +46 31 772 90 27
E-mail: johannes.huffmeier@sspa.se
Approx. 100 delegates from 14 countries atten-
ded the first Workshop ”Ship-to-Ship bunkering
of LNG – Safety in theory and in real life” . The
workshop was held in the Port of Stockholm
and onboard MS Viking Grace. Pictured here is
a visit to the LNG bunkering vessel Seagas.
and possible conflicting requirements can be
identified and suggestions for changes/improve-
ments in the regulations can be made.
A safety assessment will be done based on the
suggested design for the EVOlution vessel. This
will create a template for future safety assess-
ments of new designs. Where assessments show
design flaws these will be handled by the design
team in their continued work.
From the vessel operator’s perspective a study
will be done to identify all rules and regulations
relevant for the design of a LNG-fuelled vessel.
Since this field is under development within the
IMO and at regional/national level, the activity
will be going on during the whole project’s
duration. The study will be done at international,
regional, national and local levels. Safety
assessment aspects from sub-activity 1.1 will be
incorporated in this sub-activity.
If the assessment above shows that the rules
and recommendations are unsatisfactory for the
practical design and analysis of a gas fuelled-
vessel, these shortcomings will be documented
and forwarded to the IMO and EU.

Activity 2:
Harmonization of the land-based and
sea-based regulative and permission
application process for LNG bunkering
Ship owners face regulations and technical
limitations in ports when bunkering LNG. This
activity aims at finding ways of harmonizing the
regulations and technical solutions for bunke-
ring, making the process easier for both ports
and ship owners.
From a ship owner’s perspective, the regula-
tions and the planning and permit process will
be analyzed and described, putting focus on the
needs of the ship owner, and the demands for
LNG implementation and bunkering.
The expected results from this activity include
recommendations and guidelines on actions to
be taken to adjust the national system, extending
across several national authorities with respon-
sibility over land and water issues, and thus
harmonizing the demands put on ship owners.
The guidelines will also include the land-based
infrastructure and the necessary permit process,
focusing specifically on the importance of
cooperation between all stakeholders in the LNG
infrastructure planning process.
Activity 3:
Selection and demonstration of environ-
mentally-efficient solutions for LNG-
fuelled vessels
Many ships built today are far from optimal
when it comes to energy efficiency and environ-
mental performance. Selecting the most suitable
available technology will bring significant
improvements.
This activity foresees the preparation of an
inventory of available and emerging technologi-
es, focusing on LNG. Some of the identified so-
lutions will be implemented and demonstrated in
the design of the EVOlution vessel. The expec-
ted results from this activity include an inventory
of existing and emerging environmentally-ef-
ficient technologies, a list of feasible solutions
and a ranking of technologies from a technical,
efficient and financial perspective. Areas where
solutions are missing or underdeveloped will be
identified. Implementation strategies for the tech-
nologies used in designing the EVOlution vessel
will give practical experience of the systems in a
commercial operation.
Activity 4:
Logistic solutions for energy-efficiency of
LNG-fuelled vessels
About half of the envisaged energy savings in
shipping will probably come from operational
improvements. Apart from the solutions onboard,
there are many external circumstances affecting
operations, e.g. the choice of LNG bunkering
method affects the overall logistics and operation
of the vessel. In this activity the logistic solutions
and their effect on the environmental efficiency
will be studied. The aim is to demonstrate ways
to plan and perform the transport in the best pos-
sible way, taking into account all the stakehol-
ders along the route.
Two focal areas include:
- Analysis of commercial setups and their effect
on the transport. Suggestions for alternative
setups.
- Analysis of different commercial setups for
Time Charters, Spot Charters etc. This will
include both financial and legal aspects of the
transport. The study will concentrate on incen-
tives and constraints for transporting in the most
energy efficient way. The aim is to find ways of
reorganizing the commercial setup and finding a
way of distributing the profit from an improved
transport solution.
- Analysis of technical and organizational
constraints for making the ships’ journey time
efficient. Suggestions for technical and/or orga-
nizational changes are made. The main aim is to
shorten the time in port in order to give as much
time as possible for sailing, thereby making it
possible to reduce speed and thereby reduce the
environmental load. The study will deal with
possibilities of reducing time losses during the
voyage caused by organizational and/or technical
shortcomings.
Activity 5:
Development of safe and efficient
technologies for LNG-bunkering and
LNG-fuelled vessels in port
The main obstacle for the introduction of LNG
as fuel for ships is the bunkering process and
the technical equipment needed. The technical
and operational problems and obstacles with
LNG bunkering are most often connected to the
harmonization of different technical systems.
This activity will identify, analyze and
demonstrate technical solutions for efficient and
safe bunkering. Risk and safety issues will be
analyzed, and possible technical solutions and
risk reduction measures will be reviewed.
The following sub-activities are planned:
- Identification of suitable bunkering methods
and detailed analysis of advantages and disad-
vantages of the methods
- Identification of problems with each method
- Suggestions for solutions to the problems, in-
cluding practical demonstration of methods and
technical solutions
Highlights 57/ 2013 – Make a Difference 9
Activity 6:
Safety assessment regarding bunkering
of LNG in parallel with passenger/cargo
handling
Bunkering must be performed without unneces-
sary time loss to make LNG operations
competitive. Bunkering processes should take
place in parallel with passenger and cargo
operations.
A risk assessment of suggested methods for
bunkering operations will be performed. Based
on this, suggestions for safe, efficient procedures
and best practices will be produced. Based on
the earlier activities on safe LNG bunkering, a
risk assessment will be carried out on parallel
bunkering and cargo handling for two cases: one
passenger ferry and one tanker.
The study will identify critical parts of the
operation and find ways of managing the risks
involved.. Based on the risk assessment, and
with input from other activities on safe bunke-
ring, best practices for bunkering in parallel with
passenger/cargo operations will be suggested.
These will include organizational and technical
recommendations for equipment and standby
systems. This work will also lead to recommen-
dations for training staff.
Coordination with other relevant projects
addressing LNG in shipping is part of the
project. More information can be found on the
projects website: www.zerovisiontool.com/MaD.
Edvard Molitor
Assistant Manager of
Maritime Operations.
He graduated with
an M.Sc. in Aquatic
and Environmental
Engineering from Uppsala University and
has worked as a Response Adviser for the
Swedish Coast Guard Headquarters and as
Project Officer for Pollution Response at the
European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).
He joined SSPA in 2009 and has managed
a number of projects concerning LNG as a
maritime fuel, marine pollution response, risk
analyses, and environmental management.
Contact information:
Direct: +46 31 772 90 02
E-mail: edvard.molitor@sspa.se
10 Highlights 57/ 2013 – E-fleet

E-Fleet – A strategic decision support

tool for energy-efficient fleet design
Given a specific set of transportation needs (e.g. crossing time and cargo amount) and constraints (e.g.
physical laws, available resources and max harbor dimensions) the transportation system can be designed
more or less effectively. Effectively here referring to how well the solution meets the chosen benchmarking
properties (e.g. emissions, costs, or speed) compared with other solutions. By analyzing and thereby
understanding the relationship between these basic needs, constraints and their resulting properties, more
effective transportation systems can be designed. E-fleet is a tool that can be used to perform such analysis.
It is based on a methodology developed for evaluating complex transportation system concepts for the
ferry traffic between the Swedish mainland and the island of Gotland.

Initial vessel design
The initial design of a vessel is often referred to
as the design process between the basic specified
requirements (ship owner) and the contract
design (yard). A design spiral is used to illustrate
the design of the vessel.
Several prominent naval architects have
combined naval architecture with systems
engineering and thereby developed good design
procedures. These procedures can be seen as
road maps for how to complete one lap in the
design spiral.
Depending on the size and complexity of
the problem these procedures can become time
consuming, since things quickly become detailed
– general arrangement, ship structure, weight
estimations, required propulsion power, cost, result of an analysis using E-fleet could for in-
updating the general arrangement and so on. stance be input variables for an initial design.
E-fleet Energy efficient ferry
“E-fleet is a tool
E-fleet is a tool for rapidly and traffic to Gotland –
for rapidly and resource-
resource-efficiently evaluating A tricky challenge
transportation systems, either efficiently evaluating trans-
The tool was initially develo-
consisting of a single vessel portation systems, either ped for analyzing the energy
or a complex fleet consisting consisting of a single vessel needs of different transpor-
of different ships with diffe- or a complex fleet consisting tation system concepts for
rent operational profiles. the ferry traffic between the
of different ships”
Compared with the design Swedish mainland and the
spiral, it completes the first lap island of Gotland.
and is therefore a helpful tool at the The traffic to Gotland carries
planning stage when determining the passengers, passenger vehicles and
holistic design of the transportation system. The trailer transport on two different routes. It is
 Highlights 57/ 2013 – E-fleet 11

is studying the consequence of single parame-

Costs ters. By varying parameters and repeating the
50
evaluation in E-fleet, the parameters’ influence
Total costs
Fuel costs on the result can be studied. This can be of
45
Other (fixed) costs interest for parameters that are either left out or
not important for the design – or in other words,
40
Average costs (MSEK/year)

where there is room for improvement.

Such parameters could range from different
35
mooring alternatives to choosing between one
large or several small vessels.
30
The result of such an analysis is presented in
the figure to the left. The figure illustrates the an-
25
nual costs for different vessel sizes (given here in
cargo capacity) and amount of vessels for a given
20
operational profile: specific cargo and transpor-
tation needs, specific routes, service speed, etc,.
15
The analysis shows that the most economical
10 fleet configuration is obtained for one vessel with
a capacity of 800 lane meters.
5 The conclusion from the example is that the
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 solution is not easy and even quite complex in a
Vessel size (lane meters) rather simple scenario.

Current development
8 8000 Last year E-fleet was awarded funding for further
Number of ships development through the Hugo Hammars fond
Installed power
6 för sjöfartsteknisk forskning research fund.
Number of ships (1)

6000
The goal of the project is to produce a more
general model for calculating energy needs given
4 4000 a specific operational profile (route, service
speed, installed power, etc.). The purpose has
2 2000 been to cover more types of marine traffic,
especially maneuver-intensive traffic, such
0 as smaller archipelago vessels. The project is
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 planned to end in mid-2013 and will be ready for
commercial use later in the year.
Vessel size (lane meters)

E-fleet simulation showing yearly costs, needed amount of vessels and required installed power
for different size of vessels.

characterized by large variations in transportation
needs during the year, icy winters and the desire
for a top-quality service, referring here to short
crossing times and at a high rate. Together with
the requirement for an overall cost minimization,
designing the most energy-efficient solution, i.e.
transportation system, became a tricky challenge.
Different plausible transportation systems with
different setups of vessels were specified and
evaluated using E-fleet. Total emissions and costs
were compared and from that the most suitable
concept was found.
Method
E-fleet’s strategy was to replace conventional
analytical and physical models, e.g. required
propulsion power, with statistical models. Large
databases with information of similar vessels Philippe Ghawi
together with knowledge of the trends the data Project Manager.
described, laid the foundation for the statistical He graduated with an
models. M.Sc. in Naval Archi-
Here, one statistical model with few input tecture from the Royal
parameters could replace several physical Institute of Technology in
equations that could depend on many more 2012. At SSPA, he works with the develop-
parameters. By doing so, many time-consuming ment of E-fleet while participating in various
operations could be skipped, while at the same ship design and traditional naval architecture-
time realistic results could be obtained. related projects.
One large Ro-Pax or two smaller fast Contact information:
Direct: +46 31 772 91 91
Ro-Pax ferries plus one slow Ro-Ro? E-mail: philippe.ghawi@sspa.se
An additional area of application, that is possible
due to the rapid and automated format of E-fleet,
12 Highlights 57/ 2013 – Prediction of underwater radiated noise from ship propellers

Jan Hallander
Project Manager.
He graduated with an
M.Sc. in 1991 in
Mechanical Engineering

Prediction of underwater radiated and received his Ph.D.

in Naval Architecture from Chalmers in 2002.

noise from ship propellers He has been at SSPA since 1998. He has
been involved in various research and
consultancy projects in the areas of general
Underwater radiated noise (URN) has been a concern for naval vessels and hydromechanics, propulsion and underwater
acoustic signatures, especially with
specialized quiet vessels for many decades. SSPA has been involved in phenomena related to cavitation and noise
numerous acoustic-related projects for continually developing various induced by the propeller.
predictive tools, making them available to assist customers in solving Contact information:
problems related to URN. Today, we can see a growing interest in URN Direct: +46 31 772 90 57
from merchant ships as well and we recognize that underwater acoustics E-mail: jan.hallander@sspa.se

is coming out of the military closet.

Growing commercial interest
in URN
Recent directives outline the need to mitigate
underwater noise footprints due to shipping, to
prevent negative consequences to marine life:
- In 2008, the International Maritime Orga-
nization (IMO) added “Noise from commercial
shipping and its adverse impact on marine life”
as a high priority item to the work of its Marine
Environment Protection Committee (MEPC).
- In 2010, EU Marine Strategy Framework
Directive (MSFD) defined indicators where two
of them mainly corresponded to shipping noise.
- In 2010, the classification society DNV
released a new Silent Vessel Notation Class.
Four of these classes are aimed at improving
performance of special purpose vessels while
the Environmental class is more geared towards
giving merchant vessel owners a way of proving
to the public and industry that they are trying to
improve the green credentials of their vessels.
Thus, there is a growing need to predict ra-
diated noise from ships and propellers especially
for propellers with cavitation.
Propeller design practise
Naval vessels and research vessels are designed
for high cavitation inception speed and low
non-cavitating noise; hence, they typically have
a large blade area, unloaded blade tips, a high
blade number and highly skewed blade design.
These measures come at the expense of reduced
efficiency.
A merchant ship propeller is optimized for
fuel efficiency, which is further stressed by the
IMO Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI).
For merchant ships this means lower blade
area and higher tip loading. Thus, the optimum
propeller design will have some amount of
cavitation. However, excessive cavitation can
cause erosion, high pressure-pulses and thrust
reduction.
A project dedicated to mitigate
shipping noise and vibration
The recently completed EC project SILENV
(Ships oriented Innovative soLutions to rEduce
Noise and Vibrations, more info at www.silenv.
eu) was dedicated to collaborative research on
three important aspects of noise related to mari-
time transport: Machinery noise and vibration
on board ships; airborne noise in harbors, and
underwater radiated noise (URN). One aim was
to deliver a green label proposal with recom-
mendations for target noise levels and associa-
ted design guidelines. The project consortium
consisted of 14 partners from universities,
consultancy companies, model basins, research
centers and classification societies. The state-of-
the-art techniques used for noise prediction and
noise abatement were investigated. Within the
work package “Modelling”, a benchmark study
was carried out for a LNG ship by CETENA and
SSPA and the results were compared with the sea
trial data. CETENA applied a chain of boundary
element methods to predict the tonal noise, whe-
reas SSPA compared three computational tools
described below.
Crucial to have the flow field
predicted correctly
Noise signals appear in two different forms:
broadband and tonal noise. The noise sources
are inherently embedded in the near field flow
around the ship’s hull and propeller. For instance,
the turbulent boundary layer and the wake of the
hull and propeller blades contain largely fluctu-
ating shear stresses and vortices, contributing
to broadband noise. The inhomogeneity of ship
wake results in a periodically varying loading on
propeller blades. These periodic loadings cause
radiation of tonal noise at blade passing frequen-
cies (BPF). Therefore a physically correct reso-
lution of these features is essential for a reliable
prediction of radiated noise in the far field.
A cavitating propeller generates more
noise
Cavitation on a propeller contributes to an added
level of noise over a wide frequency spectrum.
Cavitation noise occurs when the cavity volume
changes (e.g. the growth and collapse of cavi-
tation). Collapsing cavities cause broadband
noise in a frequency range up to 100 kHz. In
addition, sheet cavitation produces tonal noise at
harmonics of BPF, due to the fact that cavity vo-
lume changes with pressure variations when the
propeller blade passes through the wake field.
Other contributing factors
The radiated noise is influenced by many factors,
e.g. the hull form, ship speed and propeller par-
ticulars. The resulting noise signature is often a
consequence of re-modulation of multiple noise
sources and noise does not radiate symmetrically
in all directions.
Field measurements of URN are very much
affected by the sea environment. In shallow
waters the propagation of low frequency signals
are prevented. This effect is clearly present in
the sea trial data used here. CETENA’s study
demonstrates how the first harmonics of tonal
noise are modified by the boundary reflection
effect due to the existence of a shallow water
seabed near the ship.
Tools for predicting URN for ship
propellers
1. Model-scale testing: Predicting full-scale
pressure fluctuations traditionally relies on
model-scale testing. Noise signals are measured
in SSPA’s large cavitation tunnel for a fully
appended ship model and the results are scaled
up to full scale.
2. Potential flow (PRACAL): A Lifting
Surface program performs analysis of propeller
performance in an inhomogeneous wake first.
 Highlights 57/ 2013 – Prediction of underwater radiated noise from ship propellers 13

NOISEGEN is then used to calculate the noise

at blade frequency and its harmonics due to
blade loading and thickness. The method is a
finite-difference approach using two forms of
solution to Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FWH)
wave equation.
3. Semi-empirical modelling (S-E): Semi-em-
pirical models were developed at SSPA mainly
for naval ships and underwater vehicles at early
project stage. An S-E model does not require
detailed geometry information of hull and pro- The total axial wake in front of the propeller at full scale. Instantaneous pressure field behind the propeller and hull
peller. It can be used to estimate both the tonal
and broadband noise for propellers with and Source Level, Trial vs. Prediction, 19kn with cavitation
without cavitation.
4. ANSYS FLUENT: ANSYS FLUENT offers
a hybrid approach with three flow solvers of
increasing resolution capabilities: an Unsteady
Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS)
SPL-r dB@1m (re 1 π PA)

method, a Detached Eddy Simulation (DES)

and a Large Eddy Simulation (LES). The idea
behind the hybrid method is to solve the near
field flow with a flow solver while the far field
noise is computed by integrating FWH wave
equation. Predicting vortex cavitation requires
better resolution of turbulent structures and flow
unsteadiness, which may require an LES or DES
solver rather than URANS. The advantage of
these methods is that the noise due to the scatter-
ing effect of the hull and the broadband noise in
the boundary layer can also be predicted.
HZ
Selection of tool depends on factors like the aim
of investigation, the type of ship and propulsor,
Benchmarking of tools at a far field location H2. URN
propulsor with or without cavitation, eventual is expressed as sound pressure level (SPL) at 1m
constraint on delivery time etc. Semi-empirical distance from the noise centre (propeller). The vertical
modelling and potential flow calculations are the lines in the background are multiples of blade passing
fastest tools for producing results quickly while frequency. The data is relative to reference values
CFD calculations (FLUENT) take significant- for confidential reasons. PROCAL is the abbrevia-
ly longer. The time for model testing lies in tion for CETENA’s methods. PROCAL with seabed
between the two methods mentioned above, yet reflection effect agrees very well with the sea trial data
it needs some additional time for model manu- for the first three harmonics. “PRACAL+ S-E Model”
was obtained by adding the cavitation contribution The predicted cavity pattern on the full scale propeller
facturing and set-up of the test.
estimated by S-E Model to the PRACAL results for the
non-cavitating noise.
Conclusions
Source Level, Trial - CFD 19kn no-cav vs. cavitation
The tools in the benchmark study are able to
Da-Qing Li
predict tonal noise up to the first four blade
SPL-r dB@1m (re 1 π PA)

harmonics to an acceptable level except the
semi-empirical model. The hybrid method FLU-
ENT captures more harmonics and wider broad-
band spectrum. Although potential flow methods
are not able to predict broadband noise, they
offer very effective alternatives for estimating
tonal noise. More results are described in the
paper by Hallander et al. “Predicting underwater
radiated noise due to a cavitating propeller in
a ship wake”, presented at the 8th International
Symposium on Cavitation, 2012. It is important
to consider and identify the problem related to
noise at early design stage, thus avoiding the
risk of re-design. It is usually at this stage that
the cost-effective and technically beneficial
solutions can be achieved.
Project Manager.
He graduated with an
M.Sc. in Naval Architecture
from Huazhong University
of Science and Technolo-
gy in 1986 and a Ph.D. from Chalmers
University of Technology in 1994. He joined
SSPA in 1997 and has worked with various
projects for propulsion, cavitation/erosion,
and shallow water problems using CFD
Difference in URN level between the non-cavitating
tools and model testing. He has been active
and cavitating propeller. The FLUENT prediction in a number of EU projects, presently AQUO
shows that a narrow sheet cavitation on blades
and STREAMLINE, and he is a member of
increases broadband noise by 15~20dB and tonal
the 27th ITTC Specialist Committee on CFD
noise by 5~10dB compared with the non-cavitating
in Marine Hydrodynamics.
case, agreeing well with the sea trial observation
where an increase of 20dB broadband noise was Contact information:
attributed to the developed cavitation on blades. Direct: +46 31 772 90 53
E-mail: da-qing.li@sspa.se
14 Highlights 57/ 2013 – Marine transport in the Stockholm Bypass project

Torvald Hvistendahl
Project Manager.
M.Sc. Naval Architecture.
He started his career
in the Swedish Navy as

Marine transport in the a deck officer in 2001.

He graduated with an M.Sc. in Naval

Stockholm Bypass project

Architecture from the Royal Institute of
Technology (KTH) in 2010 and joined SSPA
the same year. He mainly works with
general naval architecture issues, the
Construction of the Stockholm Bypass is planned to start in the summer of 2014. development of sea transport systems and
21 km of motorway, (18 km tunnel), will, when finished, connect the southern and risk assessment.
northern parts of the Stockholm region. From a shipping perspective, the project Contact information:
is a unique example of the potential for using waterways in large infrastructure Direct: +46 31 772 91 92
projects where more than half of the 19 million tonnes of rock extracted from Email: torvald.hvistendahl@sspa.se

tunneling will be transported by ships or barges from three temporary jetties.

Two of these jetties will also be used for transporting building materials and construction machines by sea.
The project is now in the final stages of preparatory work and the last remaining permits are expected in the beginning
of 2014, followed by several procurements and a build start next autumn. As support during the preparatory work, the
Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) has contracted SSPA as a consultant in matters relating to the marine
transport. The assignment includes: risk analyses, evaluation of harbors and ships, costing and developing the marine
transport framework.

The rock is crushed down to fractions of 0 – 150 mm and loaded onto

ships using a conveyor system. Construction materials and machines
are transported by Ro-Ro ferries. Graphic: Tomas Öhrling

The Stockholm Bypass
Stockholm is one of the fastest growing regions
in Europe. More than 30 000 people move to
the region every year and population numbers
are expected to increase from 2 million to 2.5
million by 2030. A good labor market and an
attractive location are contributing factors. On
the other hand, there is a shortage of housing
and the transport infrastructure is over capacity.
Particularly vulnerable is the passage over the
“Saltsjö-Mälar” cut. This cut naturally separates
the region into a northern and a southern section.
It is defined by Lake Mälaren to the west and
the Baltic Sea to the east. The separation can
only be crossed over a few bridges, resulting in a
vulnerable traffic system, which in turn obstructs
Stockholm from growing as one region. Planning
of a new motorway has been underway for
some years under the working title “Stockholm
Bypass”. When the motorway is completed in
around 2024, roughly 140,000 vehicles per day
will have the option of travelling from “Kungens
kurva” in the south to “Häggvik” in the north.
This distance will take less than 15 minutes
compared to the present 30 – 60 minutes. The
project is estimated (2009) to cost around SEK
27.6 billion.
 Highlights 57/ 2013 – Marine transport in the Stockholm Bypass project 15

- Contractor first phase: Construct and start

up the harbor
- Contractor second phase: Operate the
harbor, responsible for marine transport of
rock, construction materials and machines. The
contractor is also responsible for phasing out the
harbor and restoring the surrounding area.
Procuring the two phases and selling extracted
rock are separate contracts. Thus, each interface
for each stretch might be operated by different
companies. In the same way, one company can
also operate several contracts. Irrespective of the
result of the procurement process, the different
areas of responsibility must be sufficiently de-
veloped to secure a sustainable transport system
over the project’s lifecycle. In this context, SSPA
supports the development of a transport concept
and a related framework. Examples of tasks are
transport analysis, benchmarking of ships, ice
recommendations and costing.

Transporting extracted rock

The transport chain starts once tunnel blasting
commences. Large pieces of rock will then be
crushed to fractions of 0-150 mm and transpor-
ted by a conveyor system to the ship. The ship
then travels a few hours to local ports in Lake
Mälaren and is unloaded by an excavator on the
ship deck or by harbor cranes. In connection
with the unloading, the deal between the buyer
and the Transport Administration is closed. The
buyers will then store and process the material
into rock products for the local construction
industry. A total of 9.5 million tonnes of rock
will be transported at sea over a 5-year period.
Putting this into perspective, the present cargo
volume transported on Lake Mälaren is less than
3 million tonnes annually.

Johannes Hüffmeier
Project Manager.
He graduated as an
Engineer in Naval
The Stockholm Bypass will consist of 21 km of new motorway linking the southern and northern Architecture and Ocean
parts of Stockholm. To reduce environmental impact, 18 km of the road is in a tunnel. Engineering (Diplom-
Graphic: Tomas Öhrling Ingenieur Schiffbau und Meerestechnik)
from Hamburg-Harburg Technical University
in 2007 and joined SSPA after graduation.
Interfaces and procurements of the Bypass. All extracted rock will be trans- Since then he has been project manager in
Construction of the Stockholm Bypass is divi- ported away by dry cargo ships and/or barges risk analysis and marine safety projects, as
ded into two phases. The first phase comprises from three of these stretches. well as ships maneuvering simulation
establishing a working area and constructing Focusing on marine transport, three basic studies. He has also worked with developing
working tunnels and harbors. This phase will interfaces with the following specific areas of SSPA’s simulation, calculation and risk
take about one year followed by work on responsibility can be recognized: programs and tools.
constructing the main tunnels. To reduce - Receiver (buyer) of extracted rock: provide Contact information:
construction time, a substantial part of the work and be responsible for the harbor where the rock Direct: +46 31 772 90 27
will be carried out in parallel on seven stretches is unloaded E-mail: johannes.huffmeier@sspa.se
16 Highlights 57/ 2013 – Marine transport in the Stockholm Bypass project

specific conditions. The result from Hazid is then

Traffic intensity taken from AIS statistics.
To use short sea transport as an integral part
of large infrastructure projects is very rare in
Sweden. Thus a new dimension is added to both
buyer and contractor. Compared with trucks,
which can basically be ordered from one day
to another, a sea transport system of this type
requires lots of preparatory work. New harbors
and new fairways require design work as well as
cooperation with several authorities such as the
Swedish Transport Agency, County Administrati-
ve Board and Swedish Maritime Administration.
Risk Analysis
Lake Mälaren is the third largest lake in Sweden
and a very important national resource. The lake
is used for sea transport, fishing, and is a much
appreciated recreational area. It is also a very
sensitive area with several heritage sites and na-
ture reserves. The lake is the primary fresh water
source for 2.5 million people.
summarized in a matrix and each participant gets
the opportunity to rate likelihood and consequen-
ce of the risks and also how a specific risk-redu-
cing action will change the rating. The results are
compared to the risk acceptance criteria and the
effect of possible risk reducing measures can be
evaluated and suggested for implementation.
Although the risk analysis is a very ‘hands on’
example of an SSPA task in the project, a lot of
The combination of Geographical Information our work in this project is about supporting the
System and AIS data is a powerful tool for Swedish Transport Administration on a daily
evaluating the position of a harbor. basis, e.g. answering questions, participating in
meetings, managing contacts with the maritime
industry and authorities. With more than 900
Thus, the impact of the transport on the environ- years of shared maritime knowledge, SSPA is not
ment must be minimized. To cope with this a risk only your maritime solution partner, we can also
analysis of the sea transport is mandatory. This be your maritime supporting partner.
was performed by SSPA following the IMO FSA
(Formal Safety Assessment) methodology. In this
methodology the Hazid (Hazard Identification)
meeting is a central part. During this meeting
several stakeholders were invited to give their
opinions about risks and action to reduce risks
in relation to project phases, harbors, fairways
and operative scenarios. To create a consen-
sus about the prerequisites, a Hazid is always
preceded with thorough research and analysis of
the typical conditions in the area. For this, SSPA
has several tools for efficiently compiling and
presenting significant data over the actual area.
GIS, (Graphical Information System) together Excavator on ship deck, one possible solution
with statistics of sea traffic (AIS), accidents, to unload the extracted rock.
metrology, hydrology and ice, provide compre- Photo Torvald Hvistendahl
hensive tools for visualizing the typical area’s

You can also download Highlights at www.sspa.se

SSPA’s vision is to be recognized as the most rewarding partner for
innovative and sustainable maritime development. In order to always be
able to offer the latest knowledge and best practices, about 20 percent of
the company’s resources are engaged in research and development. SSPA
was established by the Swedish government in 1940. In 1984 SSPA was
established as a limited company, SSPA Sweden AB, and has been owned
by the Foundation Chalmers University of Technology since 1994.
SSPA offers a wide range of maritime services, including ship design,
energy optimization, finding the most effective ways to interact with other
transportation types and conducting maritime infrastructure studies together
with safety and environmental risk assessments. Our customers include
shipowners, ports, shipyards, manufacturers and maritime authorities
worldwide.
Our three focus areas are:
• SSPA functions as the bridge between theory and practice, research and
implementation, the present and the future. The foundation is the ability
to provide unbiased expertise, advice, and services to our customers and
other stakeholders.
• SSPA ensures sustainable development through proper risk management
in close cooperation with the customer.
• SSPA has the financial, environmental, human and technological factors
in mind for optimal energy efficiency.
Our headquarters are in Gothenburg and we have a branch office in
Stockholm.

SSPA Highlights is published by: SSPA SWEDEN AB

Box 24001, SE-400 22 Göteborg, Sweden.
Phone: +46 31 772 90 00 Fax: +46 31 772 91 24
Mail: postmaster@sspa.se Web: www.sspa.se
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