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Ynse Janssens
Definitions
RORO or ro-ro: a ship which has one or more decks
either closed or open, not normally subdivided in any
way and generally running the entire length of the
ship, carrying goods which are loaded and unloaded
normally in a horizontal manner
Definitions
Air cushion vehicle: a craft manufactered such that the whole or a
significant part of its weight can be supported, whether at rest or in
motion by a continuously generated cushion of air, dependent for its
effectiveness on the proximity of the surface over which the craft
operates
Definitions
Ferry: a ship carrying passengers, possibly their vehicles and or goods
on a relatively short-distance, regularly-scheduled service
Definitions
High speed craft: a craft capable of a maximum speed, in metres per
second (m/s), equal to or exceeding 3.7V0.1667 where V = volume of
displacement corresponding to the design waterline (m³)
Definitions
Hydrofoil boat: a craft which is supported above the water surface in a
non-displacement mode by hydrodynamic forces generated on foils
Definitions
Passenger car ferry: a passenger or ferry ship which has RORO-access
of sufficient dimensions to allow the carriage of RORO trailers and/or
passengers/cars
Definitions
Passenger ship: a ship which carry more than 12 passengers
Definitions
RORO passenger ship: a passenger ship with RORO spaces or special
category spaces as defined by Solas regulation II-2/3
Bow Visor's/Collision Bulkheads - The SOLAS
Regulations Chapter II, 1-10, require vessels built
with a bow visor to have a Collision Bulkhead
incorporated at a set distance from the visor. If the
ramp is not positioned at an adequate distance from
the bow as a collision bulkhead, then the vessel
must have an extra 'Collision Bulkhead' placed more
than 5% of the ships length from the forward
perpendicular. NB: 'The Estonia' had not been built
with this requirement and was one of the last ferries
built under the older classification rules without an
extended Collision Bulkhead. (SOLAS 1974 and the
1981 amendments require extended Collision
Bulkheads up to the bulkhead deck).
Ferry - Characteristics
Possible cargo Characteristics
Trucks Number of cars or
Passengers trucks
Cars Lane length
Trains Height between decks
Trailers Number of passengers
Carrying capacity
Different ro-ro Ferry Types
Short Sea ro-ro vessel RORO conventional
Deep Sea ro-ro vessel Driver Accompanied
RORO Container vessel Vessels
Passenger Car Ferry Drive Through Vehicle
Cruise Ferry Ferries
Ro-pax Catamaran
High Speed Conventional
Ferry (all weather, without Ro-pax Trimaran
wave height restriction) Inland water Ro-pax
Cruise Ferry Water Taxi
Rail Ferry RORO forest Product
Pure Car Ferry Carrier
Heavy Lift RORO
History of ro-ro vessels
Origin of ro-ro principle = military
Need to disembark troops and heavy equipment
without port facilities
Application
WWII Pacific & D-day
Falklands War
Military Landing Craft
Same scope (unit cargo)
Lash & Seabee vessels
Lash = Lighter Aboard Ship
Seabee = Sea-barge, a barge carrier design similar
to "LASH" but which uses rollers to move the
barges aboard the ship; the self-propelled loaded
barges are themselves loaded on board as cargo
and are considerably larger than those loaded on
LASH ships.
Lash
Seabee
Military applications of the ro-ro
principle
1. Specialist military vessels of varying size with ro-ro
capability
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh43olmCSEU
Stability features for ro-ro/Passenger
ferries
1. The vehicle deck in many designs extends over
virtually all the ships length and breadth.
2. Such decks currently have little in the way of sub-
division and are left unrestricted to permit vehicle
movement.
3. Such open spaces are sealed (or exposed, depending
on your point of view) by bow or stern doors.
4. Any water access to exposed vehicle decks renders
the vessel vulnerable to the effects of massive free
surface,
Loss of watertight integrity
Collision
Grounding
Excessive change of trim
Listing while loading or discharging
Doors being left open when proceeding to sea
(Herald Of Free Enterprise)
Damage to bow or stern doors (Estonia)
Shifting of cargo due to bad weather
Water curtains & sprinkler systems (fire fighting)
Ferries & loading computers
Load indicators are compulsory
Ideally system should be linked with the shore
database to enable fast data transmission on unit
weights & stowage requirements
Cargo details are not always very correct when it
comes to weight & KG => results of the loading
computer sometimes lack absolute accuracy
RORO vessels are high sided vessels => increased
windage factor when at sea
Example stability RORO vessel
If a typical modem RORO ferry is used as an example,
constructed with three decks, the GM can be compared
with three different load plans.
1. With full cargo load on upper, main and lower hold
decks and with the tank/ballast system operational, an
average GM of 2.18m is achieved.
2. With the same cargo load without tanks filled to an
operational status, the vessel would generate a GM of
1.81m.
3. Where only the upper deck is loaded with cargo (the
two lower cargo compartments being left empty) and
no tanks filled, the ship fails the safe stability criteria
with a negative GM.
Conclusions
1 & 2 are OK
In case 3 GM becomes negative as a consequence
of unprofessional loading techniques and an
inadequate use of the ballast system.
GM should be positive throughout complete
loading cycle
Loading plan indicating the correct use of the
ballast arrangements & partial loading of 2 or
more decks at the same time
Ferry survivability
In the event of loss of water integrity the survival
period of a ferry is reduced compared to other types
of conventional cargo ships
A ferry vessel has the tendency to capsize sooner =
excessive free surface movements
SOLAS "90+50" criteria
SOLAS 90 + 50 criteria
SOLAS 90 – direct consequence of the Herald
of free enterprise. One of the most important
amendments concerns regulation 8 of Chapter
II-1 and is designed to improve the stability of
passenger ships in damaged condition
SOLAS 90+50 or the « Stockholm
Agreement ». More stringent standard than
SOLAS. "+50" refers to the need to meet the
basic criteria with an assumed accumulation of
50 cm of water on the deck.
SOLAS 90 + 50
The ship must retain
a positive stability
even with 50cm of
water on the vehicle
deck
An increased
longitudinal sub-
division will be
necessary (reduction
free surface)
SRTP – Safe Return To Port
IMO MSC: 82nd session at the end of 2006
Two premises:
- more emphasis on prevention of a casualty from
occuring
- design of ships for improved survivability so
that people can stay safely on board as ship proceeds
to port after a casualty
SRTP – Safe Return To Port
SRTP Regulations II-1/8.1 (flooding), II-2/21 (fire – restricted)
and II-2/22 (fire – extensive)
Catamaran
Round Bilge Hard Chine Deeply Surface Effect Air cushion Small Waterplane
Surface
Semi-Displacement Planing Submerged Ship Vehicle Area Twin Hull
Piercing
Hull Hull Hydrofoil (SES) (ACV) Ship
Hydrofoil
SWATH
Fast Displacement Hulls and High
Speed Monohulls
At low speeds the weight of the ship is entirely
carried by the displaced water (force of
Archimedes)
When speed is increased the bow starts to lift and
the stern to sink => pronounced bow-up trim
If speed is increased further the ships starts to
plane => weight is carried < 50% by Archimedes
and > 50% by a dynamic lift (water is pushed
under the plane) => requires specially developed
hulls
At slow speeds the craft operates on displacement
mode
At high speeds it operates on foilbourne mode
2 types of foils
Fully submerged
Surface piercing
Surface Piercing Hydrofoil Fully Submerged Hydrofoil
Volcan De Tauro
« Foil » technology incorporated in the NSMS
system = Navigation and Seaworthiness
Management System
Combination of ;
2 stabilizer fins of 2.5 m2
1 T-foil foreward
1 -foil aft
Foils are fully active and can rotate at 20 rev./sec.
The NSMS controls the complete motion of the
vessel
Retractable foils
In calm water T-foil can be retracted =>
increased speed (1.5 knots)
Once deployed it acts from computer linked
motion sensors => smoother ride, reduced roll,
heave and pitch (tests show motion reduction
in 4, 3 & 2m seas)
Easier maintenance
Greater reliability
Minimised added resistance
Combined with trim tabs, stabilizing fins &
waterjets
Air Cushion Vehicles
An air cushion vehicle raises itself over the water
surface by supplying air pressure between water
surface and the craft
2 types
ACV or Air Cushion Vehicle – Air cushion is enclosed
by flexible skirts made up of many components called
« fingers » - Amphibious
SES or Surface Effect Ships – Air cushion is enclosed by
rigid sidewalls plus bow and stern seals. When the air-
cushion system is not active the ship sails as a
catamaran
Surface Effect Ship (SES) Hovercraft
Catamarans
Very fast
Limited number of crew required to make
them operational (f.i. 24 crew = 800 passengers
or 30 crew = 1.000 passengers)
New concepts for lifesaving appliances as a
direct consequence of the fact that many of the
routes remain in sight of land
No lifeboats
Sometimes no engineer on board
Filled with self-diagnostic systems
Incorporated redundancy
Catamarans
Specialised crew training to suit high speed
operation
Correct and fast operation of MES or MEC is
required
A level of passenger self-help is required to launch
and inflate liferafts seen the low number of crew
members
The HSC code is specific when limiting the range
and operation of the craft and specifies the vessel
must be at all times in a reasonable proximity to a
port of refuge (marine authority of the flag state).
WAT
Mooring alongside a jetty may prove difficult
When launching survival craft the liferaft could end
up between main and side hull
Can retain high speeds in rough seas compared to an
equivalent monohull
Reduced stern wash effects
SWATH
The primary benefit
of the SWATH design
is its stability. Other
benefits include an
increase in useable
space and the
isolation of drive
engine noise and
vibration from the
living spaces.
SWATH ‘Wandelaar’
SWATH ‘Westdiep’
Facts and figures on high speed
craft
The worlds first commercial sea-going
hydrofoil was the 'Freccia del Sole' (1956)
She was built by the Italian shipbuilder,
Rodriquez Cantieri.
Facts and figures on high speed
craft
The worlds 24 hour
endurance record of 1063
nautical miles is held by
'The Villum Clausen‘,
operated by Bornholms
Trafikken, at an average
speed of 44.29 knots on
its delivery from the
Austel yard in Australia
to the Baltic Sea.
Facts and figures on high speed
craft
HMAS 'Jervis Bay' a
converted High
Speed ferry used for
troop transport
Radisson Diamond
Introduction
Docking procedures are compatible with cargo
operations and hull forms.
Mooring operations frequently take place above or
below the main cargo/vehicle deck space in order
that payload capacity can be maximised.
Shaped docks and exact vessel positioning with
positive securing arrangements have made docking
an art.
Stern or bow ramps are required to make a positive
position with the quayside ramp or link span.
The ro-ro port facilities must be compatible to
receive the ferries, at various states of tide,
assuming tidal berths.
Many of the ports will have permanent
moorings and/or additional 'storm moorings'
ready for the vessels immediate use.
However, ropes and wires permit an undesirably
limited amount of movement. This situation has
been somewhat alleviated by the use of ship
borne brackets positioned at the stern to receive
securing clamps or bolts. Once locked in, the
stern is effectively held to prevent sideways
movement, and the bow area is held by tension
winches from the forward mooring deck.
In the more developed ports, anchors are not
usually employed but they cannot be
excluded as a means of holding the bows of
the ship while a stem ramp is engaged to
load vehicles aft.
Some of the ports have adapted the principle
of the 'Mediterranean Moor' where quarter
lines are tensioned clear of the ramp and
both anchors are set either side of the bow.
• Stabilizing fins
• Tank systems for stabilizing
Introduction
Stabilizing systems can be found especially in board
of ro-ro’s, ferries and cruise ships
Mainly 2 systems are used; stabilizing fins, internal
stabilizing tanks or a combination of both
A 90% reduction in roll motion can be achieved
Introduction
Developments in methods of stabilization were
slow and early systems lacked the success of
improved technology.
A major breakthrough was achieved through the
military research and development activities
from the surface-to-surface, and surface-to-air,
missile programmes. The Royal Navy required
stable platforms for the launch of their 'Sea
Wolf' missiles and other similar products.
Introduction
In the case of ro-ro vessels, with vehicle ramps
and stability tanks, if fitted, often provided an
additional side benefit. Not only could they be
operated at sea in keeping the vessel stable, but
could also be employed when alongside working
with cargo. Some tank systems having the dual
ability to act as an anti-heeling element which
retains the vehicle ramp when deployed, landed in
the required flush position, allowing continued
vehicle access to the ship
Stabilizing fins
2 systems
retractable and non-retractable types
box shaped ro-ro vessels, seem to favour the
retractable fins
Fins are generally quite compact with an area of
between 1.2m2 to as much a, 20m2, for the larger
vessel. They are usually deployed by hydraulic
operation with electric transmission from a bridge
control station
Stabilizing fins
Roll motion on the vessel is detected by one or
more sensor detectors (gyro‘s) which feed an
output signal to an integrator unit which in turn
determines the energy of the ships roll. This
signal is then amplified and operates the
hydraulic system turning the 'fins'. Feedback
from each of the fins would indicate the amount
tilt being produced. Once the tilt signal equals
the ordered required tilt angle the the pumps
stop.
Retractable
units
Gyro,
steering
the fins
Non-
retractable
fin
Tank systems for stabilization
The principle of the operation depends upon the
movement of water lagging behind the movement of
the roll of the ship by approximately 90°. This lag is
achieved by adjusting the rate of water flow in the
second phase of the roll. The overall effect of this
delay is that the water is always flowing 'downhill'
and represents 'kinetic' energy (energy of
movement). The ships roll motion provides potential
energy by lifting the water volume to allow it to flow
downhill. The potential energy is converted in to
kinetic energy which is absorbed, and produces a
damping action on the ships motion.
Related Topics
Ballast water treatment systems
Marine pollution oil systems
Management of ships waste/garbage
Sewage on board of ferries
For people:
Passenger gangway