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June
2006
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New
England Section November 15, 2005 On November 15th, 2005 The New England Section met at Onset, MA for a presentation by Mark Rogers, communications director of the Cape Wind project. Cape Wind is in the final stages of planning and approvals for the development of a large-scale wind farm in the middle of Nantucket sound, on a shallow area called Horseshoe Shoal. If the project goes ahead the wind farm would be composed of approximately 130 wind turbines, with a rotor height of about 247 above sea level! Each turbine would be able to produce 3.6 megawatts, for a maximum rated output for the wind farm of 468 megawatts. As production clearly depends on wind conditions, the expected average output stands at 170 megawatts, which is approximately 75% of the average electricity demand for Cape Cod and the Islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Along with presenting the facts of the project Mr. Rogers discussed some of the challenges in getting this proposal implemented. The Nantucket sound is a haven for yachtsmen and fishermen and the wind farm is a concern for those who use or rely on this stretch of the sound. Mr. Rogers made the case that the Cape Wind proposal would have very little impact on those concerned: sailing and fishing is possible around the turbines as at their lowest point the blades are some 75 feet above the water surface. Mr. Rogers showed footage of a 30-foot sailboat sailing in and around an existing wind farm in Holland, without any apparent danger.
Mr. Rogers’ presentation was followed by a question and answer session in which some of the concerns were discussed in more detail. The Section is very grateful to Mr. Rogers for presenting Cape Wind. Section members who were present at the meeting will surely now more closely follow the development of this project as it makes its way through the approval stages, and perhaps one day provide electricity to some of our homes in the area. More information on the project can be found at www.capewind.org. (Note: since this piece was written the Cape Wind Project has made national headlines – by the time this article makes it into Marine Technology a decision may have been reached!)
December 8, 2005 On Thursday, December 8th 2005, the New England Section of SNAME met at Mystic Seaport (CT) for a tour of the Daniel S. Gregory Ships Plan Library. Maria Bernier who works as a librarian at the library was our guide for this inspiring visit. Located at the heart of Mystic Seaport the Ships Plan Library “collects, preserves and makes accessible the documentary history of American naval architecture from the 19th and 20th centuries”. It is an incredible resource for anyone with an interest in the field of naval architecture, and boats in general. The library houses over 100,000 ships plans, ranging from small prams to large and famous vessels. Plans by such famous designers as Philip L. Rhodes, L. Francis Herreshoff, and John Gardner are made accessible to anyone who requests them. In most cases copies of these plans can be made on the spot (for a small fee), and in some limited cases arrangements must be made before copies can be produced (such as for Sparkman & Stevens plans). A large portion of the plans is construction drawings, showing in great detail elements of the ships in question. To naval architects these drawings are a comprehensive historical reference of the ships in question, but they also serve as a window into these designer’s craft. Most of the drawings in the collection are hand drawn & colored, and the quality and precision of these drawings, most of them pre-dating the age of computers, is simply stunning. Maria’s tour included a discussion on the plans housed at the Library, how the collection gets built and maintained, the current development projects, and included a look in archives for those on the tour to get a sense the breadth of the collection. Maria had also laid out a selection of drawings from various designers for the members to browse thru during the tour. This gave us the opportunity to see many fascinating drawings, but also allowed us to compare directly the different styles each designer had developed. At the conclusion of the tour Dexter Hoag, the Section’s Chairman, presented Maria with a certificate of appreciation from the section, and thanked her on behalf of all present for a terrific insight into the Daniel S. Gregory Ships Plans Library.
Those who wish to schedule an appointment to visit the library should go to www.mysticseaport.org/shipsplan on the web or phone the library at 860-572-5360.
Great
Lakes/Great Rivers Section January 27, 2006 The Annual Winter Meeting of the SNAME Great Lakes/Great Rivers Section was held on Friday, January 27 in historic Perrysburg, Ohio. Perrysburg was the Western Lake Erie/Maumee River navigation center before the downstream facilities in Toledo were developed during the 19th Century. Section Chairperson Al Horsmon opened the meeting with a report from the executive session Thursday afternoon and announced the date for the Spring Meeting, which will be held on April 21, 2006 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Arrangements are being sought for a joint meeting with the Eastern Canadian Section and the Great Lakes Section of the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineering for the third week in September. The 2007 Winter Meeting is planned for late January in Cleveland. Also, the Executive Committee is reviewing the Great Lakes/Great Rivers Section Bylaws so that arevision can be considered by the local Section membership at a future meeting. The technical session, organized and announced by Section Papers Chairperson, Bill Schultz, consisted of five papers and a luncheon speaker. “Recent Innovations in Shipbuilding and Launching” was presented by Thomas Lamb (F), Research Scientist, Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, University of Michigan. Professor Lamb began his presentation with a short overview of the slowly changing approaches to shipbuilding facilities and building “berths.” Each option leads to different workflow and relative efficiencies, depending on the vessel being constructed. The evolution from the initial block innovation to Grand Blocks and then to Ultra Blocks was described and lead to the more Advanced Outfitting which “applies labor and facilities to integrate ship’s structure and outfit materials at the earliest and most cost effective stage of the construction process.” He also reviewed the changing erection methods from Jib Cranes of growing capacity, Goliath (Gantry) Cranes, Water and Air Glide systems, Multiple Wheeled Transporters, Elevators and Dual Walking Bean systems. Each of these provides options for a shipyard to efficiently distribute and then combine respective work efforts. Launch methods from the historic and exciting sliding end and side launches to elevator (Syncrolift) and multiple Ledge designs were reviewed. In conclusion, Professor Lamb stated his belief “that the best approach for a new shipyard today would be to use level land building with wheeled transporters moving ultra blocks to the building berth, thus avoiding the need for large crane lifts at the building berth and the use of a submersible platform for launching.” 1.
“Design Wave Elevations Leading to Extreme Bending Moments for Great
Lakes Bulk Carriers” was presented by Laura Alford, Ph.D.
Candidate, University of Michigan, Department of Naval Architecture and
Marine Engineering. Co-Authors are Prof. Armin Troesch, U-M NA&ME,
Muhammed Saeed Khalid, U-M NA&ME, and Erdem Ucer, Istanbul Technical
University.
Mr. Speck outlined the development of Providence Metropark. The Park, acquired in the early 1930's, includes a turbine powered mill, a dam, a portion of the Lake Erie-to-Ohio River Canal system and one of the original locks of the canal. While the State of Ohio owns the canal, it is leased to the Metropark system. Early in the l980's the park began restoration of the canal and lock and concurrently began developing plans for a canal boat. It learned early on that there were no recorded plans for the canal boats. Each had apparently been built to the specifications of their respective owners, and each varied to meet specific requirements - passengers, cargo, maintenance, etc. Ultimately, Metroparks designed and constructed a vessel with a 13-foot beam (the lock is 14-foot wide) and an overall length of 60 feet, with a steel hull topped with a wood structure. It includes three watertight compartments. While in passenger service, the vessel has a crew of three on board, assisted by a shore team of two mules and one muleskinner. The mules are alternated in lead position on a daily basis because of the harness abrasion. These sensitive creatures also appreciate the changed view. The vessel operates annually from May through October, and removed to a storage building for winter maintenance on a rail system. Donations to the park district funded construction of the vessel. 3. “Operation and Control Challenges of Fuel Cell Based Power Systems for Marine Application” was presented by Vasliis Tsourapas. Co-authors were Jing Sun and Anna Stefanopoulou, all of University of Michigan Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Mr.
Tsourapas provided an overview of the several types of fuel cells, beginning
with their basic operations. He described the basic elements of each type
of fuel cell as well as the difficulties in fueling the systems. Benefits
of fuel cell systems identified included increased system efficiency,
reduced pollution and particulate emissions, flexible power distribution
(all electric ship) and waste heat and clean water for other applications.
Challenges of fuel cells in marine applications include unknown effects
of salt laden air, unknown effects of vibrations/ship motions on fuel
cells, start up time, fueling and questions of cost/reliability and survivability
(in military applications). Mr. Tsourapas reviewed the case study of a
“Combined Heat and Power System.” The goal of the study was
to analyze system performance using models, define optimal operating setpoints
for overall efficiency and optimize the transient performance while preventing
hydrogen starvation and reactor temperature overshoot. 4. “Advanced, Automated Environmental Buoy Design” was presented by G.A. Meadows. Co-authors were Heidi Purcell, Hans VanSumeren and L. Meadows, all of Marine Hydrodynamic Laboratories, University of Michigan Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Dr. Meadows described several advanced buoy designs – environmental buoys, Automated Lagrangian Water Quality Assessment System (ALWAS), and a Persistent Ocean Surveillance design under development. The environmental Buoys provide real time data on wind speed and direction, current speeds and direction, wave height and period and water and air temperature. This data is radio transmitted and publicly available. The ALWAS buoys have GPS and GIS interfaces and can be called to report their location as they travel with the water. They record and transmit a variety of water quality parameters and through their onboard microprocessor, and recorder and software can be interfaced with decision support systems. The Persistent Ocean Surveillance project is a three-year program leading to a demonstration of a long term station keeping energy harvesting prototype buoy system. Dr. Meadows also briefly described the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) which has heavy involvement of Great Lakes shipping. 5. “200,000 m3 LNG Carrier Design” was presented by Kurt Sacks and Matt McBride. Scott Taylor and Kevin Martel were co-authors. All are graduate students, Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, University of Michigan. Presenters outlined their findings, prepared for their Naval Architecture Design Project. Owners general requirements were detailed, along with range and endurance, design and trade off studies. Ultimate design recommendations were for gas turbine-electric propulsion with diesel electric backup to power two electric podded propulsors. Estimated cost for the LNG carrier at a US Shipyard was $256.5 million and $210.1 million at a foreign yard. STAR Center, Toledo. A special pre-luncheon presentation was provided by Richard Hendren, Director, STAR Center, Toledo. The STAR Center in Toledo is one of two facilities maintained and operated by the American Maritime Officers (AMO) organization. The other is located in Dania, Florida. STAR is an acronym for the services of the centers - Simulation, Training, Assessment and Research. The simulation function can provide full mission simulation for any ship, port, weather tide or current conditions. Performance of these simulators is certified by the U.S. Coast Guard. Training is also provided for maintenance of AMO member license requirements in a full range of areas. Pre-employment assessments are offered as well as assessments of new vessels and new vessel routes and port facilities. The simulator serves as a modeling tool in the research mode. Following the luncheon, Mr. Hendren lead a tour of the STAR Center facilities at One Maritime Plaza in Toledo.
April 21, 2006 The Annual Spring meeting of the SNAME Great Lakes/Great Rivers Section was held on April 21, 2006 at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Campus. Section Chairperson, Al Horsmon, opened the meeting with a report from the executive session, and announced that the fall meeting will be held on September 21, 2006 in the vicinity of St. Catharine, Ontario. Arrangements are being completed for this to be a joint meeting with the SNAME Eastern Canadian Section, and the Great Lakes Section of the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineering. The 2007 winter meeting is currently being planned for late January in Cleveland. During the Executive session, members voted to support attendance of the University of Michigan SNAME Student Section Chair, Sara Carr, to the first ever SNAME Student Chair Elect Seminar at the Saddlebrook Resort in Florida. The technical session consisted of presentations of the senior team design class of the Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Department of the University of Michigan. All papers were well received and each generated several questions and additional discussion. Each of the design projects presented took their proposal to the contract design level, sufficient for owner acceptance and shipyard fixed price bidding. Professor Thomas Lamb (LFL) served as master of ceremonies for the technical sessions. 1. “Mexican Patrol Craft - MMPB-01 Tornado” was presented by Ricardo Carrion and Armondo Moreno. Both Mr. Carrion and Mr. Moreno are members of the Mexican Navy on educational assignment at the University of Michigan. The patrol craft was designed to serve the mission of the Mexican Navy, and the Coast Guard, in areas of defense. The vessel provides sea control, search and rescue and is operable with allied forces. It may be called on for tasks in maritime security, border patrol, safety of navigation at sea and environmental protection, humanitarian operations and search and rescue. The paper gave a complete overview of the design results, beginning with mission analysis, design requirements, hull development, powering, performance and costs. The final vessel is a high speed aluminum monohull, rated at 40 knots at sea state 3. It has an endurance of 2400 NM at 15-20 knots. It is manned by six officers and 20 crew. Total estimated cost for the vessel $33.44 million, weapons not included. 2. “Multifunctional Offshore Support Vessel - Brutus” was presented by Erik Wilutis, Caleb Schillinger, John Dasch and David Hosenlopp. Brutus is designed to be a very versatile ship. It will offer capabilities for anchor handling, towing, ROV deployment and offshore supply. It is designed to DNV Rules for North Sea and Atlantic operations. The ship is powered by three Wartsilla diesel generator sets, producing a combined brake power of 16710kW. Two AC modular induction motors drive twin steerable Z-drive thrusters. A swing-up azimuth thruster and a tunnel box thruster forward aid in dynamic positioning. Accommodations are provided for 15 crew and five officers. The ship is also capable of carrying 54 survivors to shore. The vessel is 104m LOA, beam 20.5m, range 3500nm, with a 10 day endurance and has substantial capacities for liquid drilling supplies. 3.
“Floating Oil and Natural Gas Production Storage Offloading Platform
(FONG-PSO)” was presented by K. Chew, H. Kang and Y. Yao.
4. “Hansel and Gretel - A Trans-Ocean Cable Laying and Repair Ship (TOCLRS)” was presented by Megan Jensen, Justin Roelofs, Lauren Russell and Casey Scholz. The trans-ocean cable laying and repair ship has several basic requirements: a range of 8000nm with 80 days of provisions, a 15- knot service speed and an overall complement of 73. Because of the tasks performed, there are many special requirements - dynamic positioning, integrated navigation systems and computerized stability systems. Four -point anchoring is required, along with a full width wheelhouse/control center with a full view of the aft working deck. Cable handling equipment includes two 4m diameter stern sheaves, a 35 tonne “A” frame for the cable plow, linear cable engines capable of 16 tonne pull while laying at four knots. There are three main cable tanks with a 4550 cubic meter capacity holding 7000 tonnes of cable. The vessel is 124m in length with a 24m beam and a 7.0m draft. A diesel/electric propulsion system was chosen to better accommodate motor positioning and the wide range of power requirements. Z-drives with controllable pitch propellers and two bow thrusters provide both stability and maneuvering capability. Overall cost of the vessel is estimated to be $45 million. 5.“Trimaran Luxury Motor Yacht” was presented by Chris Clark, Jerry Duclos, Kevin Moebius and Julie Rotramel. The basic design requirements were for a private luxury yacht with the capacity to accommodate 20 people, capable of transatlantic voyages (endurance range 4,200 nm), meeting ABS standards, sleek exterior, and a spacious interior. The trimaran hull was chosen because it provides decreased resistance at high cruising speeds, and, therefore, installed power can be reduced along with fuel consumption. The trimaran provides large deck areas expanding layout possibilities. It also offers significant stability and seakeeping advantages in all but quartering seas. Disadvantages to this hull form include a significant amount of unusable space due to the slender main hull, especially near the bow. Machinery arrangements are restrictive and the structure is more complex than a monohull. Proposed LOA is 210 feet with a 63-foot beam and a main hull draft of 10 feet, from a molded depth of 20 feet. Side hulls, set 15 feet off center have a draft of four feet from a molded depth of 14 feet. Hull and superstructure are aluminum. The vessel is powered with Kamewa waterjets driven by DDC-MTU 16v4000 providing 2720kW at 2100 RPM. Estimated cost for this luxury yacht is $59 million, approximately 15-20% higher than a comparable monohull of equal displacement. The
technical meeting was follow by an enjoyable buffet luncheon in the atrium
exhibit hall of the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Building. A special thanks
to meeting sponsor Bay Engineering.
Texas
Section February 14, 2006 The Shipbuilding Market – February Lunch Meeting The February luncheon meeting of the Texas Section was held on February 14th at the Westchase Hilton. The meeting was very well attended with almost 80 members and non-members, who showed up to hear about the current state of the shipbuilding market. The presentation was given by Per-Christian Fett, with the Houston office of Fearnley Consultants. Per-Christian gave a broad overview of the global shipbuilding industry and its trends. Fearnley’s data indicates a slight downturn in demand for all three major categories of bulk-carriers, container ships and tankers, following the record year of 2003, whereas growth continued for the smaller categories, such as offshore, LPG and ro-ro vessels. The outlook for the industry is still good with demand expected to remain at a high level for the next few years.
The Texas Section introduced the award for Section Top Recruiter in September 2005, with the assistance of SNAME headquarters in gathering the data. Section Chair, Lars Ronning presented the 2005 Top Recruiter Award to Peter Noble, Regional Vice-President of the SNAME Central and Gulf Region.
Peter proceeded to give a brief report on the Mentor pilot-program he has initiated in the Texas Section. This pilot-program is designed to pair young professionals in our society with established individuals for knowledge sharing and networking opportunities. The goal is to extend this program to all SNAME sections.
March 14, 2006 Marine CNG – March Lunch Meeting The SNAME Texas Section held its March 14th meeting at the Westchase Hilton. Close to 40 people attended the meeting to hear about the current state of Marine Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). Michael Hanrahan, Managing Director of the Center for Marine CNG, traveled down from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to give the presentation. Mr. Hanrahan gave an overview of the various CNG technologies and the Center’s role in supporting and promoting these technological developments. One of its research efforts concerns gas leaks in the event of a crack in the containment system. The Center also provides support with the approval of technology and applicable regulatory bodies. After the presentation, there were some good questions and discussion, about where CNG fits between more traditional transportation options such as pipelines and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
In addition to the presentation, Central and Gulf Regional Vice-President, Peter Noble, gave a brief overview of a new effort to encourage more of our members over 32 years of age to upgrade their membership grade from Associate Member to Full Member. Most Associate Members over 32 are eligible for Full Member status, and the dues are the same. We encourage you to find out more from the SNAME website.
April 11, 2006 Shipbuilding in Texas during World War II – April Lunch Meeting The Texas Section held a luncheon meeting on April 11th at the Westchase Hilton. The meeting was attended by over 40 people interested in the presentation by Tim Colton on shipbuilding in Texas during World War II. Between 1940 and 1945, shipbuilding was at record levels in the United States, including Texas. Four major shipyards built naval and merchant marine ships in Texas, and over 20 smaller shipyards were building smaller support crafts and barges. At its peak, the shipyards in Texas employed close to 100,000 people. By the end of the war, the biggest yards were turning out ships on a weekly basis. By the end of the war, Texas shipyards had built over 1500 ships, boats and crafts.
Hampton
Roads Section March 30, 2006 On March 30, 2006, Jennifer Ryan addressed the Hampton Roads Sections of SNAME and SWE, the Society of Women Engineers, at the Monitor Center at the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News, Virginia. Jennifer’s address was a presentation of her paper, The Naval Architectural Characteristics of the USS Monitor; the result of a study she performed while obtaining her Master’s Degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the University of Michigan.
The USS Monitor is rarely presented as more than a footnote in American high school history texts. To Naval Architects, it is one of many examples of the tremendous innovation that characterized the earliest years of their recognized profession. Jennifer’s research illustrates this innovation, which is always overshadowed by the ship’s historical significance. Through documents and determined sleuthing, Jennifer presented a thorough analysis of the ship, including a historical background, discussion of the hull, propeller, turret, and engine. She continued with an assessment of its hydrostatics, powering requirements, and maneuvering characteristics. Jennifer’s analysis demonstrates that the Monitor was indeed a capable ship for its time. More importantly, her paper shows that ships which have historical significance like the USS Monitor capture our imaginations as Naval Architects, motivate us to learn, and challenge our engineering capabilities. That challenge is the inspiration to explore the kinds of innovation that made the Monitor great.
Northern
California Section May 10, 2006 Joint meeting - SNAME Northern California Section and ASNE Golden Gate Section Most
seagoing surface vessels tend to bank out or away from the center of
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