An Overview of New Coastal Research Vessel (N-CRV) Dry Dock and Construction

Abstract

A New Coastal Research Vessel (N-CRV) is a specialized ship designed for scientific research in fields like oceanography, geology, biology, and atmospheric studies, equipped with specific facilities and accommodations for sea missions. This paper discusses the coastal research ship dry-dock, construction, and design process, which involves three stages: concept, preliminary, and contract design. N-CRV must utilize scientific cruise, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) survey, deployment, data collection, and seawater sample collection for the scientific community, considering initial, operating, and future maintenance costs. N-CRV construction and Dry docks are critical shipyard assets because they are essential facilities for ship maintenance and are thus critical assets of a shipyard. Marine vessel performance is crucial in maritime applications, influenced by internal variables like fuel, propulsion type, loading condition, and external factors like fouling, sea state, and currents. The shape of a ship’s hull is meticulously crafted, as its geometry affects various aspects such as hydrostatics, layout, structural integrity, and overall appearance. Shipbuilding involves using scientific equipment, deck and engine machinery, materials, and skills. The ship builder needs to consider four inputs from the customer: cargo type, volume, route of operation, and cruising speed. The shipbuilder must also ensure the vessel will deliver at the required speed under loading conditions. The paper also explores ship dry docking and construction, which is often the most labor-intensive stage of shipbuilding. Ships are usually constructed in a dry dock, although some are launched using a ship lift. Efficient use of the construction site is crucial, as it is the most expensive facility, and the speed of construction determines the number of ships built. Dry docks are essential for ship repair and cleaning, with the main types including graving dock, floating docks, marine rail docks, ship lifts, and marine mobile lifts. These types are primarily used for small vessels like recreational yachts, tugs, and pilot boats. In this paper, we study the ship construction and dry dock inspection of N-CRV at a shipyard. It involves decisions on assigning ships to a set of dry docks and sequencing the ships in each dock. The ships have been mounted on the laying blocks and have undergone detailed inspections. Ship construction provides comprehensive guidance for designing and building ships from beginning to end. It covers modern shipyard techniques, safety practices, material properties and strengths, welding and cutting methods, ship structures, computer-aided design and manufacturing, international regulations for various ship types, as well as new materials and fabrication technologies. Ship construction uses a variety of materials, including steel, marine-grade aluminum alloys, and glass fibre-reinforced plastics, to create durable and reliable products. Dry docking is vital for coastal vessels as it ensures safety by allowing experienced professionals to thoroughly inspect the vessel, including checking the hull condition, propulsion system, and safety equipment, preventing potential issues from escalating into major problems. The paper introduces a new coastal research ship construction, fabrication, dry-dock maintenance and repair work. Dry docking improves vessel efficiency by ensuring good working order, reducing fuel usage, and increasing efficiency. This can result in cost savings for owners, particularly in the competitive shipping industry.

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