As we cross the midpoint of 2023, we at GLO Marine are delighted to reflect on the strides we’ve made this year. A standout achievement that we’re particularly proud of is the successful completion of 11 end-to-end BWTS retrofit projects.

This accomplishment is a testament to our team’s unwavering dedication to providing comprehensive solutions for all our stakeholders and ship owners. By overseeing every phase of a project – from the initial feasibility study to the final delivery, including project management, procurement, prefabrication, and on-board installation – we ensure a seamless and professional approach that adds value to any retrofit & conversion projects.

A noteworthy fact is that these were 11 complete installation projects where GLO Marine was entrusted with every aspect, from start to finish, by ensuring a turnkey solution that covers all the key stages in the project lifecycle. This involved feasibility & concept, design & engineering, procurement & logistics, as well as installation & site support. 

11 end-to-end BWTS retrofit projects successfully delivered at GLO Marine

The end-to-end BWTS retrofit projects’ scope and our global reach are highlighted by the following remarkable facts:

• Global Reach: Four BWTS retrofit projects were in Europe, two were in Africa, two were in the Middle East, and one was in Singapore.
• Vessel Voyage Installations: We successfully installed systems during vessel voyages on two occasions.
• Supplies Management: We coordinated with more than 50 suppliers and stakeholders across the globe, demonstrating our ability to manage complex supply chains.
• Fleet Program Management: We successfully delivered a seamless Program Management for a fleet of 4 vessels.
• Variety of Vessels: Our work spanned across various types of vessels, including 3 Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), 4 tankers, and 4 offshore supply vessels.
• Safety Record: We maintained a clean Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) track record with zero lost time due to injury.
• On time: None of the projects reported any delays.
• Compliance: We achieved 100% compliance with shipyard and client procedures.
• Site Days: A total of 300 site days and site daily reports were accepted by our clients, underscoring our commitment to transparency and regular communication.

Clients’ opinion about GLO Marine’s end-to-end BWTS projects

Our clients recognize and appreciate our efforts. Marian Lazăr from VMS Group A/S, who recently collaborated with us on a BWTS retrofit project, had this to say:

“Working with GLO Marine on BWTS retrofit projects has been an incredibly positive experience. Their expertise in engineering, superb project management skills, and an unwavering commitment to excellence have added immense value to our partnership. When it comes to retrofits, I have never had the opportunity to work with a more capable team than theirs.”

We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us by our clients and commend each member of our team for their role in our success. As we look forward to the rest of the year and beyond, we remain committed to delivering exceptional client service and exceeding expectations in every project we undertake. Here’s to more milestones, more achievements, and more success stories in the future!

The GLO team did a great job last year, although working remotely, and delivered quality design & engineering on a considerable number of challenging projects.

We asked our colleagues to select their favorite top 3, and here they are:

1.  Platform Supply Vessel – Conversion & BWTS installation

One of our clients, a fleet operator in the Middle East, asked us to perform a Conversion and Ballast Water Treatment System Installation on a Peridot Platform Supply Vessel.

The comprehensive scope of work consisted of mobilization of temporary accommodation units for 40 additional crew, installation of BWTS from AlfaLaval, conversion of dry bulk tank to sewage tank and seafastening of removable towing equipment.

GLO Marine was responsible for complete engineering from basic to workshop documentation and act as owner representative in technical discussions with DNV.

2. Oil Spill Recovery Vessel – Concept Design

The design for this 22-meters Oil Spill Recovery Vessel is focused on functionality, and comes together at the intersection between maximised skimmer capacity and optimised deck space.

Two important design objectives were high speed and maneuverability and plenty of deck space. During an intense 2 weeks discovery and feasibility process, together with our client, our team went through 3 iteration phases and managed to produce a concept that is 100% fit for client’s purpose and budget.

• 50 m3/h – oil skimmer capacity
• 25 knots – service speed
• lightship – estimated at 20 tones
• deck load of 2 tons / m2

3. Expedition Cruise Vessel – Basic Design

The third project we’re presenting in our Top Projects of 2020 Series is the VEGA Expedition Cruise Vessel we worked on alongside Helsinki Shipyard.

Strengthened for sailing in harsh environments (Polar Code Strengthening), at 113 m length and 75 passenger cabins, it is the perfect cruise ship for sailing both in the Arctic and Antarctic waters as well as in the tropical waters during the spring and fall seasons.

GLO Marine was responsible with issuing the Class drawings, integration of basic structural calculations and project management services.

The stress check of existing boat landing report comprises the rules, methodology and assumptions taken into account for the structural assessment of a boat landing platform located on the offshore installations.

The offshore wind sector is seeing an unprecedented grow due to the current drive in green solutions and green energy. Simply put, the system comprises a fixed or floating installation (offshore wind station) and a crew tender vessel that allows engineers and technicians to board these types of installations for service, maintenance and modifications. The difference between the traditional oil and gas sector and the offshore wind sector is that the new installations are not inhabited and are serviced during the day.

This article addresses the dynamic modelling of the safety critical operation of personnel transfer during boarding operations.

While new technologies are improving and innovations are penetrating the market for improved accessibility to board Offshore Wind turbines such as Boarding Control system and motion compensating gangway backed by DP2 and DP3 vessels, the majority of the operations are carried out classically, using a small catamaran CTV. In this case, the vessel will press up against the boat landing, which consists of a pair of strong parallel vertical beams, known as “bumper bars”.

The classical solution is still working due to reduced cost (compared to complex vessels and complex transfer systems), and dramatically enhanced number of installed wind stations that require service. This allows the service personnel to step across to a ladder located between and slightly behind the boat landing.

This shows a continuous need for engineering support in order to assess the integrity of the boat landing platform and to ensure the safe operation in high seas environments all over the world.

GLO Marine has performed several of these types of analyses on jacket structures, semisubmersibles (HVDC units especially) and offshore wind stations. The work has been performed mainly for vessels ranging from 50 to 250 tons, in waves up to 2 m significant wave height and 1 to 2 m/s impact velocity.

The proper assessment of the operation (vessel displacement, impact area, velocity and impact points) are most important when deriving the berthing force for a correct simulation and diagnose.

The energy absorption of the structure is dictated by the ship mass, it’s trajectory during impact and the impact area. For conservative reasons, the mass modelled ship does not absorb energy, while the contact area is kept to minimum during impact.

Extreme wind loads and wave loads are also equally important to be properly assessed based on metocean data available in the location of the installation.

Up to 70 load combinations are usually derived during the analysis to inspect the structure in all conditions ensuring the safety of crew and asset.

Our team of Naval Architects and Structural Engineers are using the latest software (FEMAP from Siemens) and latest rules and methodology available in order to help our clients complete their projects and objectives in a safe and controlled manner.

Precision in ship design is key to making alternative propulsion systems viable for owners.

GLO Marine has recently completed a project to optimise the hull design of a 15-metre catamaran workboat with the ultimate goal of reducing the wave making resistance to a minimum, whilst keeping the vessel’s main dimensions unchanged. The work was performed using CFD methods and Numeca Fine /Marine software tools. Read the complete article to discover our way of work and all the benefits of CFD analysis on small boats design.

Although still in its infancy, electric propulsion is here to stay. As with any new industry, the ‘introduction’ stage involves technological uncertainty and high capital needs, followed by the ‘growth’ and ‘maturity’ stages, where proven designs and lower costs bring the product into the mainstream.

Electric propulsion is still in the ‘introduction’ stage, where maximising benefits is driven by operability, and how and where these systems are installed, rather than by the actual product design process, currently limited by technology. This shows a real need for precision engineering to support emerging technologies.

With electric propulsion, it is of paramount importance to make sure that the limited power installed on board is directed towards meeting the vessel’s operability targets, rather than driving a weak hull design. And this is where an optimised ship design makes all the difference in the world.

Until recently, CFD-based hull optimisation was used mostly for larger vessels, where even a 2% reduction in fuel consumption over the vessel’s lifespan can have a big impact on overall operational costs. For smaller vessels, interest was minimal due to the smaller engines and shorter voyages.

However, this is changing with the growing adoption of electric propulsion, where any kind of savings in terms of power means smaller batteries for the same range or longer voyages for the same powerpack. And the center stage is currently being taken by aquaculture support vessels and offshore wind farm CTVs in their search for economies.

CFD therefore has a role to play in a world where absolute accuracy in ship design can deliver major benefits and so support the growth of electric propulsion as owners see its benefits in financial as well as environmental terms.

 

Electric catamaran

As one example, GLO Marine recently completed a project for MEST Shipyard in the Faroe Islands, which involved optimising the hull design of a 15m catamaran workboat, with the ultimate goal of reducing the wave-making resistance to a minimum while keeping the vessel’s main dimensions unchanged. The cat is intended for aquaculture operations, specifically salmon farming, around the Faroe Islands. The owner had requested a vessel with a continuous sailing time of just over 10 hours at a service speed of 8knots, on a single charge. Electric propulsion was the preferred option, resulting in zero fumes on the deck. Fish-farm operations are carried out when the vessel is either stationary or maneuvering at very low speeds. When diesel propulsion is used, this often results in the exhaust being blown over the crew. Another benefit is that electric propulsion results in low engine noise: a benefit for the crew but also for the fish, as this greatly reduces their stress levels.

Using CFD, GLO Marine ensured that the 15m catamaran’s optimised hull shape (right) kept the same draught of the baseline hull (left), while the displacement was altered just a fraction of its original value.

CFD analysis set-up

The work for the catamaran was performed using CFD methods and Numeca FINE/ Marine software tools. Correct set-up of CFD runs is crucial to properly simulating the water flow around the hull and generating reliable results, with the focus being on creating the right mesh distribution to balance accuracy on one hand, and computational time on the other. The mesh was optimised to follow the vessel’s own wave pattern, whilst taking all measures such that the mesh density was constant between the various hull shapes tested. This gave GLO full confidence that any difference in forward resistance was the result of the hull optimisation and not because of a mesh variation.

After careful attention was paid to the hull extremities and trim, the enhanced hull showed obvious improvements in terms of its own wave pattern and a reduction in forward resistance by almost 10% compared to the baseline case was achieved. This allowed for approximately one hour’s extra sailing time at the service speed of 8 knots.

With a process where both computational power and time cost money, GLO’s mesh of 5 million cells achieved an intersection of 12 hours of computational time for each variation on a 32-core machine that delivered accurate depictions of the flow of the water around the hull.

Objectives and results

For the analysis, the computer-generated vessel was trimmed by 2° aft (0.5m trim) to replicate normal operating conditions, and accelerated to 8 knots, corresponding to the vessel’s service speed. The CFD analysis was then conducted across eight variations of the hull shape, with the aim of optimising the areas which had major variations in their hydrodynamic pressure coefficients and thus had the largest impact on generating resistance to waves.

The analysis proved conclusively that continuous waterlines with no inflection points and no hydrodynamic shoulders yielded the greatest benefits for this particular design. Implementing these findings delivered an optimised design that returned a 10% reduction in forward resistance compared to the baseline design.

These performance upgrades were achieved without altering the vessel’s main dimensions, through small changes that made big differences. These included optimising the entry angle of the water plane area and the forward profile. The optimised hull shape kept the same draught as the baseline hull, whilst the displacement was altered just a fraction of its original value; a reduction of 2.3% as a result of the slimmer fore extremity shapes.

The entire CFD process was developed and managed by a mixed team of hydrodynamics engineers and hull designers, to ensure that all hull modifications could be implemented and carried out safely throughout the construction phase. Successful initiatives like this one can have a longer-lasting and broader impact on the industry by instilling trust that electric propulsion can meet operational expectations, allowing this technology to gain more traction and higher adoption rates.

GLO Marine has dealt with more than 100 catamaran workboats to date, solving various engineering challenges, from stability to hull optimisation and onboard arrangements.

Working with small vessel designs means working with two-decimals accuracy.

There is a common misconception that the smaller the vessel, the easier the design work. This is a myth that we are certainly committed to fight, after dealing with more than 150 vessels with lengths between 12m and 15m. Our day-to-day reality shows that designing and optimising a 15m concept can prove way more challenging than working with a 60m design. Given their hypersensitivity to weight distribution or the limited space availability on board, workboats are indeed a true engineering challenge.

A failure to recognise this complexity may lead to appointing a designer who is simply not experienced enough to recognise the possible pitfalls and plan around them. This can lead to under-estimating risks, scope creep or ‘under the radar’ execution when the design work does not start up in a controlled way.

So, what is the perfect hull shape for workboats / multipurpose vessels? The answer, ‘It depends’!

The perfect hull shape would return excellent stability and maneuverability performances, would be able to carry large amounts of cargo and would be as inexpensive as possible to build. Unfortunately, if naval architecture has taught us anything, that thing is the art of compromising.

Starting from the top, in terms of stability multihulls are stiffer and show far superior stability performances at smaller angles of heel (GZ max is usually at around 20-25 deg), however monohulls have a greater range of stability (60-70 deg for monohulls compared to 40-50deg in the case of multihulls). This means that in relatively decent wave heights, the obvious choice is the catamaran, however, in really choppy seas, the catamaran can lose stability quite fast, whilst the monohull is able to right itself after large angles of heel.

Talking maneuverability, catamarans are wider than monohulls so by default, the propulsion lines are farther apart which makes maneuvering them much easier and more precise than monohulls. To match the same maneuverability performances, a monohull would require a bow thruster.

In terms of cargo carrying capabilities, although narrower compared to catamarans, monohulls have greater buoyancy reserves thus allowing for far larger amounts of cargo to be accommodated on board, both above main deck, but also in underdeck compartments.

Cost-wise, with their complicated shapes, catamaran will always be more challenging to build and thus considerably most costly.

The below table shows the parallel between the characteristics of monohulls and catamarans, for identical overall lengths:

So, what’s the best choice?

If the operational profile requires great stability and maneuverability, as with crew transfer or survey vessels, then the catamaran is the way to go. If the owner is looking for a low-cost vessel capable of accommodating large cargos on board, such as fishing vessels, then the monohull is the right option. So, the answer to the opening question truly depends on the owner’s needs and budgets.

GLO Marine has dealt with more than 150 cat and monohull workboats up to date, solving out various engineering challenges from stability to hull optimisation and on-board arrangements, making it one of the most experienced companies in Europe on this vessel segment. The main takeaway from this experience is the fine tuning involved in the concept design stage, looking at sensitivity to weight distribution, the importance of trim in reducing forward resistance and the challenges related to space allocation. All these engineering senses have been trained in 4 years of continuous hands-on experience.

Here in GLO Marine we understand every project is unique, so we tailor our project management activities accordingly, for every single project.

In this article we will be discussing the workflow – our most used tool from the GLO project management toolbox that considerably enhanced performance during remote work. We are also presenting a small case study based on our on small crafts projects, exploring how using this tool can benefit both project interaction and costs.

A workflow is a visual tool/ diagram of a structured set of activities and branching possibilities that:

• • • Depicts the sequence of activities agreed within a project, the interrelations with other activities, who does what, when, and what is affected by changes to any given item on the flow;
    • Always produces the agreed and desired result;
    • Empowers the project manager, sets a clear relationship with the client and builds confidence for all team members (especially working in a remote environment).

Nowadays, workflows are a must in most engineering industries, especially on interdisciplinary fast track projects that integrate distributed teams, several vendors, clients and internal team management.

Fast track projects eliminate the possibility of flattening the learning curve, moreover they don’t allow for a learning curve. That’s why we focus on clarity, results and enhanced project controls.

Let’s describe how we use workflows in our projects. We perform such a flow in the initiating phase (at the beginning of the project), discuss it in detail internally, explain it to the Client and agree upon it. We invest time in the setup phase and we gain from it massively in the execution phase.

This allows for a better understanding of the scope, mapping the activities and interactions (while also linking them to the schedule and showing dependencies) and getting all stakeholders fully onboard with the:

• • • Engineering process;
    • The flow of information within that particular project;
    • Required interactions for the agreed sequence of activities.

Benefits

After using it on several small craft projects, we observed several benefits:

Financial implications

• • Reduced costs for both Client and GLO;

Once we all agree on the “map of the project” we work proactively to assist one-another to achieve our goals and increase the chances of completing the project successfully.

• • Avoid re-work;

Workflows are a way to visually communicate the process to both parties. When the process is clear, re-work is avoided.

• • Reduced number of changes;

Setting a workflow from initiating phase sets clear grounds and commitment for all parties to get the project completed successfully.

• • Reduced down time;

When everybody works in a synchronized manner down-time is reduced to the minimum. The workflow has, in our experience, assisted in obtaining this synchronicity and laying the grounds for proactivity.

• • Reduced schedule and avoiding delays;

Visualizing the exact sequence of activities assists tremendously in arranging and rearranging them in such a manner as to achieve the minimum duration obtainable and also to prevent delays.

 Interaction

• • Set clear expectations and clearly show phase gates;

Instead of uncertainty about whose responsibility it is to complete different tasks, a workflow defines it for everybody.

• • Set-up a visual tool for helping assess any impact on changed input data;

If input data is changed during the process, the workflow helps identify the activities (completed or on-going) impacted by project changes.

• • Set “visual” boundaries for all stakeholders;

If there is something causing confusion or not properly understood, we always reference to our “map” which assist us in clarifying things. Almost every time it did help and it was a welcome and appreciated tool for this job.

It is of high importance to also clearly set and show the boundaries. All necessary steps should be taken to eliminate confusion as early as possible in the project. This tool has helped us in this endeavor. It has also eliminated some of the guesswork, saving time and building trust and collaboration through a correct strategy from the start of the project.

With a substantial number of PSV / OSV units at present lying idle with their owners looking for new ways to put them to work, we are pleased to have recently successfully completed the engineering for two PSV / OSV conversion projects. For both of these the clients wanted to have the capability to temporarily accommodate up to 40 additional personnel in single and double cabins. We achieved this for the first vessel by adding an extra layer of superstructure to the existing arrangement to take 15 double cabins.

For the second vessel the optimal solution was to fit accommodation containers on the mezzanine deck for the required number of people.

To achieve this involved implementing the SPS (Special Purpose Ship) Code, which bridges the gap between cargo and passenger vessels with its focus on safety of the personnel on board. However, the major challenge for the team was to manage each vessel’s stability behaviour given the extra weight involved and its distribution. Upgrades on this scale also require significant changes to all the on-board systems, especially those relating to the safety of the personnel. Our team with its in-depth understanding of the SOLAS requirements and the way that they interact with each other is an effective partner to manage all these changes.

“Each project has its own peculiarities and achieving the SPS class notation will take any engineer out of their comfort zone, as one needs to deal with lots of moving parts, including a great deal of Class interaction,” explains Liviu Galatanu, Business Development & Integration Director of GLO Marine. “We have learned much from these projects but, most importantly, we have taken the experience and translated it into efficient work-flows and step by step guides, which now enables us to deliver SPS class notations quickly and cost-effectively,”

Conversions of this type are ideal for mid-life PSVs that can safely operate for at least another 10 to 15 years. The time saved by conversion versus new build is also considerable. The design and on-board mobilisation and installation works associated with assigning a SPS Class notation to a PSV usually takes no more than 6 to 8 months, depending on complexity. And if the design work is done with a high degree of accuracy, the actual docking times can be as little as 3 months or even less.

GLO Marine is looking for 3 internship students.

Who can apply:
– 4th year Naval Architecture students;

What we’re looking for:
– ambitious students willing to invest 16 to 20 hrs per week;
– curious and assertive individuals who want to go the extra mile;
– creative and resourceful personalities;
– basic knowledge of Rhino;
– good knowledge of Naval Architecture principles;
– good knowledge of spoken and written English;

When:
The GLO Internship programme will run over 20 weeks, starting January, till May.

What we offer:
– Possibility for employment at the end of the internship;
– Support with final year thesis;
– One-on-one mentorship;
– Involvement in real life concept design projects;
– Hands-on experience in developing structural calculations, stability assessments, 3D models, technical reports and technical drawings;
– Dedicates tutors for every activity;
– A friendly and challenging environment where ambitious young engineers thrive;

How to apply?
Please send us an up to date copy of your CV until 10th of November to careers@glo-marine.com with the subject line: INTERNSHIP @GLO.

The interviews will take place until November 29 and the three students selected to be part of the GLO team will be announced on the 2nd of December.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us on livia.tonita@glo-marine.com with any questions you might have.

We look forward to working with you, the Naval Architects of tomorrow!