Tankers ?R? Daewoo

Located in Okpo Bay on Koje Island, off the south eastern tip of the Korean Peninsula, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has built 174 oil tankers up to September 2000 including 56 VLCCs since 1988 which corresponds to about 13% of the world?s VLCCs. In addition, DSME is currently building a class of four 450,000 dwt ULCCs for Hellespont Steamship, the first of this type constructed worldwide since the 1970s. Since the company was established in 1978, it has delivered more than 400 commercial vessels covering a wide variety of types and designs. Using state-of-the-art production facilities, DSME is regarded as one of the most efficient and competitive producer of ultra large vessels such as ULCCs, VLCCs and a number of 320,000 dwt Very Large Ore Carriers (VLOC). DSME also has the capabilities to construct high-tech vessels such as LNG and LPG carriers, FPSOs, deep-sea drilling rigs while it has during last year entered the car ferry market. DSME operates the world?s largest dry dock with a 1m dwt capacity measuring 530 x 131 x 14.5m and equipped with a 900t lifting capacity gantry crane. This dock, together with a smaller 300,000 dwt drydock measuring 350 x 81 x 14.5m and three floating docks enables the yard to build about 40 vessels a year, representing 2.5m tonnes, plus about 10 warships and a number of onshore and offshore platforms and structures. The yard?s facilities can also cope with ship repairs and conversions using its three floating docks with capacities of 90,000, 72,000 and 15,000 dwt respectively. The current orderbook consists of around 120 vessels, including 14 large LNG carriers. This will keep the yard fully occupied well into 2004. In October 2000, DSME split from Daewoo Heavy Industries (DHI) and became an independent entity. Ships of note Ships of note have included various types of passenger ships such as the 472 passenger-capacity Treasure Island which was selected as the world?s best ship in 1997 and a pair of 2,000-passenger capacity car ferries for Moby Line in Italy thereby acquiring skills in building passenger ships. DSME is currently building two car ferries for Strintzis Lines Shipping S.A. in Greece capable of carrying 1,500 passengers and 200 cars which further enhances its reputation in this market. Other vessels of note are the 138,000m3 membrane type LNG carriers for which the company has independently developed more than 200 pieces of latest production equipment and also owns automatic manufacturing and construction technologies of -163oC LNG cargo storage thermal insulation system. MOSES program Other ship types which feature in DSME?s repertoire include boxships ranging in size from 2,400 to 7,000 TEU and ro-ro vessels. Additionally, it builds new-concept vehicle carriers with the ability to carry heavy project equipment, general cargo and containers. The company?s in-house design team utilises programs such as SESAM and MOSES and has developed the latest hull shape that enables low water resistance and high propelling efficiency through comprehensive underwater tests. DSME also conduct computer simulations and aid in the design of optimum ship shape and structure. In particular, the latest propeller blade (KH40 type) and propeller design, each developed by DSME and MIT, enhances a vessel?s propelling efficiency by 2 to 4 %, greatly reduces cavitation, lowers the level of vibration and upgrades the control performance thereby reducing fuel consumption by 4 to 6%, says the company. Compared to some shipbuilders, DSME incorporates 10% more girders for the hulls of newbuildings, which enhances the structural strength by 15%. To offset the extra weight, the yard incorporates a high proportion of lightweight steel thereby optimising carrying capacity with a high level of collision absorption. R&D drives production technology When it comes to research and development, the Daewoo group of companies has shown a strong commitment by setting up, in 1984, the Institute for Advanced Engineering (IAE). It is a research-education consortium which consists of 11 Daewoo Group Companies, Ajou University, and a number of research institutions. Manned by some 300 professional technicians, the IAE develops core technology that plays a decisive role in determining product quality and performance. Cyber erection Examples of research put to practical use include “Cyber-Erection”, a new 3D digital measuring and simulation program. DSME claims the technology enabled a greater level of precision to be achieved when it was used for the first time last November to help join the heavy fore and aft sections of a 75,000 dwt bulk carrier in its floating dock. By feeding in measurements taken using 3D laser-measuring devices, the Cyber-Erection program creates a precise digital image of the ship blocks. These digital images are then used as the basis for repeated advance simulation of setting the blocks in the dock. Another example of the benefits derived from an active R&D programme has been the development of an automatic welding robot dubbed “Dandy”. Taking four years to develop, these robots, each weighing 50kgs and standing 750mm tall, are claimed to be more compact and manoeuvrable than conventional robots and provide greater accuracy of operation. Since 1996, when DSME first installed the welding robot, some 14 units have been installed on the large block assembly line. Each robot features six axles that move simultaneously while the multiple joints permit it to position itself quickly even on curved or irregular surfaces. The robot automatically determines joint regions with a sensor, and its computer automatically controls the distance between the right and left side of the flat steel plate and itself, welding rod delivery, welding speed, deposit rate, etc. It also features an intelligent welding system that performs analysis through the use of CAD data for the ship block fabrication, analyses the information and determines its next objective using off-line programming. This ?thinking? robot is ideal for welding environments of double-skin hulls where the temperature can sometimes reach higher than 50 C and require a proportionately higher number of man-hours for welding, repair and maintenance, in comparison to other labour in the shipbuilding industry. The new welding robot for shipbuilding is a promising substitute for workers who often have to endure harsh and dangerous working conditions.