Daewoo strengthen hull structure without collar plate

Daewoo Shipbuilding has been implementing a method of construction that strengthens hull structure without utilizing a collar plate. Named ‘collarless construction method’, the shipbuilder has applied this construction technology to an offshore project for the first time in order to reduce building costs such as man-hours and materials.

In the past, the Okpo-based shipbuilder did not consider there was any other way to enhance the hull strength of an offshore project other than using collar plates. This technology was first applied to the manufacture of columns for the BP Atlantis project where the hull strength of the void spaces between longitudinal frames and bulkheads has been enhanced without using collar plates.

According to the original construction plan, around 4,500 collar plates would have had to be fitted and welded to assure proper hull structure strength. At the outset, Daewoo realized that the welding of these collar plates would take a lot of man-hours and cause delays to building progress in the later stages. Additionally, material costs for collar plates were expected to be significant. However, by applying the new collarless technology, the ?Offshore Cutting & Sub-Assembly? team saved a lot of man-hours for welding while reducing material costs.

H.T. Son, a section leader of the team, said,”This collarless building technology was proposed by office workers but has been developed through tests and improvements made by production workers.”