Samsung HI on song

Samsung Heavy Industries is currently sitting on the highest value backlog of orders in its history. The $5.5 billion backlog consists of 90 ships, which will provide the Koje-based yard`s 6,400 labour force with work until early 2004. So far this year, Samsung has won orders for six LNG carriers, six of the world`s largest container vessels, a VLCC and a pair of Aframax oil tankers. These 15 ships alone provide work worth $1.5 billion. There are also two options for LNG carriers. It is noteworthy that the shipyard`s success has been mainly in value-added ship types – where profit margins are supposedly higher. They account for more than 90% in value of the recent order intake. Samsung boxing clever with Jumbo designs Recent advances in ship design include design of the world`s largest 9,000 teu class jumbo container vessels. Samsung is ready to start marketing this. The company is also working on even larger container ships in order to develop an optimum vessel prototype, compatible with cargo-handling equipment at major ports and their plans for expansion of this equipment. This project is currently pushing ahead with designs for a 12,000 and 14,000 TEU container ship. Samsung says the transportation costs of 500,000 boxes a year will be 17% lower on a 9,000 TEU vessel than on two 4,500 TEU vessels on the same route. The vessel is designed to achieve a service speed as high as 26 knots. It will be fitted with the most powerful existing engines: currently the MAN B&W K98 series with a maximum output of 5,720kW per cylinder. The vessel will have 10 cargo holds and a total loaded weight of close to 150,000 dwt. It dimensions measure 330m length, 45.6m beam and 14.5m draught. It will also features a double-hull configuration for the bunker tanks to lessen the risk of an oil spill in the event of damage to the hull. An official at SHI said, “Our superiority in designing capability has been proven again with development of this 9,000 TEU-class jumbo vessel and we currently plan to develop a variety of vessel prototypes including a 14,000 TEU-class ultra large container ship (ULCS), which is the largest vessel included in our current plan.” Contra rotating pods Problems with providing adequate propulsive power to sustain speeds of 25 knots for these giants has given rise to an innovative solution involving the podded propulsion system produced by ABB Industry in Finland. The new propulsion concept for the 12,000 TEU vessel was chosen after Samsung conducted a series of scale model tests at its own test tank comparing the CRP (Contra Rotating Propulsion) Azipod system with two other propulsion methods, i.e. a single engine and a two engine configuration. According to Samsung`s preliminary results, the steerable CRP Azipod gave the best performance giving better fuel efficiency and greater container capacity compared to a twin-skeg hull design fitted with two main engines driving twin propellers. The CRP Azipod-based engineering approach would require a single eight-cylinder, low-speed engine of about 45,000 kW, driving the main propeller, and three auxiliary diesels of some 12,000 kW each as the diesel-electric power plant. The latter would feed power to the 23MW Azipod unit. The CRP unit would be mounted behind the main propeller. It would obviate the necessity of having a rudder. Located on the same centre-line axis, the pod`s pulling propeller will contra-rotate in relation to the shaft-driven main propeller. This arrangement gives a claimed improvement of over 10% in hydrodynamic propulsion efficiency and would therefore mean savings in operating costs. In addition, it is claimed the system offers greater flexibility in harbour where the main propulsion can remain idle while the Azipod propulsion can be used to manoeuvre the ship. Also, the total installed power for the podded system is less and consequently fuel costs are reduced because of more efficient prime-mover utilisation, says ABB. As the propulsion efficiency is 15% better, the total installed power can be as much as 17% lower, it says. The final bonus is an increase in carrying capacity within set dimensions. This would be between 50 and 100 TEU as a result of the Azipod installation, which inherently locates part of the machinery outboard.