Norway: Inocean Takes Care of Your Stability Calculations

Stability is essential whether it involves hull design, life time extension or during operation. In over 40 such projects Inocean has calculated stability of everything from FPSOs to special-purpose ships, semi-submersibles and floating wind turbines.

Part of the whole

“Stability is involved in most of what we do,” says Ragnhild Orten, Head of Inocean’s Section Hydrodynamics and Stability. “For instance, it’s one thing to calculate whether an intended loading operation is within the regulations. It’s a whole new ballgame when stability is part of a larger picture and we are optimising a design for a drillship, an FPSO or a heavy lifter. Then we must be able to evaluate stability in relation to a vessel’s future operational conditions. Such tasks also require close collaboration with other professional disciplines, such as structure. Our comprehensive experience is clearly crucial. Another major advantage is our broad knowledge of regulations, including those of IMO, MARPOL, SOLAS, NMD, DNV and ABS.”

Conversions and lifetime extensions

Orten also stresses the importance of stability, “particularly regarding longitudinal ship strength in connection with typical conversions and lifetime extension projects. In such cases an extended service life is often targeted without replacing more steel than necessary“. Here too, interplay comprising designers, structural competence and expertise in stability is required to achieve acceptable solutions for both the customer and Class societies.

What Inocean can do for you:

Inocean can contribute with stability calculations in all phases of a ship’s or a rig’s service life, from optimising of a hull design and internal subdivision, via construction and the completion phase, to assistance when the unit is in operaton. This includes newbuilds and conversions.

Some examples:

• Hull design and modelling

• Freeboard calculations

• Intact and damage stability

• Probabilistic damage stability

• Loading conditions

• Weight estimations and weight distribution

• Longitudinal strength

• Operations manuals

• Procedures for Ballast Water Management

• Procedures for pressure-testing tanks

• Preparation and execution of inclining tests

• Freeboard plans

• Watertight compartment plans

• Tank capacity plans

• Sounding tables

• Lifetime extensions – optimising loading/unloading procedures in respect to stability and longitudinal ship strength to prolong the structural life of a vessel

• Marine Operations – stability during transport and installation of fixed and floating vessels/units

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Press Release, October 8, 2012; Image: inocean