Ship of the Week - Green Dolphin 575

BACKGROUND BEHIND THE DESIGN

Of late the demand for bulk cargo trade in the intra asia routes have shown a constant elevation in graphs, triggering the requirement of handymax vessels. Handymax ships have this potential to compete against larger tonnage vessels as in they can carry wide range of cargoes and their optimized size make them suitable for easy handling within ports and terminals. The concept design has been devoloped by joint collaborations and research activities of DNV-GL and SDARI (Sanghai Ship Design and Research Institute). 

WHY IS GREEN DOLPHIN 575 UNIQUE?

FUEL AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY: 

• Main particulars have been optimized by systematic RANS CFD analysis and resistance tests to obtain a better speed and less fuel consumption.   

• To be specific, the design is capable of a 10 to 14.5 knots speed with fuel consumption of only 22.8 tons/day. This is the lowest ever specific fuel oil consumption rate among ships of the same class till date.
• The best part - Naval Architects must forget making it a rule in their minds about the effect of bulbous bow. The bulbs don't always increase hull efficiency and performances. Green Dolphin 575 was tested for better performances in realistic sea states 'without a bulb'.
• Fuel efficiency at low steaming speeds was further elevated by its adaptation with Watrsila's W5X62 long stroke main engine, driving a large diameter and low RPM propeller. That too, the propeller would be incorporated with a duct in front of the cap fins to reduce propeller hub vortex. The design is also capable of being operated at the same efficiency by MAN 5G60ME-C9.2

AVAILABLE VERSIONS:

SINGLE HULL STANDARD VERSION:

• Has a traditional bulk carrier cross section.
• It is compliant with the IACS Common Structural Rules.
• Higher cubic capacity than ships of similar class.
• Most suitable for free flowing type of cargo. For example: grains.

DOUBLE HULL OPEN HATCH VERSION:

• Double hull cross section enables box shaped holds.
• Wider hatch openings than the standard version. (Compare the top views of the standard and double hull versions)
• Made suitable for transporting packaged cargo.
• Three holds donot have hopper and wing tanks, enabling stowage of project cargoes and steel coils.
• Easy clean cargo holds.
• Container loading enabled on hatch covers, with lashing equippments.
• Packaged cargo loading enabled on hatch covers.
• Timber cargo loading enabled on hatch covers.

OPERATION FRIENDLY:

• Designed for widespread range of heavy bulk cargo.
• Dimensions optimized for operation friendliness in most ports.
• Designed for alternative loading wuring heavy cargo carriage.
• Holds equipped with compressed air supply, Carbon dioxide fire-fighting systems, and portable wash water systems on covers.
• GRP pipes for ballast and bilge lines, prevents corrosion.
• Tank tops are designed for stowage of heavy weight cargo like steel coils.
• 30 Ton energy efficient derrick cranes with variable frequency drives and 28m outreach.
• Prepared for cold ironing operations.

Alternate loading layout on Green Dolphin 575 with Holds 2 and 4 empty

THE MOST ROBUST BULK CARRIER DESIGN TILL DATE:

LSD

Article By: Soumya Chakraborty

Author's Note: This article is the first of its type at LSD. The core value behind the initiation of this series (Ship of the Week) is to share the technologies and devolopments made on ship design. The images are not owned by LSD and full credit goes to the owner of the images. There shall be an article under this series every week.  I hope they help you knowing about one new ship every week. Do visit the links tagged with a few terms in this article. It would only increase your knowledge and not take away your time. Thank You for reading. If you have any queries or suggestions, please comment. You may also write to learnshipdesign@gmail.com