

Related Read: Shipbuilding Process – Plate Stocking, Surface Treatment and Cutting Aluminium Alloys: Derrick booms, as a rule, are welded lengths of seamless tubular steel. Mast tables, crosstrees, etc., may be fabricated from welded steel plates and sections.

Some integral parts of the ship that are made of steel include the thickness stringer plate, rounded gunwales, sheerstrake, Bilge strake, deck strake in the way of the longitudinal bulkheads, main deck plating, bottom plating, keel, and the upper strake of longitudinal bulkheads. As this leads to a reduction in the scantlings of these structural items, it proves advantageous both for the shipbuilder and owner. They are often used for the deck and bottom regions of larger tankers as well. High Tensile Steels Steels which have higher strength than that of mild steel are employed in the more stressed regions of large tankers, container ships and bulk carriers. Related Read: Common Welding Methods And Weld Defects In Shipbuilding Industryįurthermore, cracks and such can develop easily during the rolling process if the sulphur content is high. Sulphur and phosphorus contents in the mild steel are kept to a minimum (less than 0.05%) as higher contents of each hamper the welding properties of the steel. One major drawback of employing steel in ship constructions is the weight of steel.įor the construction of the hull of a ship, mild steel containing 0.15% to 0.23 % carbon, and reasonably high manganese content is used. Steel has been in use for over 150 years in the shipbuilding industry, thanks to its excellent mechanical properties and low cost. This is a highly versatile ship construction material and is used extensively on ships for the making of its integral structure and parts. Most commonly used materials for shipbuilding : Steel: Related Read: What ISM Certificates You Require to Start a Shipping Company? Shipowners with an unclassed ship must satisfy governmental regulating bodies to ensure that the vessel has necessary structural strength for assigning a load line, and the issuing of a safety construction certificate. While classification is not compulsory for all ships, it is a common industry practice as it is a good endorsement for the company and vessel. Most of the world’s merchant ships are currently being built by Japan and Korea, which together made about 77 percent of the gross tonnage delivered in the year 2000. Related Read: What is the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS)?

The vessel may be built in any country and are not restricted to classification only by the relevant society of that country they can follow regulations in accordance with the rules of any particular classification society. United States of America-American Bureau of ShippingĬlassification societies publish rules and regulations concerned with the provision of adequate equipment, the reliability of the machinery used on board, the strength of the ship, etc. Great Britain-Lloyd’s Register of Shipping The Classification Societies Include the following These are well reputed and reliable organizations which assess and maintain a ship’s seaworthiness and award them a classification. Various classification societies which are based out of different maritime nations have come into existence for initial and continual inspection of ships. This implies that the final design takes into account the economic conditions at the time of building, and also those that are likely to develop within the life of the ship.Īpart from this, the safety of seafarers on board, the type of vessel, the operational logistics of the voyages is taken into serious consideration while planning and executing the shipbuilding operations. The economic aspect of running a merchant vessel is of prime importance as a shipowner requires a build which maximises the returns for his initial investment and covers his running costs.
