OPUS50: Our Award-Winning Design, Significant Ships of 2020
When a Canadian fishing company sought to replace their fleet of scallop harvesting vessels, they turned to Allswater for an innovative, cost-effective solution designed for long-term durability.
Challenge
The design challenge was to enhance efficiencies across all aspects of vessel operations, allowing the new vessel to replace multiple existing ones. The project aimed to:
- Incorporate advanced scallop processing equipment.
- Improve the fishing arrangement to increase catch rates.
- Optimize the power plant for reduced fuel consumption and maintenance.
The ultimate goal was to create a state-of-the-art scallop harvesting vessel with features uniquely tailored to the needs of the fishery.
Solution
Accepting the ambitious design challenge, our team set out to adapt our existing hull design, ultimately developing the signature OPUS hull. This hull was crafted to serve as an efficient work platform while significantly enhancing seakeeping characteristics, surpassing the performance of existing vessels in the fishery.
Key elements of our solution included:
- Advanced Modeling and Analysis:
- Utilized Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and motion analysis to refine the hull form, improving efficiency and crew comfort.
- Applied Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to optimize weight distribution in critical areas, ensuring structural integrity and performance.
- Comprehensive Energy Analysis:
- Conducted a detailed energy analysis of the vessel’s operations, considering electrical system loads, propulsion requirements, energy capture, emissions, maintenance needs, and liquid consumables for various systems.
- Collaborative Project Management:
- Worked closely with the owner to develop bidding documents for the shipyard, evaluate bids, and make the final selection.
- Oversaw the vessel’s construction at the shipyard on behalf of the owner, ensuring the project met all expectations.
Results
The vessel was successfully delivered to the owner in 2020 and was recognized with two prestigious awards:
Workboat World Scalloper 2021
RINA Significant Small Ships 2020