ABS and Polish Register of Shipping Announce Joint R&D Program
Dynamic Stability and Bulk Carrier Safety are Focus of Joint Efforts

Jul 14, 2008

(Houston, TX) Following several days of intensive, high level discussion, ABS and Polish Register of Shipping (PRS) have announced a multi-year, joint research and development program that will focus on ship dynamic stability in extreme wave conditions and the time variant reliability of aging bulk carriers.

Agreement on the R&D projects follows the conclusion of a wide-ranging co-operative accord that was signed by the two class societies in March. The two societies are already working closely on several dual class newbuilding projects.

“These two major research projects neatly dovetail the strengths of both societies and are expected to result in criteria that will further improve marine safety,” said ABS President and COO Christopher J. Wiernicki at the conclusion of the discussions. “PRS brings a very strong technical competence and a long standing interest in ship stability,” he noted. “ABS has existing dynamic stability assessment programs that are state of the art but need to be validated for their application to extreme wave conditions. This joint development project will advance both societies’ knowledge and capabilities in this area.”

PRS President Dr. Jan Jankowski noted the increased interest in ship behavior in extreme wave conditions in light of a growing concern that the prevalence of extreme waves may be greater than previously thought.

“Class has developed very sophisticated theoretical models for evaluating dynamic stability but increased computer capabilities now allow us to validate these models against in-service experience,” he said. “One of the principal issues we will be focusing on in this joint study is the green water-deck interaction, gaining a much more detailed understanding of the influence that hydrodynamic forces in extreme wave conditions have not only on ship strength but also on ship motion.”

The multi-phase, multi-year investigation will evaluate the component parts of each society’s existing methodology and simulation software that address issues such as pressures, forces, loads and ship motions, and validate the results against extensive model tests and experiments. “The expectation is that the first-phase result will be a fuller understanding of the hydrodynamic forces that will be applicable to all vessels, regardless of size or type,” said Jankowski.

Subsequent research will then consider specific issues such as the dynamic stability of smaller vessels, and also the impact on specific components of larger vessels such as the foredeck structure, hatch coamings and hatch covers. The study is also expected to further advance the class societies’ understanding of the issue of parametric roll and broaching phenomena.

With respect to bulk carriers, ABS is enlisting PRS assistance in its on-going study into the cumulative, long term effect on the structure of bulk carriers of the increasingly high loading rates at iron ore terminals. The first two phases of the ABS project, carried out with the assistance of INTERCARGO, have been completed.

“We welcome this opportunity to tap into PRS’ experience with investigating age related failures of bulk carrier structures to progress this project to the next level,” Wiernicki commented. “Even though there have been remarkable improvements in reducing the number and severity of bulk carrier casualties over the last 15 years, we feel this is a subject that offers opportunities for extending our understanding of the potential failure sequences.”

Both Wiernicki and Jankowski emphasized that these two projects are just the first steps in what is intended to be a closer technical cooperation between the two societies. “There are several other promising areas of joint research that have been identified,” Wiernicki said. “Discussions will continue on how we can craft an effective joint approach to research these. Our focus is on improving our understanding of the reliability of the entire ship structure over its service life.”

Founded in 1862, ABS is a leading international classification society devoted to promoting the security of life, property and the marine environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities.

Founded in 1936, PRS is a classification society that focuses its research into the areas of hydrodynamics and structural mechanics, with a particular emphasis on improving the understanding of wave loads on ships to enhance marine safety.

ABS Press Release