| Human Technosphere - Fast Passenger Ferries and | | | | Tank tests have established the feasibility of |
| freighters | | | | achieving this economically and comfortably. |
| Everything about human life revolves around the | | | | -Whilst it is true that fuel costs are very much higher |
| world of biosphere or environement we inherited and | | | | for fast vessels the total operational costs are still |
| the technosphere we build out of pressure , demand | | | | lower. |
| , facilitation and quest for hapiness , speed, comfort-- | | | | -10 years ago the suggestion that car ferries would |
| under technosphere, I will discuss about | | | | have top speeds exceeding 60 knots would surely |
| transportation of people by water and of course | | | | have been disbelieved. However, the 1990`s have |
| environmental issue that surround it which i will | | | | seen 60 knot car ferry is a reality, and some 50 |
| discuss later are very important and it involve hot | | | | other car ferries are capable of speeds in excess of |
| issues surounded by tough regulation -- why ? | | | | 40 knots. |
| Because human life is important from the perspective | | | | -Isn’t it true that only 10 years ago, the |
| of fact that the creation of human itself is a big thing | | | | suggestion that there would be 40 knot ferries |
| and we must not take chance to loose life nor | | | | carrying not only passengers but also cars would |
| render one into lost- and also , mankind, being God~s | | | | have been treated with derision. |
| ambasador on the planet , must equally take care of | | | | -Nearly 1000 Ro-pax vessels world wide could be |
| other things that has been existing on earthbefore | | | | replaced with fast car ferries , but operators are |
| we inherited it . Lets have a look at passenger | | | | resistant to the new technology because of concerns |
| ferries!! | | | | over materials, machinery and safety. Designs which |
| Early vessels qualified to be called fast ferries if they | | | | can address these fears are likely to be the more |
| exceeded 25 knots. International Maritime | | | | successful in the coming decade. |
| Organization(IMO) mandate that PASSENGER vessel | | | | -The modern car and passenger ferry was introduced |
| carrying more than 12 passengers on international | | | | by International Catamarans in 1990. |
| voyages to comply with IMO regulations. | | | | -There are now in excess of 100 large fast car |
| Trend-Early ferries and development | | | | carrying vessels in operation and a large number on |
| -Fast ferries have started seeing years of glamour | | | | order.Sizes and speeds of vessels have steadily |
| since 1950 . In 1960 the early craft being mainly | | | | increased since 1990. |
| surface piercing hydrofoils and hovercraft. | | | | -The trend aslo proved the fact that vessel can |
| -The modern catamaran passenger ferry first | | | | undertake relatively long voyages at high speed. |
| appeared in Norway 1970 . | | | | -There has been proposals and predictions for future |
| -Early vessels qualified to be called fast ferries if they | | | | fast freight vessels and services.No significant new |
| exceeded 25 knots with a goal of achieving, perhaps, | | | | fast freight operation has been established. |
| 30 knots. Speeds quickly rose to 30 knots, but 40 | | | | -?market could be led by the supply side at least in |
| knots seemed to present a natural barrier . | | | | the short term. The argument from the design and |
| -The market continues to be dominated by | | | | build community is that coastal and short sea freight |
| Catamaran development , as a vessel which could | | | | routes could be served by modifications . |
| give high speeds, coupled with stability, good sea | | | | -There is suggestion regarding modifying existing high |
| keeping and simplicity. | | | | speed car and passenger ferries and removing of |
| -Car and Passenger Ferries Very fast car ferries have | | | | passenger saloons and car decks (and all their safety |
| been with us since 30 years ago when British | | | | and comfort features) could provide a good platform |
| Hovercraft Corporation introduced 50 knot onto the | | | | for carriage of pure freight.lets look at main driving |
| English Channel.Although, still in operation, high | | | | factors: |
| manufacturing costs have limited further applications | | | | -Economic factors |
| of this technology. | | | | -fast car market are very different from those in the |
| -A recent design study examined the carriage of cars | | | | short sea freight market, platform costs for the small |
| and passengers from Scotland directly to the | | | | freight carrier are greater than their simple slow |
| European continent thus bypassing the congested | | | | conventional counterparts which is the opposite of |
| English motorway network .The route length is | | | | the situation with the fast car ferries, although fuel |
| approximately 400 miles and this can be achieved in | | | | costs are up crew costs remain approximately |
| 10 hours at a cruising speed of 40 knots.Vessels of | | | | constant. |
| this type would certainly have to meet the | | | | -For high speed freighter,The increase in speed of |
| requirements of the IMO High Speed Craft Code | | | | the sea freight to 40 knots represents only 4% of |
| which preclude the use of closed cabin | | | | the speed increase by sending cargo by air freight It |
| accommodation. | | | | seems unlikely that a 200-300% in freight rate could |
| Passengers would have to be accommodated in | | | | be justified. Let shave alook at some of the impact |
| aircraft style seating.bellow is Stella Queen- one of | | | | areas. See ecoonomics sumMary bellow. |
| early modern ferries. | | | | The above figure show a decade wide projection for |
| Trend continue | | | | demand and possible solution |
| - there was change in design and speed revolution | | | | - Efficiency |
| Throughout 80’s most new passenger ferries | | | | -It is also clear that a transport efficiency 3-4 times |
| were built for speeds in the range 35-40 knots . | | | | that offered by current designs is required and a fuel |
| -The 90’s have brought a resurgence in the | | | | cost efficiency of 6-10 times that currently proposed. |
| quest for higher speeds with the title “Fastest | | | | Bellow is a result of efficiency analsyis. |
| Ferry in the World” changing hands several times | | | | This figure show the red line show efficiency line of |
| a year! Previously unheard of speeds are now being | | | | now, what efficiency can be attained with putting |
| seriously contemplated. | | | | pentamaran in service. |
| -In this Millennium, there is a real acceptance by | | | | -Freight rate |
| operators that radical changes are possible and | | | | These vessels are more costly than conventional |
| desirable. Exemple of new generation fast ferries | | | | freight vessels in a business where freight rates are |
| pentamaran is shown below: | | | | extremely low Freight rates for containerised or |
| Pentamaran | | | | palletised cargo are only a fraction of those |
| -There is strong and continuing market for fast | | | | chargeable to passengers/cars and their occupants. |
| vehicle and passenger ferries. There is currently a | | | | -For short sea freight, rates would need to rise by a |
| market for 30 vessels per year having an average | | | | factor of between 2 and 3 for a 40-45 knot vessel |
| value of US$50 million representing a total annual | | | | to be economically viable. |
| sales potential of US$1.5 billion. | | | | -Freight rate could be justified on the basis of the |
| -90% of these vessels are currently built by only 6 | | | | higher speed offered and the very high cost of air |
| shipyards, mainly in Australia and Europe, but recently | | | | freight at about 10 x existing sea freight. Bellow is |
| joined by Catamaran Ferries International in Canada. | | | | sumary of freught analysis. |
| -Today, 650 catamaran vessels have been built and | | | | This shoe freight comparation with air travel |
| annual deliveries have stabilised at around 40 vessels | | | | FuelCost |
| per year. Total high speed passenger vessels of all | | | | -Fuel costs, because it drive maning issues in movin |
| hull forms now operating exceed 1300 .Now there | | | | gthe ship , fuel cost per tonne of cargo carried are |
| are very large examples in operation including the | | | | approximately one sixth of those of Fastship and |
| Stena in Europe. | | | | construction costs for this vessel have been |
| -Speeds have increased to a staggering 60 knots | | | | estimated by European shipyards as approximately |
| achieved by Luciano Frederico L operated by | | | | US$75 million which is one third of the published cost |
| Buquebus.lets look at some of the modern fast | | | | of Fastship. |
| ferries design and technology: | | | | Future market |
| 1-Patricia Olivia sea trial at 55 knot | | | | -Current fast vessel market demand and finance are |
| -The fastest passenger only carrying vessel in the | | | | available for significant advances over a wide range |
| world is the Patricia Olivia II, owned by | | | | of vessel sizes. |
| South-American operator Buquebus and built by | | | | -The challenge to the design and build community is |
| Derecktor Shipyards in New York state. | | | | to produce economic, safe and comfortable vessels |
| -The vessel on trials in December 1998, when it | | | | which can meet these market requirements. |
| achieved a maximum speed of 57 knots and a fully | | | | -One of several solutions to this design problem is the |
| loaded speed of 53 knots. The speeds were | | | | Pentamaran car ferry. |
| achieved safely and comfortably and with noise levels | | | | Routing |
| in the main passenger saloon of around 70dB(A). | | | | -Examination of the route shown has indicated that |
| -The vessel is in daily service on the River Plate | | | | at a sustained speed of 40 knots is easily possible |
| between Argentina and Uruguay. This high top speed | | | | and that comfort standards comparable with highway |
| will certainly be eclipsed in the near future by vessels | | | | luxury coaches can be achieved on almost all |
| exceeding 60 knots as operators demand higher | | | | occasions. |
| speeds on longer haul routes to compete with local | | | | -Fast car/passenger ferry will be weight limited and |
| airlines. | | | | not volume limited and so passenger accommodation |
| 2-passenger ferries-Pentameran | | | | can and will be very spacious. A |
| -Pentamaran is a long slender monohull stabilised by | | | | -ll passengers can be offered at least “Club |
| sponsons port and starboard. The vessel is essentially | | | | Class” seat spacing and the ability to move to |
| a single catamaran hull stabilised by the low drag | | | | restaurants, bars or promenade.bellow is result of |
| slender sponsons. | | | | routing analysis performed. |
| -The hull form solves the problem of the high | | | | Well, are people oing to be comfortable with new |
| wave-making drag encountered by shorter, fatter | | | | high speed any other factors- of even enclosed ship . |
| monohulls and significantly reduces the frictional drag | | | | The red and blue lines show , the boundaries from |
| suffered by twin hull catamarans. | | | | test drives. |
| -The very high efficiency of this hull form allows this | | | | Market Driven Force |
| vessel to be built in steel and propelled by medium | | | | -The long track record of over 1000 vessels built for |
| speed diesels and still compete with lightweight | | | | what are now regarded as relatively modest top |
| aluminium catamarans and monohulls propelled by high | | | | speeds in the region of 35 knots, has indicated that |
| speed diesels or perhaps gas turbinessee typical | | | | fast ferries are safe and very much in demand. |
| general arangemen bellow. | | | | - This solid base of an established industry has |
| A particular variant of this hull form is the ultra high | | | | encouraged leading operators to pursue higher |
| speed passenger vessel and one of these has been | | | | speeds. |
| developed for SeaConn of the United States .This | | | | -A strong existing market has encouraged |
| vessel is designed to carry commuters from Long | | | | manufacturers, particularly for machinery and |
| island Sound into Manhattan .The question arises as | | | | propulsions to produce ever more compact and |
| to whether the travelling public will be prepared to | | | | efficient packages capable of delivery the power to |
| spend 10 hours, on day or overnight crossings with | | | | weight ratios needed to push speeds up. This is |
| only a seat (albeit a very comfortable one) and not a | | | | particularly evident in the recent widespread |
| bunk and cabin | | | | application of gas turbines, to passenger and Ro-pax |
| 3-High speed freighter-Fast ship | | | | vessels. |
| -The increase in speed of the sea freight to 40 | | | | -Vessels are general getting bigger as the technology |
| knots represents only 4% of the speed increase by | | | | matures. So far , The economic top speed of larger |
| sending cargo by air freight It seems unlikely that a | | | | ferries is higher than for smaller vessels. |
| 200-300% in freight rate could be justified. | | | | As you can see, trends shown that fast ferry |
| -International container operator Norasia of | | | | growing speed can be sustained in proportion and |
| Switzerland has determined a set of requirements for | | | | compensation with length of the route.The passenger |
| a high speed freighter which could trade profitably | | | | ferry market is dominated by catamarans. Since |
| within current freight rate structures.super feeder | | | | 1960, vessel sizes and speeds have steadily |
| fast liner container ships building for Norasia in | | | | increased.Fast ferries are trying to compete with |
| Germany and China. -The first 5 ships are in operation | | | | other forms of transport, notably short haul |
| and the first of class completed its maiden voyage | | | | aircraft.For the very strong reason that these high |
| from Zebrugge in Belgium to Montreal in Canada at a | | | | speed Ro-pax vessels are actually cheaper to |
| record speed for the route, averaging 26.15 knots. | | | | operate than their conventional counterparts. This is |
| 4-Transatlantic ultra high-speed freighter | | | | because vessel purchase costs for a given work |
| Halter Marine invested in R&D to explore 60 knot, | | | | capacity are lower than for conventional vessels and |
| 4000 tonne transatlantic freighter There are obvious | | | | crew costs are a fraction of those for the larger |
| applications for this type of craft for military sealift | | | | slower vessels with their high hotel and catering |
| commands both in America and Europe. | | | | requirements.Dramatically increased ferry top speeds |
| Transtlantic ultra high speed freighter | | | | and a steady increase in vessel size. Large vessels |
| The future ship of 12000 tonnes of containerised | | | | moving at very high speeds raise further issues of |
| cargo at 40 knots vessel can use medium speed | | | | safety, environmental impact, comfort and powering |
| diesel engines burning low cost heavy fuel –With | | | | which must be carefully addressed as the industry |
| fuel economy trade off. specialised cargoes like | | | | progresses into the future. |
| Vehicles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, Fedex | | | | Precise predictions are always dangerous. In 1960 a |
| packages etc would benefit from a higher speed | | | | long and illustrious future for hydrofoils and |
| freight service . | | | | hovercraft was predicted. In the 80’s a speed |
| More on future | | | | limit of 40 knots was widely accepted. More recently |
| Because of good speed, trends in recent days have | | | | the widespread introduction of gas turbines to marine |
| seen enquiries from owners for passenger and car | | | | vehicles was believed very unlikely. All of these |
| ferries capable of speeds between 75 and 100 knots | | | | predictions have beenproved wrong and it would be |
| are increasing in frequency. | | | | a brave person who would try and pick precise |
| -The technology for such ferries certainly exists and | | | | solutions for the next 10 years. One thing, however, |
| the limiting factors will be safety, economy and | | | | seems certain; the demand for higher speed vessels |
| comfort. | | | | carrying more payload on longer routes will increase |
| -Beyond 100 knots becomes more difficult to | | | | and the winners will be those who can achieve this |
| forecast, since at these speeds the possibilities for | | | | with economy, safety and comfort. |
| aerodynamic lift is such that “marine” vessels | | | | I believes that these potential limits will certainly not |
| will undoubtedly be lifted far enough out of the | | | | stop developments and that 70-75 knot ferries will |
| water/air interface to be considered as true marine | | | | be in operation and speeds up to 100 knots during |
| aero hybrids. | | | | the next decade. Such vessels will have most of the |
| -Where will these development go in the future? If a | | | | benefits of the low drag experienced by Wing In |
| 75 knot ship is at the design stage, why not 100 | | | | Ground (WIG) vessel, but with the advantage of |
| knots? | | | | being able to use marine propulsion engine and having |
| -As speeds approach 100 knots designers will have to | | | | the enhanced control ability implied by having control |
| pay far more attention to the aerodynamics of the | | | | surface and propeler elements permanently in the |
| structures they are designing. Aerodynamic drag and | | | | water. The million dolar questionis that speed is about |
| noise will become very important and designs will | | | | safety. Can these vessel meet safety requirement |
| have to be routinely wind tunnel tested. | | | | for stoping and maneuvering in port , even at high |
| -The possibilities for aerodynamic lift at these speeds | | | | sea.However on a more ffrank note , shipping |
| are significant and multi-hull vessels operating at 100 | | | | industry is the most regulated industry and many |
| knots will undoubtedly be able to benefit from | | | | proceedure has been in place towards acheiveing |
| surface effect and will probably become a hybrid | | | | their motion of SAFER SEA, CLEANER OCEAN. In |
| between a semiplaning multi-hull and a low flying | | | | addition to all these because of issue of green house |
| wing-in-ground (WIG) effect machine. | | | | gases and other environmental calculous isssue that |
| -Fast ferries are more profitable than their slower | | | | iscurrenty nurning , there is likely to be need for use |
| steel predecessorss true that fuel costs are very | | | | of fast freeries and freighter-we wil be discuss focus |
| much higher for fast vessels the total operational | | | | are on this another time. |
| costs are still lower. below is exemple of pentamaran | | | | My question- do you think ship can compete with |
| container ship in the making . | | | | aircraft in the near future? How near ?What do you |
| -This, coupled with the fact that an operator may be | | | | think about safety? Do you think it will be econimical |
| able to charge a small premium for the high speed | | | | for all and make the world transportation |
| transit makes high speed ferries much more | | | | revolutionary better? |
| profitable than their slower steel predecessors.Top | | | | And remeber that "The aim of education is the |
| speed of 70 knots and a cruising speed of 65 knots. | | | | knowledge not of fact, but of values" Dean William R. |