Case study:
The benefits of electric solutions are clear Sungdong shipyard explains how electric hatch cover systems pay off at the design and installation stage even before a vessel is delivered to its owners Naturally, says Mr Jang, making the move to full electrical MacGregor is confident that its MacRack electricallydriven side-rolling hatch covers are on the brink of serious operation means considerably more work for electricians and it is important to ensure that the cabling calculations market penetration. Uncluttered, environmentally-friendly are correct to accommodate the power supply for the and deceptively simple, this solution promises to deliver MacRack units. This may mean bigger economic and operational advantages “With more space available on cables and different cable sizes when at all stages of a vessel’s life. deck, there is more flexibility in compared with a vessel with hydraulic planning for the installation of hatch cover operation. A bulging orderbook speaks for itself other deck equipment” and the first of 672 units are being Jung-Kyu Jang, Sungdong Even though the MacRack units are installed on 38 bulk carriers for various just some of the many electric devices owners: 35 are 180,000 dwt and the to be installed on board, they have their special features. other three are 87,000 dwt. Each of the larger vessels will Consequently, some training was needed, especially for be fitted with 18 MacRack units and the smaller vessels the electricians. MacGregor’s commissioning engineers will have 14 units. have been friendly and cooperative, he says. “We have received all the necessary support and training from Sungdong Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co Ltd has them. recently installed 18 MacRack hatch cover panels on Q Anastasia, the first of a pair of 180,000 dwt nine-hold “The only real challenge posed by the transition to bulk carriers under construction for Quintana Shipping MacRack has been the delivery and storage of the Ltd. The ‘eco-friendly’ Capesize bulk carriers will be electric cables,” Mr Jang says. While the shipyard is used classed with ABS and registered under the Marshall to buying cables locally as the building process proceeds, Islands’ flag. all the MacRack cables were delivered from MacGregor in one lot. This resulted in different storage requirements Reduced installation times from those normally experienced. “If Using electric cabling in place of we could purchase the cable to be hydraulic piping is a good development “Sungdong can recommend supplied at the time it is needed during from Sungdong’s perspective, says MacGregor due to the easiness installation, it would be better for us, Jung-Kyu Jang, Manager of Sungdong’s of installation, and of course saving both storage space and time. Procurement Department. Right from because it makes the hydraulics the start, he says, MacRack speeds obsolete” ”But the benefits of electric solutions things up: the absence of hydraulic Jung-Kyu Jang, Sungdong are clear,” he says. Sungdong wants to piping significantly reduces the be the first to adopt new solutions, and installation time for the hatch cover sees that electric systems such as MacRack will become operating equipment. increasingly popular. Eliminating the sizeable racks of hydraulic pipework Sungdong shipyard wants to be a forerunner in thinking means that design work for the deck can be accomplished more quickly. With more space available on about the future and developing its processes. deck, there is more flexibility in planning for the installation of other deck equipment. Overall, the deck can have a much cleaner layout. 49