VESSEL MODIFICATIONS
OPC developed a bulbous bow modification for an existing vessel operating on the Rhine. The owner required an increase in waterline length for insurance purposes, and the vessel’s scheduled maintenance period provided an opportunity to survey the hull while it was out of the water.
Survey and Design Basis
Very little original drawing information was available. A targeted LIDAR scan of the forward end captured the existing hull geometry, providing a basis for developing the bow extension and its connection to the vessel.
Using survey data allowed the modification to be designed around the actual hull form, with particular attention to the interface between the existing plating and the new structure.
Modification Design
The bulbous bow was developed to achieve the required increase in waterline length while accommodating the existing hull arrangement. The work combined definition of the external geometry with the structural design needed to connect the extension to the vessel.
The scan was particularly useful at this interface, where the new construction had to match an existing hull for which reliable drawings were limited.
Authority Appraisal and Installation
The design was appraised by the relevant authorities, and the bulbous bow was subsequently fitted to the vessel.
The project demonstrates how a focused survey can provide the information needed to design and deliver a vessel modification when original drawings are unavailable or incomplete.