Feature 4 | CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES Bureau Veritas builds on speedy CAP
A major update to the soſtware behind Bureau Veritas’ Condition Assessment Programme (CAP) last year not only slashed the reporting time from three months to one month, it also created a powerful tool to aid decision-making for life extension and conversion projects.
B
ureau Veritas (BV) claims it has cut the CAP reporting time spectacularly by completely
renewing the reporting software used by the surveyor and by the Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement (UTM) service provider. At the same time it has revised the report
to make it deliverable by
web to the client and if required other interested parties such as charterers, or banks and other stakeholders. Two recent projects illustrate the
use of CAP in modifications and life extension decisions and planning. Recently, Gas Concord, a 43,686gt gas carrier and storage unit underwent hull modifications to its forward structure, installation of Turret Support Structure (TSS) and an SBM ATLANTIA LPG Turret System, as well as maintenance and refurbishment for Class renewal surveys. As part of the owner’s initial strategy
BV performed a CAP which provided a full picture of the actual structural condition of the unit together with advice on work needed to enable the required CAP rating for the unit to be attained. This provided the owner with valuable information covering the scope of the structural refurbishment required to extend the unit’s service life as an aid to the decision making process. The CAP included a review of studies
and analysis on the structural strength and fatigue life, structural history review and coatings inspections. “In that case the role of CAP was to quickly and comprehensively demonstrate what was needed, and just as importantly, what wasn’t needed for the vessel to do its new job safely for the lifetime required,” says Bill Muirhead, BV’s AIM manager for ships-in-service. An on-going job for BV involves the life extension of the FSO Palanca,
42 Shiprepair and Conversion Technology 1st Quarter 2012
which is in service for Sonangol off the coast of Angola. The operator is seeking to extend the field asset life, and BV has been contracted to provide an extensive assessment of the FSO’s structure. The review will include the full CAP and also a review of all previous studies and fatigue analysis. This will underpin a full report for Sonangol on all the work which will be required to allow the unit to attain its required service life. BV is also working with UK-based
Intelligent Engineering (IE) whose Sandwich Plate System (SPS) is being proposed as a way to reinforce corroded internal structure and also to beef up the shell
impact areas of
FPSOs. “BV has done a lot of work with IE to calculate the effect on local and global longitudinal strength when SPS is used internally to the structure and externally, in reinforcing the shell plating in potential impact
areas.
We will shortly be issuing IE process approval certification for the use of SPS in these areas,” says Muirhead. In a different field CAP has been
used by Arco to make decisions on the life extension or replacement of the dredger Arco Humber, a 3900m3 hopper dredger, which is now 40 years old. A full CAP of the structure and machinery has produced a report which will allow Arco to make a choice between upgrading the vessel to prolong its life or to replace it with a newbuilding. Muirhead concludes: “CAP used
to be something forced on owners by charterers. Not anymore. Today it is a useful risk assessment tool for every form of offshore structure and vessel. We are seeing increased demand as owners realise they can get a really good picture of their asset in a very reasonable time.” SRCT
BV’s CAP system has been used to make decisions about the future of the hopper dredger Arco Humber.
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