Page 12: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (March 2000)

Investment in Design averaging out at $3.2 million per month, and ensure the capability to offer clients and reach breakeven by 2002. 'added-value' through technological

Major cuts in the central establish- prowess, at a time when every element ment, much increased regional control of internal cost is being scrutinized, and enhanced operating flexibility and In recent years, the R&D endeavor in customer responsiveness are corner- its manifold forms has consumed some stones of the program. Moorhouse. $12.8 -14.4 million annually, the bulk though, is acutely conscious of the need of which has involved the maritime dis- to maintain a vigorous R&D program ciplines. While there is a sustained, high-level commitment to research, the shape and composition of the program in the future will be determined by clos- er scrutiny of the application scope for the technology concerned, and by con- sideration of prospective results. The indications are that efforts will be far more results-oriented than in the past.

Most importantly, LR's accent on improving the way in which it delivers service to its customers, as manifested in the new organizational framework, should ensure the increased effective- ness of technological efforts. Signifi- cantly, R&D activities will be ultimately overseen by the director in charge of the newly-created marine business stream.

Concerns at the sharp end

The trend towards generally faster mercantile vessels, coupled with design evolution, calls for closer attention to the structural integrity of ships' forebod- ies. Classification society Germanischer

Lloyd brought in tougher standards for containerships last year, in the light of an increased incidence of forebody damage, while the Europe Union-spon- sored Dextremel research project is addressing the effects of extreme waves

Circle 267 on Reader Service Card on foredecks and bow doors.

Polish Register of Shipping (PRS) is also planning to introduce new criteria governing bow integrity, prompted by occurrences of bow damage and ship loss associated with impact load forces. "Ship safety standards are normally verified using experience gathered in the past, which means that new designs or concepts are not always covered by existing standards," observed Jan

Jankowski, director and managing director of PRS' marine branch. Accord- ingly, it is felt that increased responsive- ness has to be demonstrated towards developments in ship design, calling where necessary for a changed approach by societies towards safety standards formulation.

Not only the adoption of higher power concentrations to achieve the faster sus- tainable speeds and scheduling depend- ability demanded by the industry, but also the tendency towards blunt bows, large forebody flare angles and finer underwater shapes, bear on the nature and effect of the structural loads imposed when moving through waves, in moderate as well as rough sea condi- tions.

Circle 278 on Reader Service Card 12 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News "Direct water injection technology, and the smokeless feature of the new enviroengine once perfected, will pro- vide substantial environmental advan- tages," Drager said.

Delivering the technology

A more commercially-inspired approach to the crucial subject of research and development can be expected to ensue from the dramatic reorganization set in train at Lloyd's

Register. Prompted by the past few years' sharp deterioration in financial results, chairman David Moorhouse has instituted a far-reaching overhaul and streamlining of the society. His immediate aims are to rein back losses

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