Structural Assemblies

Abstract

Shipbuilding is essentially an assembly industry. The steel material flows through different workstations and gradually grows in size. The structural components are assembled together through these stages of assembly. The structural assemblies dealt here are double bottom structure, wing tank, duct keel, fore and aft end structure, bulbous bow and rudder. The double bottom provides for adequate longitudinal strength to the hull girder. For convenience of cargo stowage and its unloading, wing tanks are provided in cargo holds of bulk carrier. Duct keel is a structural arrangement within the double bottom forming a tunnel all along the length of a ship. The hull girder comprises of the middle body and the two end units, namely fore end and aft end. A bulbous bow is an extension of the hull just below the load waterline. The basic purpose is to create a low pressure zone to reduce or eliminate the bow wave and reduce the resulting drag. Rudder provides the ability to steer the ship to its destination. Rudders are designed as balanced, semibalanced or unbalanced types.