NYK to trial 3D model for design of new LPG tanker

Japanese shipping company NYK and its group company MTI Co., in collaboration with Smert Design Co., have launched a trial to use 3D models in the initial design phase of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker.

In this trial, as part of the joint research project “Ship Design Streamlining Project by Front Loading”, the three companies will implement the basic design platform into the ship design software CADMATIC.

This platform will be used to design an LPG tanker for Kyoei Tanker Co. The vessel will be built by Murakami Hide Shipbuilding Co.

This trial aims to model 3D design information of existing similar and sister vessels and ease the decision-making by both shipyards and shipping companies for the exchange of requests, ideas, and comments, on the same system for the design applicable to this ship.

NYK noted that by visualizing the completed ship at an early design stage, the ship design can be understood intuitively. Furthermore, the use of the same system by all parties involved could reduce the work and processes required for design.

This enables earlier decision-making regarding ship design, which has become more complex recently, NYK emphasized.

The conventional ship design process has been a long-established method in which the shipping company repeatedly reviews the plan drawings designed by the shipyard for approval.

Although this method has been established for many years, it has been a challenge to shorten the construction period because of the approval process and the time required for the related parties to understand the drawings.

The two companies will verify the effectiveness of BDP in reducing workload and improve the system based on the results.

In the future, the two companies will contribute to DX in the shipbuilding and shipping industries through the widespread use of this system.

Recently, NYK received approval for the basic design drawings of a multipurpose containership from classification society ClassNK.