Bay Ship - New Hatch Covers

[Guest]

Im sure all systems on the new ship will be very close to or the same as the automation on the new Canadian builds.

[GuestfromEU]

could the change in hatch covers be for the cutting of crew size?? A mate can push a button to open/close no need for crew to do the job

just a thought
charlie

Yes, of course, the ship will have more modern facilities than their existing fleet. Sliding hatch covers found on ships outside the Lakes still require manual fastening (e.g. hatch clamps), only a hatch crane is not needed. The greater savings will be in other automation. I would expect the machinery spaces to have automation sufficient for periodically unattended status. The bridge will likely feature tools that enable the navigation team to perform docking/un-docking with perhaps one person. The unloading system could be automated, eliminating manual operation of the gates as well. Even mooring winches could be automated to heave/pay out and shift the vessel at a dock on command. Minor tasks that reduce the workload on personnel are easily and cheaply available, such as automating the ballast operations. Program a tank level and the system will ballast/de-ballast on its own, taking away one job from the mate, who can now dedicate more time to cargo. Automation isn't for the purpose of just eliminating crew - it's to make the crew's life easier (and to reduce human error occurrences).

I do not know if any of those options will be exercised, but the ability is there to safely operate the ship with less crew, perhaps a compliment of 14-18 persons. Like anything else, it comes down to capital costs and returns on investment, plus the "comfort level" of the shipowner. The machinery space automation for unattended status is pretty much a given, as current Class, SOLAS, and Flag State requirements dictate the installation of said systems.

[Guest]

That new Interlake vessel will also be able to haul general cargo on occasion, mainly steel coils, slabs, etc. I believe that's the reason for using the different style of hatches, to allow for large hatch openings for loading and unloading such cargo. I'm assuming the cargo holds with have a flat bottom with a conveyor running down the middle for unloading bulk cargo but the flat bottom will allow general cargo to be hauled. I also assume there will be a couple of payloaders in the cargohold to push bulk cargo to the center conveyor, much like the former Canadian Navigator had after her conversion to a self-unloader. Shoreside cranes would be used to load and unload general cargo into the holds, not the forward mounted self-unloading boom. You might remember Interlake's parent company brought in a tug/barge on the lakes a couple of years ago for moving non bulk cargos. Although that did not work out at that time, it did spawn the idea of having a multi purpose ship built.

[tugboathunter]

How are the hatches secured? If they need to be clamped, perhaps the deck crew will still be needed. If not, I am curious how they will be secured.

Normally one AB runs the hatch crane to remove the hatches anyway.

[Charlie]

could the change in hatch covers be for the cutting of crew size?? A mate can push a button to open/close no need for crew to do the job

just a thought
charlie

[DCN]

As I understand it, the Interlake new build is a response to a contract to move salt from the Cargill salt mine in Cleveland. If this is the case, perhaps the new boat will be kept active through much of the winter similar to the couple of Canadian boats that seem to be kept busy moving salt from the Sifto salt mine in Goderich long after everybody else has ended their season.

DCN

[Guest]

The MacGregor -style hatch-covers makes me wonder if Interlake Steamship is planning to operate the new self-unloader under-construction offlakes during the Winter. It would make sense as they would be generating revenue during the Winter rather than laying up a ship that still has to make payments.

[GuestfromEU]

The MacGregor Hatches are for the Interlake vessel under construction

Thank you for the clarification. Do you know if Interlake is using a MacGregor unloading system, or EMS Tech? Or a different design? I know Algoma was disappointed in the results of the MacGregor/Cargotec system and refitted EMS components.

[JT]

The MacGregor Hatches are for the Interlake vessel under construction

[GuestfromEU]

I read this PR (link below) in Tradewinds this morning. In short, MacGregor (a global leader in cargo handling cranes, hatch covers, air compressors, mooring winches, etc) is supplying new piggyback-style hatch covers for a project at Bay Shipbuilding.

Does anyone know which ship these may be for? Only the new VanEnkevort barge and Interlake ship are in construction, to my knowledge, unless an existing ship is being converted.

They are not the lift-off pontoon-style more familiar to the lakes, but simply a solid hatch cover that lifts up vertically via hydraulic jacks, while the hatch cover(s) in front of it slides back and under the elevated section. It only caught my attention as it would be a departure from typical US lake ships, with 24' on-center pontoon hatches.

Press Release: https://www.macgregor.com/news-insights ... pbuilding/

More details on page 30 of this brochure: https://www.macgregor.com/globalassets/ ... /67615.pdf