How a landing stage is built?
The description of construction and manufacturing process
The building or re-equipment of a landing stage normally starts with defining the purpose of building it by the future owner, who is now considered as our potential customer of shipbuilding services. At this stage it is essential that you share with us your ideas regarding the project in order to discuss all aspects of the building and operation of the vessel, including its economic performance.
Before the landing stage is constructed and depending on its purpose and the future operation conditions, its main characteristics are to be considered, such as: its tonnage or passenger capacity, overall dimensions, classification society class (normally, the Russian River Register, hereinafter referred to as the “Register”), water area of operation, vessel’s endurance, etc. Each of the listed characteristics requires careful consideration, as they depend on each other; moreover, it should be taken into account that there are a lot of limitations regarding the operation conditions, which are imposed by supervising bodies and authorities on different levels.
In order to make it possible for the customer to have a clear idea of the future berth-connected ship, before the landing stage is constructed, the initial design calculations are to be made, and the front-end engineering and design is to be performed, then a visual 3D model adjusted to the operation site is elaborated. Our customer needs to be aware of the fact that the image showing the rack-mount vessel’s layout elaborated by a designer is far from reality and that it permits only to get an idea of its outward appearance. It’s evident that every ship owner wants it to have beautiful form and to be attractive. Nevertheless, while discussing the visual model of a vessel and its calculated characteristics one should bear in mind the following principle: “Beautiful is reasonable”, which means that the appearance should correspond to the purpose.
Moreover, we can select equipment providers for all or part of the equipment at the Customer’s request.
Now that the Customer has exact technical and economic indexes, we can proceed to discussing the technical assignment for a rack-mount vessel – landing stage supply, after we have made the necessary corrections to the project figures. Then we can start preparing the technical assignment for the vessel engineering and design.
Technical assignment for the design and engineering of a vessel is an important document in the process of shipbuilding, as any changes at the stage of engineering, and moreover, during the construction of the landing stage, would lead to huge financial expenses, and the corrections would take a lot of time.
Engineering and design of a rack-mount vessel – landing stage normally has a form of a detailed design, which is subject to the Register approbation. The list of shipbuilding works is to be submitted to the Register, and, when the detailed design is approved, is serves as a basis for signing an agreement for technical supervision of the vessel building with the Register.
Both design and building of a landing stage are carried out in accordance with the regulating documents in the field of shipbuilding.
Landing stages are built at specially accommodated territory, which means the territories with technical infrastructure in the water area. First of all, we need a quay, cranes, a construction area, warehouses, power supply, water area deep enough and the possibility of the vessel escort by waterway at the end of construction till the operation area. If the vessel is being built from the ground up, we will also need ship handling equipment, such as a shipyard, a building slipway or a dock, etc.
Metal, materials and equipment used on the vessel are to be supplied to the construction field with the documents issued by the Register, which state that these materials and appliances were manufactured under the Register’s supervision and they satisfy the requirements regarding endurance, fire safety, environmental security, etc.
Only staff with special qualifications confirmed by diploma and the Register certificates according to their specialization may participate in the vessel building. The works imply specific fire safety and personnel security measures to be adopted.
The company engineers and experts control the position of the vessel and supervise the work technologies used in order to prevent fire and flooding of the landing stage’s compartments, as well as to maintain its durability and stability.
During the shipbuilding works the Customer is free to supervise the building process and examine to documentation for the vessel and the equipment being installed on it.
As different stages of construction are completed, the Register, represented by its inspectors, accepts the ready constructions stage by stage. The Register inspectors also attend to mechanisms and equipment testing and commissioning.
When the construction is completed, the Register shall issue the certificate of navigation for the rack-mount vessel – landing stage, which is considered by Russian insurance companies as the basic document, which confirms the safe operation of the vessel. Foreign insurance companies tend to qualify this document the same way, as the Register is an internationally recognized classification society. The documents issued by the Register guarantee safe operation of the landing stages, as well as its high fire safety standards. Each rack-mount vessel – landing stage is provided with a full package of operation documents.
The finished rack-mount vessel – landing stage is then towed to its quay berth. What is more, no further approbation of the Register is needed in order to tow the vessel along the waterway classified by the Register as waterways for the common class built vessels. In case the vessel is to be towed through waterways designed for higher-class vessels according to the Register, it will be necessary to get a special permission from the Register for a single voyage and to convert the vessel.