Naval Architecture for a Novice

Are you looking for more information on Naval Architecture ??? What exactly is it about??
Is it any different from other Architecture Courses you have heard about.
Here Mr Ramalingam will answer your queries on Shipping, Shipping jobs, Naval architecture, etc.

What is Naval Architecture?

This article intents to give a brief idea of what naval architecture is all about. What are the various aspects that should be taken into consideration while constructing and designing a ship? Also, Why is the discipline so demanding and what are the factors that drives these demands.

Role of Naval Architecture throughout the ages

Ships are one of the oldest forms of transport. Their structure, functions and equipments have been subject to constant evolution. These constant evolutions are propelled by the ever changing patterns of world trade, by the necessity of the economic alterations and by the incessant advances in technology. Technology has been a vital factor in providing opportunities to build larger, faster and safer ships.

Naval architecture has been an intrinsic part of the evolution of ships. It has been captivating and equally demanding at the same time. It’s a discipline that requires highest degree of discipline too. It is demanding because there is large amount of capital investment that goes in the making of the ship and also because lives of people is on stake.

Diversity demands

Only a busy port will depict the diversity in the structures of floating vessels. It is this diversity in the structures and functions of ships that there arises the need in the application of different ways in construction of a modern ship. The conditions and the functions of a particular ship also play a vital role in the making of the ship.

For example, there are fishing vessels, ranging from small fishing boats that operate daily to the deep ocean explorers that demands facilities to deep freeze their catches. Similarly there are small coastal cargo carriers to extremely large cargo carriers (VLCCs). Also there are drill ships for the explorations of gas, oil and minerals. There are small as well as giant supertankers that carry oil, gases and chemicals. There are huge bulks that carry grains, coal, ore and raw materials.

There are tugs for towing and dredgers and pilot boats for the proper functioning of the ports. There are warships from huge aircraft carriers to frigates. And last but not the least there are ferries as well as massive cruise liners that carry passengers to different corners of the world on long voyages. As you can see the variety of functions demands the variety in the ways and designs of constructions. Naval architecture suffices these demands.

What Drives Demands?

As the structure and size of the ship vary the demands vary. How?

Let’s take an example of a large cruise liner. A large cruise liner is a whole township or a small city in itself. This means, it has several thousands of people onboard. As a result it will need electricity, air conditions, galleys, restaurants, recreation auditoriums etc. To accommodate all the necessities under one roof the general layout must me so strong and impeccable that the ship can carry out its intended tasks effectively and economically. But that is not the end of the factors that needs to be taken for there is a crucial aspect needs to be considered is safety. If there are several thousands of people on board then it is absolutely important that the ship is safe from all aspects.

Additional aspects to be taken into consideration

The kind of propulsion system used on the ship is also a factor that plays a role in the design and construction of the ship. In past the ships had sails which used wind for the propulsion of the ship but nowadays all ships are driven by a mechanical propulsion system. The driving power can be generated by diesel engine, steam turbine, gas turbine or some form of fuel cell. Including the propulsions there are many other systems on board and for the efficient working of the ship it is of utmost importance that the layout conciliates with the various systems.

One more thing that is taken into consideration is that not all the ports have the facility to accommodate all types and sizes of ships. This means that the geography and the depth of water at the port might abstain it from allowing large ships from entering inside. Also, not all ports have the facilities for loading and discharging all types of cargo. For example, not all ports have the facility of gantry cranes for the loading and unloading of containers. Thus this means that a container ship will never be sent to a port where there are no facilities of gantry cranes. This ensures that ships spend far less time in loading and unloading, cargoes remain more secure and most importantly port fees are reduced.

Thus a naval architect masterminds the whole process of designing and construction of ship keeping various aspects in mind. He creates the best possible ship to meet the operator’s needs. He makes a design that is flexible, safe and one which is able to adjust considerable level of risk. A naval architect knows that there is no such thing as a foolproof design and thus he takes all the possibilities into consideration to reduce the consequences of an unavoidable accident and keep the risk factor as low as possible.

One more thing he needs to keep in mind the effects of dangerous and toxic cargoes incase there is an accidental spillage due to collision or human error. There are already stringent rules made pertaining to the adverse effects of toxic cargoes on environment that cannot be compromised and thus it’s absolutely necessary to abide by them and take them into consideration while designing and constructing a ship.

It is hoped that the previous paragraphs will provide the readers with a general overview of naval architecture as a discipline. And as we gradually move forward we will discuss the various topics in details.

Career Scope for Ocean Engineers and Naval Architects

Ocean Engineers have a wide range of employment opportunities world - wide. Because of the wide variety of work they are involved in and the difficulty to categorise the field comprehensively, the Ocean Engineers are mainly related to engineering field as designers and construction supervisors, they also have scope in areas like Consultancy, Marketing and Sales, Operations, Regulation, Surveying and Overseeing, Research and Development, Education and Training, etc.

Each type of work has its own distinctive character and offers opportunities for initiative and imagination in a wide variety of technical and managerial posts.

The work place may be a large company, a small group, a consultancy or a government department, but their scopes are wide.

As a Coastal Engineer, they are dealing with the dynamic interaction of ocean and its shore by developing shore protection systems like breakwaters, jetties, etc., and designing harbours, ports, etc., and also dealing with civil engineering issues in the coastal environment.

As Offshore Engineers, they design structures like steel jacket structures, concrete gravity platforms, tension - leg platforms, etc., which are capable of withstanding the severe ocean environment.

As an Environmental Engineer, they have to protect the oceans from the harmful effects of mankind's activities. They are involved in harvesting and / or utilizing the oceanic resources such as minerals, wave energy, thermal energy and tidal power.

Depending mainly on the type of Qualifications held and personal inclination, Ocean Engineers may become specialists in one field or develop broad experience in others.

Eventually they may find themselves in senior executive positions using their knowledge and experience of general management as well as their professional skills in engineering and project leadership.

Indeed, aided by the breadth of their education, training and experience, the professional Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers are even successful in top management positions in government, industry and commerce quite outside the offshore field.

Main Areas of Scope :

There are lots of opportunities For Ocean Engineers and Naval Architects in the private, educational, corporate, and governmental sectors.

Some career areas to consider are : Offshore Oil Recovery, Marine metals and corrosion, Environmental Protection, Global Climate Monitoring, Renewable Energy, Underwater Vehicles, Remote Sensing, Marine Transportation, or Naval Architecture and Defence. Therefore, some main areas of scope are as follows :

Design Office :

Ocean Engineers are by necessity innovative and creative personalities. They must have an understanding of the many facets of offshore structure design such as its function, appearance and especially importance at sea safety.

They must be team leaders, able to integrate the inputs of many others to achieve a balanced and coherent whole. As a Naval Architect, apart from the architectural aspects of ship form and layout, they must be able to use complex mathematical and physical models to ensure that the design is satisfactory technically and that it meets the safety rules and standards laid down by Classification Societies and Government Agencies.

Since, the design process demands the extensive employment of computer based information and communication systems. Ocean Engineers should also be well versed in computer software knowledge.

As a design office employee, they are employed by ship and boat builders, offshore constructors, design consultants, and for the ships and submarines of the Navy and the Ministry of Defence.

Major equipment manufacturers also employ teams of engineers, including Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers on the design of such products as propulsion systems, auxiliary systems sub sea production systems and control systems.

Field Engineer :

The task of the ship and boat builders and offshore constructor is to convert drawings and detailed specifications into real structures. A Naval Architect and Ocean Engineers specialising,, in. construction usually holds a management post, taking responsibility for the management of the whole yard / site or for sections of it such as planning, production or the complex operation of fitting out.

There should continuously strive to make construction work efficient through the adoption of new processes and practices and by better training for the work force. The Ocean Engineers must also organise the supply of materials and components, inspection and testing as well as the vital resources of manpower.

Repair work has much in common with construction. Ocean Engineers and Naval Architects in this field can become professional managers in future, who like the builders need to master modern management and associated techniques.

Emergency repair work often offers opportunities for ingenuity and on - the - spot improvisation, and in the offshore engineering world in particular repair frequently involves underwater technology.

Therefore, as a site engineer, they are employed in construction and repair include both large and small shipbuilders and repairers, and those involved in the maintenance and repair of naval ships, submarines, harbours, ports and other offshore structures.

Consultant :

As consultants, Ocean Engineers and Naval Architects provide clients with engineering solutions, technical and commercial guidance and project management for concept design studies, new offshore structure developments, new vessel constructions, refits and conversions.

Therefore, they are employed to give professional advice and technical support to customers of the offshore industry.

Ship Surveyor :

Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers employed by Classification Societies as Ship Surveyors are engaged world - wide in evaluating the safety of ships and marine structures using the Society's Rules and those of intergovernmental organisations such as the International Maritime Organisation.

Plans of ships to be built and eventually classed with the Society are scrutinised, and aspects of design such as strength, stability, and lifesaving approved before construction.

Also during construction, Ship Surveyors carry out inspections to ensure that the quality of the workmanship and materials used is in accordance with the rules and regulations.

Once the vessel or structure is in service, Ship Surveyors will continue to carry out inspections to ensure that any serious defects arising from operation are made good and that a safe and seaworthy structure is maintained.

Government departments employ Naval architects who deal mainly with the framing of safety regulations and the surveying of ships and equipment from the safety point of view.

Research and Development :

Offshore research, in general, enjoys a high reputation world - wide. The Naval Architects and Ocean Engineers, many with post - graduate qualifications, are engaged in research in universities and industry throughout the world.

Classification Societies also devote resources to research and development employing Naval Architects in this field.

This variety of work provides a rewarding challenge to the Ocean Engineers and Naval Architects, not only as engineers but also as managers, consultants, surveyors, scientists, etc.

Institutes offering the Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering Courses :

The various institutes in India providing Bachelor and Master degree in Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture are as follows :

S. No.	Institutes	Offered Courses
1	Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai - 600 036.	Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur - 721 302.	B.Tech - Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture M.Tech - Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture
3	National Institute of Technology Surathkal, Mangalore - 575025.	M. Tech in Marine Structures
4	National Institute of Technology Calicut, Calicut - 673 601.	M. Tech in Offshore Structures
5	Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin.	M.Tech in Ocean Technology
6	Chennai School of Ship Management, Mambakkam, Chennai - 600 048.	Diploma Program in Marine Engineering
7	College of Engineering (Autonomous), Andhra University, Visakhapatnam - 530 003.	B.E. Naval Architecture, M.E. Hydraulic, Coastal & Harbour Engineering
8	Institute of Shipbuilding Technology, Vasco da Gama, Goa - 403 802.	4 Year diploma Program in Shipbuilding Engineering

It is a new field and is making tremendous advancements. It is our only frontier - we know less about the oceans than we do about the moon - so it is new and extremely rewarding. There is so much we have yet to learn about our oceans. Therefore, it is for sure that the career opportunities in this field will absolutely increase further.

There are not enough ocean scientists or engineers to meet all the demands of the day. Also, tomorrow's greatest discoveries in science, medicine and life knowledge will come from the oceans.

Want to be a Naval Architect?

An interesting article (By Rahat Bano) from Indian Newspaper 'Hindustan Times'

A conversation between a woman Indian naval officer and an ‘outsider’?
Outsider: So are you working or studying?
Officer: I’m working.
Outsider: Where?
Officer: I’m in the Navy?
Outsider: You mean like a civilian?
Officer: No, I’m an officer.
Outsider: Oh…but like a civilian?
Officer: No, I’m a commissioned officer in the Navy.
Outsider: Oh! So, you wear uniform?
Officer: Yes, I do.
Outsider: So, what do you do in the Navy?
Officer: I’m a naval architect.
Outsider: Oh…it’s a good choice, women have good decorative skills.
Decorative skills? The naval officer wondered “what to say” to that because she’s in one of the most demanding of professions, which involves designing and developing warships, submarines, hovercraft, hydrofoils and merchant ships. She’s a naval architect — a community that’s celebrating a big recent achievement as they’ve just rolled out India’s first indigenously-designed and manufactured stealth warship, INS Shivalik, from the public sector, 200-(odd)-year-old, Mazagon Docks Ltd in Mumbai.

These professionals are a few from among the countless who get to put sails to their childhood pastime of making and floating paper boats in rainwater puddles.
They design, develop and repair a range of watercraft, including merchant ships (tankers, cargo ships, bulk carriers, etc), warships, submarines, passenger ferries, cruise liners, hovercraft, boats, yachts, icebreakers, and other structures such as hydrofoils and oil drilling platforms. They essentially make small floating cities.

Says a faculty member at IIT Delhi, which runs a diploma programme in naval construction for the Indian Navy, “It’s a profession known to mankind by intuition as across the globe, civilisations have grown and prospered around water bodies. The negative side is only individual thinking, based on self-drawn constraints. In a particular location, growth remains limited like most other engineering jobs.”

Apart from the Indian Navy and government and private shipyards, naval architects have opportunity in self-employment. “The career of a naval architect has massive growth potential in entrepreneurship — ship repairs, boatbuilding, shipbuilding, harbours and docks, ship lifts, equipment for the ships, the list goes on,” says the faculty member. The recession in 2008 affected India’s shipbuilding industry, too, but the pall of gloom is lifting, he says.

However, India lacks graduate naval architects. Many drift towards greener pastures — either an MS abroad or an MBA. They get into management positions or fly to better-paying companies in China, Korea and Singapore, says Harish C Narula, chairman, Fibroplast Marine, Noida, which designs and manufactures commercial and defence boats for clients such as the Coast Guard, CRPF, and the Uttar Pradesh Police. “For the last two years, there has been no (graduate) naval architect (taking up a naval architecture job) in India.” So, Narula says he ends up hiring mechanical engineers and training them. The Indian Navy, too, takes in engineers from different branches, including civil, metallurgical, and mechatronics, who are then trained in naval construction.

Narula says the government should open more institutes giving diplomas in naval architecture/shipbuilding as well as BTech in this discipline, to meet market requirements.

The industry is revving up, with the public sector companies in the lead. India requires more vessels, especially for coastal security in view of increased terrorist threats.

What's it about?
Naval architects design, develop and repair watercraft, and other structures such as hydrofoils and oil drilling platforms. They design basic structure (hull geometry), make the final design and do stability calculations, among other activities. Their employers include four Ministry of Defence shipyards i.e. Mazagon Dock Ltd, GSL, GRSE and HSL and Ministry of Surface Transport’s CSL, Kochi, and many private shipyards, shipping companies and boat builders

Clock Work
In a drawing office, shipbuilding yard or ship repair yard:
8.30 am: Check reports from sites, identify bottlenecks, prepare the information matrix for the day and compare with the bigger picture of the job
9.30 am: Meet respective people to remove the difficulties relating to man, material, machinery or any other aspect like access to relevant part of the working space
11.30 am: In the drawing office or at production floor, check drawings, calculations carried out by subordinates; check the progress
1 pm: Lunch
2 pm: Check all the follow-ups
3 pm: Review the progress covering daily weekly and monthly status
4 pm: Assess achievements of the day reschedule the priorities based on the planned milestones
5.30 pm: Reports, briefs and plans of next day
At shipbuilding or ship repair yards: Status of urgent work, deputing workers on next shift as required, assessing safety and health issues
6.30 pm: Back home (Normal office routine)
During sea trials or harbour trials of vessels, round-the-clock work is required, for which deployment schedules are made on the basis of type of trials

The Payoff
. Rs 15,000 onwards a month for a diploma holder. Rs 25,000 onwards a month for a fresh engineer (four-year degree)
. Sky is the limit for an entrepreneur with training in the field

Skills
. Scientific temperament
. Creative and analytical aptitude
. Decision-making skills
. Leadership qualities — ability to manage manpower and material
. Ability to set priorities (to meet deadlines)

How do i get there?
Take up science (physics, chemistry and maths) at the plus-two level. Pursue a BTech degree in naval architecture and ocean engineering, offered at a few institutes in India, for which you need to clear a written entrance test. The Indian Navy takes in graduates in select branches of engineering, who are given post-graduate training at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. After the officers earn their diplomas in naval construction from IIT Delhi, the Navy sends them to the naval dockyards in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Cochin or Port Blair

Institutes & urls
. IIT Madras and Kharagpur
BTech in naval architecture and ocean engineering as well as a five-year dual BTech/MTech (naval architecture engineering and MTech in applied mechanics in
any of the listed specialisations)
http://jee.iitd.ac.in/availability.htm
. Cochin University of Science and Technology, BTech in naval architecture and shipbuilding
www.cusat.ac.in
. IIT Delhi (Diploma in naval construction, for Indian Navy officers)
www.iitd.ac.in
. Indian Maritime University, Chennai, diploma leading to BSc in shipbuilding and repair
www.imu.tn.nic.in

Pros & Cons
. Constructive work — the fruit of your labour is tangible
. Niche job
. You can design and build small boats (5 metres long) to ultra large crude carriers (400 metres) or floating cities
. Shipbuilding is a cyclic industry, which sees booms and dips by rotation
. Job options limited to some locations
. Opportunities to sail in different types of vessels, from luxury liners to cramped submarines Shipbuilding activity has taken a lead

Security threats and disaster mitigation create the need for more vessels, says a boat manufacturer

What’s the scope in this industry in India? What’s the manpower requirement?
In India, naval architects have been scarce. There were only two colleges teaching naval architecture — IIT Kharagpur and Madras. For the last two years, there has been no (graduate) naval architect (taking up a naval architecture job) in India. So, the real problem is, many good naval architects get into management positions or work in China, Korea and Singapore (because of higher salaries).That’s the supply side.

Government shipbuilding activity has taken a lead. After the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, there is a coastal security requirement. The government wants more ships and boats — for the navy, coast guard, and coastal police to patrol the country’s coastline.

Also, after the September 11 attacks on the US, a UN convention requires every country to patrol and protect sea lanes where ships are moving in its territorial waters. So, more fleets are required.

But due to the shortage of (graduate) naval architects, the Navy and the Indian Register of Shipping are being forced to take other graduates — civil engineers, chemical engineers and train them but they can’t have in-depth design capability.

The government needs to have more institutes of three-year diploma courses. At the same time, it needs to plan and increase seats in four- and five-year degree programmes in naval architecture.

I would like to add that all naval architecture institutes teach shipbuilding and ship design, not boats. Now boats are required in thousands for disaster mitigation, rescue operations during floods, fishing, patrolling.

So, where do you hire people from?
We take fresh graduates and train them on the job.

Harish C Narula, chairman, Fibroplast Marine Interviewed by Rahat Bano

Autobiography of an Indian Naval Architect

Autobiography of an Indian Naval Architect

By Capt Mohan Ram (Indian Navy)

I came across this book, which was mailed to me by one of the readers of this blog site and I am not sure that the author has published it or not.

The book is an interesting read, though it doesn’t cover much that is relevant to the naval architecture field. The author Mohan Ram was an ex-captain in the Indian Navy and was one of the earliest officers to join the Corp of Naval Constructors of Indian Navy, which is an offshoot of Royal Corp of Naval Constructors (UK), after India got its independence. An alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, the author served the Indian Navy for a span of twenty five years. During this brief span the author had the distinction of serving in various capacities in the Dockyards and the Naval Design organizations. Though the author claims, he is one of the foremost naval architects of India, I am pretty sure that not many in the Naval Architectural world would have heard of him. He has not published any papers or made any theoretical contribution in the field of Naval Architecture. But considering the primitive state of naval architecture in India during those days, it is possibly true that the author could have been India’s foremost Naval Architect.

Notwithstanding the above, the book is an interesting read, especially from the point of historical development of India’s indigenous capabilities in the designing of ships.

The primitive state of Indian Navy’s Naval Architectural capabilities is brought out in one of the eureka moments which the author had……….

“ On a wet Saturday afternoon I was doodling on a piece of paper at home and idly wondered “what would happen, if I powered the new ship with the same power plant- two turbines of fifteen thousand horsepower each, without any change. How much would the speed drop? Was there any chance of convincing the naval staff that a small sacrifice in top speed would make the ship more economical and easier to construct?” I did a quick back-of-the envelope calculation to estimate the speed loss. To my utter surprise, the answer came out that the ship did not lose speed at all. On the contrary it would go a full knot faster, at 29 knots which the naval staff wanted! I checked the numbers again and again and could not find any mistakes in the calculation. I tried other methods for estimating the power required and found that the answer came out the same. I was elated. Perhaps this was a brilliant solution for meeting the navy’s requirement without any additional investment, using equipment being manufactured in India. I was so excited about my discovery that I could hardly sleep the whole weekend.”

“I rushed to the office on Monday and announced my discovery. No one believed me at first. I was greeted with a stony silence and most of my colleagues, thought that I had gone out of my head. I could not blame them, as my findings were totally counter-intuitive.”

“Without sounding too technical, let me simply explain how this came about. Further analysis revealed that at lower speeds the resistance to ships’ motion was primarily due to friction, in which the larger ship with about 20% greater wetted surface area (area exposed to the water) was at a disadvantage. Above 22 knots, the resistance to motion from wave making due to the ship cleaving through the sea became much more prominent than friction. If the interference between the waves created by the bow (front) of the ship and the stern (rear) of the ship were positive, resulting in a crest at the rear end, resistance due to wave making would be lower. If the interference between the bow and stern wave systems resulted in a trough at the stern, the resistance due to wave making would be higher. The interference is a function of a factor called Froude number, which relates the square of the speed of the ship to the length of the ship. In the case of the Leander at 28 knots, the interference caused a trough at the stern increasing the wave making resistance. But in the new longer ship, the interference resulted in a crest. This resulted in a lower wave resistance in the bigger ship, which more than compensated the increased drag due to greater area. Overall this led to the bigger ship going faster. Once we had done this detailed analysis the picture became a lot clearer. We also found that the same principle was being adopted in ‘jumboizing’ super tankers to by adding a new mid section, making the ships longer to carry more crude without losing speed.”

The very fact, that the obvious result that larger ships (of similar Geometric proportions) could have lesser resistance compared to ships of smaller length, because of the cancellation of the wave fields (a fact taught in the basic courses of Resistance of Ships), was such a shocking eye-opener to the Stalwarts of Indian Naval Architecture Community speaks volumes of their technical ignorance of Basic Naval Architecture and goes on to show that Mohan Ram, when he claims himself to be one of the foremost Naval architects of India, could indeed be speaking the truth.

The second half of the book deals with the author’s life as a non-practicing naval architect in the Indian Industry. Interesting, but not relevant to Naval Architects. The author claims that he was responsible for the turnaround of some loss making companies and offers some management platitudes.

“I expect this story to be of interest to senior managers of organizations facing severe competition and loss of market share and running into decline and sickness. It should provide useful insights, as it spans my experience of working in all three sectors, government, PSUs and the private sector. It should also be useful to academic institutions and students of management, as the book brings live Indian cases to light. Management consultants might find some of the events and solutions relevant and interesting. Multinational corporations and foreign institutional investors may find the narrative useful in getting a clearer understanding of the Indian psyche and corporate scene, some of its unique problems and possible approaches to their solutions.”

Overall a good book, especially for those in India in the Naval Architectural profession.

The book is not openly available in the internet as of date. I had read it, courtesy, one of my blog readers who had emailed it to me. He is one the members of a yahoo group called “Constructor County” which is a group which caters to the Naval Architecture Fraternity of India (only??? I am not sure).

However surprisingly while browsing the net, I found it here.

The author would have possibly uploaded it.

Other Options for a Naval Architect

Not interested in design??? But still interested in the field of Naval Architecture!!!!!

No Problems!!!!!

Here are the other options

Construction and Repair

The task of the ship and boat builder and offshore constructor is to convert drawings and detailed specifications into real structures. A Naval Architect specialising in construction usually holds a management post, taking responsibility for the management of the whole yard or for sections of it such as planning, production or the complex operation of fitting out. There is a continuous striving to make savings with existing techniques and equipment through the adoption of new processes and practices and by better training for the work force. The Naval Architect must also organise the supply of materials and components, inspection and testing as well as the vital resources of manpower.

Repair work has much in common with construction. Naval Architects in this field become professional managers who, like the builders, need to master modern management and associated techniques. Emergency repair work often offers opportunities for ingenuity and on-the-spot improvisation, and in the offshore engineering world in particular repair frequently involves underwater technology.

Employers of Naval Architects in construction and repair include both large and small shipbuilders and repairers, and those involved in the maintenance and repair of naval ships and submarines. A large proportion of senior technical managers and executives in the UK maritime industry are those who have been educated and trained as Naval Architects.

Consultancy

As consultants, Naval Architects provide clients with engineering solutions, technical and commercial guidance, support and project management for concept design studies, new vessel constructions, refits and conversions. The variety of work provides a rewarding challenge to the Naval Architect.

Marketing and Sales

Naval Architects are employed to give professional advice and technical support to customers of the maritime industry.

Operations

Many shipping companies have technical departments in which Naval Architects are responsible for the many phases of ship and equipment procurement and for solving problems affecting the economics of maritime operations.

Regulation, Surveying and Overseeing

Naval Architects employed by Classification Societies as Ship Surveyors are engaged world-wide in evaluating the safety of ships and marine structures using the Society's Rules and those of intergovernmental organisations such as the International Maritime Organisation. Plans of ships to be built and eventually classed with the Society are scrutinised, and aspects of design such as strength, stability, and lifesaving approved before construction.

During construction, Ship Surveyors carry out inspections to ensure that the quality of the workmanship and materials used is in accordance with the Rules and Regulations. Once the vessel or structure is in service, Ship Surveyors will continue to carry out inspections to ensure that any serious defects arising from operation are made good and that a safe and seaworthy structure is maintained. Government Departments employ Naval Architects who deal mainly with the framing of safety regulations and the surveying of ships and equipment from the safety point of view.

Ship operators and the Ministry of Defence employ Naval Architects to oversee the construction and repair of their vessels.

Research and Development

Maritime research in the UK enjoys a high reputation world-wide and Naval Architects, many with post-graduate qualifications, are engaged in research in universities and industry throughout the country. Classification Societies also devote resources to Research and Development employing Naval Architects in this field.

Education and Training

Careers in engineering demand a sound education. Consequently, there is a need to attract Naval Architects with above average qualifications into Universities and Colleges as professors and lecturers.

Creativity in Naval Architecture: Ship Design

Are You creative?????
Naval Architects are by necessity creative people. They must have an understanding of the many facets of ship design - function, appearance and especially important at sea, safety. They must be team leaders, able to integrate the inputs of many others to achieve a balanced and coherent whole. Apart from the architectural aspects of ship form and layout, they must be able to use complex mathematical and physical models to ensure that the design is satisfactory technically and that it meets the safety rules and standards laid down by Classification Societies and Government Agencies.

A ship, boat or offshore structure must be stable, seaworthy and have adequate strength in all weathers as well as the hydrodynamic (and, for sailing craft, aerodynamic) performance to give economic propulsion and safe and comfortable motion in all sea states. The design process demands the extensive employment of computer based information and communication systems.

Employers of Naval Architects involved in design work include ship and boat builders, offshore constructors, design consultants, and for the ships and submarines of the Royal Navy, the Ministry of Defence. Major equipment manufacturers also employ teams of engineers, including Naval Architects, on the design of such products as propulsion systems, auxiliary systems, subsea production systems and control systems.

Career Options for a Naval Architect

Naval Architects have a wide range of employment opportunities, both in the UK and world-wide. They are involved in such a wide variety of work that it is difficult to categorise it comprehensively. However, the main areas are as follows:

• Design
• Construction and Repair
• Consultancy
• Marketing and Sales
• Operations
• Regulation, Surveying and Overseeing
• Research and Development
• Education and Training
  

Each type of work has its own distinctive character and offers opportunities for initiative and imagination in a wide variety of technical and managerial posts as well as opportunities for foreign travel. The work place may be a large company, a small group, a consultancy or a government department.

Depending mainly on the type of qualifications held and personal inclination, Naval Architects may become specialists in one field or develop broad experience in several. Eventually they may find themselves in senior executive positions using their knowledge and experience of general management as well as their professional skills in engineering and project leadership. Indeed, aided by the breadth of their education, training and experience, professional Naval Architects are successful in top management posts in government, industry and commerce quite outside the maritime field.