Study for implementation of Advanced Outfitting concept in COTECMAR shipyard

Abstract

Shipyards around the world are trying to create and strengthen competitive production advantages that guarantee their sustainable development in the regional and global market. The shipbuilding business continues demanding the design and implementation of new strategies to improve and maximize the ship production processes, allowing to reduce the cycle construction time for new ships and optimize the resources associated with each project.

This research proposes to demonstrate and explain the general aspects that should be considered for the implementation of "advanced outfitting" concept as a strategy in shipbuilding processes. At present, many small and mid-tier shipyards only install pipes on-block level in its new construction projects, leaving the installation process of the largest percentage of equipment after the ship’s hull has been manufactured and assembled. The "advanced outfitting" process is a strategy currently used by the most modern shipyards in the world and allows the installation of the largest amount of equipment (machinery, pipelines, auxiliary machinery, etc.) in the earliest stages of construction, especially during the assembly of each block that compose the hull. The result of this investigation will become as a guide for any mid-tier shipyard to understand and implement the general concept of advanced outfitting techniques, and how to assess its impact on future shipbuilding projects. However, small shipyards could use this guide to understand this concept as well.

The document is focused on industrial purposes, not only to show the aspects should be checked to assess the level of outfitting processes in shipbuilding projects compared with global shipbuilding behavior and how to improve it, but to influence strategically to the mid-tier shipyard companies, proposing alternatives for achievement the future shipbuilding projects and support some decisions in terms of outfitting. Different sources of data and information were used, including fieldwork through observation, study of shipbuilding projects and interviews during internship time in CRIST shipyard (Gdynia, Poland), as a part of EMSHIP program, but also study of many documents related to ship production and outfitting technics.

The study shows and explains all the main necessary aspects to implement the advanced outfitting concept, from optimization of layout, until design and engineering aspects, production aspects, and project management. Also, some logistics aspects are studied to complement the different levels involved in shipbuilding strategy. Finally, a cost-benefit analysis was established to demonstrate the positive influence of advanced outfitting on shipbuilding projects and validate the hypothesis that this methodology could improve the productivity in mid-tier shipyards, reducing the cost and time for each project, and how it could impact the future shipbuilding projects.