Study on the Safety, Economic and, Environmental Issues of Double Hulls[B]Solicitation Number: EconStudy08062012[/B]
Agency: Department of Transportation
Office: Maritime Administration (MARAD)
Location: MAR-380
OBJECTIVE.
This project will study the safety, economic and environmental issues of vessels to be constructed with double hulls.
BACKGROUND.
Following the Exxon Valdez disaster, the passing of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90) led to the requirement to replace single hull petroleum tankers with double hull tank vessels sailing in U.S. waters. This requirement was soon adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and became a worldwide regulation. This means that, today, tank vessels worldwide are carrying thousands of extra tons of steel in order to meet the double hull requirements.
Though these double hulls reduce the threat of oil pollution as a result of grounding, they significantly increase the amount of energy needed to propel a vessel and increase the amount of air pollution into the atmosphere. As a result, the maritime industry’s carbon footprint and criteria pollutant emissions are increased.
In addition to the need to burn more fuel, it is acknowledged that double hulls can cause several other problems which will be detailed in this study.
All interested offerors should provide their capabilites and past experience on or before 08/10/2012 1600 hours per attached SOW.
and not one person in MarAd’s offices has the knowledge or ability to write such a report themselves? How much are they going to pay the private sector for this and why are earth is one even needed? Seriously, just because a vessel might burn even 5% more fuel with a double hull as opposed to a single, the world is not going to go back to single hulled tankships! Not now for Christ’s sake!
This is ludicrous beyond words and further shows the idiotic out of touch world MarAd resides in. Why in the hell don’t they commission a study into the application of LNG to fuel ships in the future and how existing vessels can be converted to run on LNG cost effectively. TOTE just announced they are switching their two Orca class Ro/Ro’s to LNG!
[QUOTE=leadline;77722]In addition to the need to burn more fuel, it is acknowledged that double hulls can cause several other problems which will be detailed in this study.[/QUOTE]
In 1994 one of my favorite ships was scrapped due to her being a single hull tanker and now I read this crap. MARAD is the one in need to be scrapped. Just what are these “several other problems,” MARAD? Why did it take so long to notice these “several other problems,” Oh, we need to wait for the details. I see. Talk about a totally dysfunctional bureaucracy MARAD tops the list.
The founders of this great nation must be rolling over in their graves over what our Federal Government is paying for these days. How surprised they would be.
Just think, after 22 years we are finally having a report on double hull tankers. MARAD finally found the time and taxpayer money to finally commission the report.
Here’s a one paragraph report someone can send to MarAd…
Having a double hull does not add one extra barrel of fuel consumption to the operation of a tankship because:
having a double hull only effects the lightship weight and not the final load displacement…the load displacement will be a constant and only the cargo deadweight would be effected
fuel consumption is based on the load displacement, block coefficient, various resistance factors and propeller efficiency for a particular speed through the water, but not on the lightship weight
having an extra inner hull does reduce the volume of cargo that can be carried at a given displacement since the weight of extra hull steel must be subtracted from total possible cargo deadweight but this is very small on a tankship (maybe 5% lost cargo deadweight…maybe)
double hulled ships cost more to build initially and have higher maintenance costs to be sure but that is not part if this report
end of report.
Please wire $10M to my bank account in the Cayman Islands…thank you Mr. Matsuda for the opportunity to be of service to the Maritime Administration and the US Federal Government.
[QUOTE=c.captain;77783]Here’s a one paragraph report someone can send to MarAd…
Please wire $10M to my bank account in the Cayman Islands…thank you Mr. Matsuda for the opportunity to be of service to the Maritime Administration and the US Federal Government.[/QUOTE]
I never made the connection between MARAD, a governmental agency whose existence once was needed, an agency who once did an excellent job but eventually became a worse than useless bunch of government “officials” and the US Merchant Marine Academy. Then I read your posts, then I looked into the connection between KP and MARAD, then got angry. Thank you, c.captain, and others, for your inputs. Kings Point and MARAD are connected at their belly buttons. Both must be terminated.