A Computer Based Study of the Effects of Panamax Limits on the Economic Design of Bulk Carriers

[摘要] This thesis deals with the economic design of bulk carriers of Panamax class at the preliminary stage and investigates the effects of the size limits imposed by the Panama Canal. The computer is used as the principal tool in this thesis where a digital computer program algorithm has been developed to carry out the task. The computer program carries out parametric variation of principal dimensions, generates several synthesised designs and locates the optimum one. An economic study is incorporated into the program to serve as a base for evaluating economically each design and selecting the one with the highest return. The required freight rate (RFR) is chosen as the economic measure of merit when comparing between alternative designs. The program is used to carry out a sensitivity analysis for the main design variables. This technique allows the importance of these variables to be assessed. Subsequently consideration is given to the equivalent size of bulk carriers that would avoid the Panama Canal but give the same required freight rate. The effect of reducing ballast voyages is considered. The main trade route used for this study is New Orleans (USA) to Yokohama (Japan) with grain. The investigation indicated that the best measure of merit was obtained with a vessel of a size to the limit of the Panama Canal locks in length, beam and draft and of high block coefficient of 0.85 with a speed of 13 knots. Steel weight and installed power are found to be very important design parameters of higher influence on the economic measure of merit. Their estimates should, therefore, be as accurate as possible. The economic measure of merit is considerably improved by the reduction of the voyage in ballast which stresses the importance of avoiding long distances sailing in ballast. The importance of the Panama Canal as a short cut route is clearly indicated by the fact that the size of a bulk carrier not transiting through it, transporting the same commodity between the same ports and yielding the same return is more than twice that of a Panamax.

[发布机构] University:University of Glasgow

[关键词] Naval engineering