Case Study
Launch of HMS Venturer for Babcock
OVERVIEW
Malin worked with Babcock to engineer and project manage the complete whole-ship weighing, load-out, transportation and float-off operation of HMS Venturer, taking the frigate from its construction supports at Rosyth, to afloat and ready for the next stage of the programme.
HMS Venturer represents the first of the Royal Navy’s new Type 31 frigates, and an important milestone in the UK’s latest generation of naval shipbuilding. The vessel is the first of five vessels, all being built by Babcock in Rosyth.
The weighing was carried out using 84 hydraulic jacks and load cells; the jacks were utilised to lift the ship clear of her supports and transfer the load onto the loadcells, after which weighing was undertaken. The load-out and float-off itself was then carried out using the CD01, a 137metre semi-submersible barge, which is owned by Malin as part of a joint venture with Augustea.
Turning to the load-out, 240 axle lines, provided by Mammoet, were used, with the vessel then set down onto bespoke barge grillage, designed and fabricated in-house by Malin.
The load-out was carried out within the Non-Tidal Basin using the CD01’s own internal ballast system to control draft, trim and stability, as the weight of HMS Venturer progressively moved aboard. The barge was moored in an end on configuration, on a mooring spread comprised of a mix of wire rope and HMPE soft tails; this particular mix was selected as it offered significant benefits in installation time, but with the same levels of efficacy as other methods.
Due to the water depth required for float-off, the operation was carried out at the newly constructed Charles Hammond Berth, Port of Leith, and represented the first float-off to be carried out at this new berth. Malin worked with Babcock to provide an alternative quayside float-off solution utilising the available deep water to complete the float-off.
This project exemplifies the value Malin’s team provide by bringing heavy marine transportation skillsets into the shipbuilding industry.
Client: Babcock
Project: HMS Venturer – First-in-Class Type 31 Frigate
Load-out: Non-Tidal Basin, Babcock Rosyth
Float-off: Charles Hammond Berth, Port of Leith
Marine Asset: CD01 – 137m semi-submersible barge
Services: Whole-ship weighing, project management, heavy transport engineering, SPMT operations, grillage design and supply, structural assessment, load-out engineering, ballasting, stability, mooring analysis, towing procedures, sea-fastening and float-off engineering