Vessel Features

Mission

  • Range / endurance: 500 NM @ 20 knots + 10 days at sea
  • Flag: Australia, designed to AMSA DCV 2C
  • Crew: 6 (can support 24 for a single day)
  • Deadweight capacity: 6 tonnes
  • Top speed: 20 knots with 2 m significant wave height.

Principal Particulars

  • Length (LBP): 17.5 m
  • Beam: 6.8 m
  • Design Draft: 1.0 m
  • Depth to main deck: 3.40 m
  • Main power: 898 kW installed power
  • Waterjet propulsion

Major Innovations

Compact Ladder System

It is not immediately obvious, but stairwells and inclined ladders require a great deal of space on an ship! For smaller vessels, this sacrifices valuable living space to useless transition pieces. On this concept, DMS replaced most of the stairwells with vertical ladders and hatches, to maximize living space in crew quarters. This arrangement provides maximum private space in crew cabins.

Seakeeping

Above all else, this vessel required excellent seakeeping capability. The waves in Australia presented extremely short wavelengths and created very uncomfortable conditions for small vessels. Despite this challenge, DMS achieved approximately 0.30g accelerations on the vessel, while traveling full speed in 2.0 m significant waves. Astounding results! Imagine going from an earthquake of explosion down to just a gentle rolling motion. DMS achieved this strong performance through a combination of three systems:
  • Interceptors
  • Bilge keels
  • Advanced seakeeping hydrofoil


RIB Launch System

Given the extreme waves, normal methods of retrieving a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) via davits were not sufficient. DMS developed a new method to launch and retrieve the RIB. The response launch system (RRLS) reacted to oncoming waves; it avoided the painful experience of landing hard on davit falls.

Landing Ramp

Beyond beach loading operations, the landing ramp also acts as a sea lift. The ramp is double hinged, with the second segment built from open grating. That second segment can be lowered below water level to act as a loading platform for heavy objects like mooring buoys. This creates extended mission flexibility for dive support and open water marine operations.

Concept Drawings

Design Challenges

Design Challenges

No design is perfect, and DMS acknowledged that innovative concepts face more challenges than most.

Structural Support of Deckhouse

The arrangement of hatches and vertical ladders restricted the possible locations of the deckhouse. This resulted in placing the deckhouse without any supporting bulkheads underneath, which is not ideal. The deckhouse can be supported by deep frames and confirmed by FEA analysis. But further design refinement would ideally place supporting bulkheads under the deckhouse.

Your Concept, Customized

Do you like pieces of this concept? DMS can happily take ideas from this vessel and apply them to your next project. Contact us to discuss your goals.

Related Services

Mission Studies

DMS can start with you general goals and prepare a scientific description of performance requirements for your next vessel.

Concept Design

The first stage in any ship design. Start with a blank piece of paper, and we end with the major elements of your vessel designed and ready for refinement.

Full Vessel Design

We work with our Clients to understand their goals and define the vessel that achieves those goals. We create a custom vessel design that meets your expectations.

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