MODEX™ (Movable Deck Extender) is an additional cargo deck that runs along the ship’s cargo rails. For a platform supply vessel (PSV) of the type ULSTEIN PX105, this means approximately 23 percent (235 m2) added deck area.
"Multi-company collaboration on the development of MODEX™ helped bring new factors to bear, resulting in far better operating improvements than first envisioned. This illustrates the importance of interacting and challenging one another in order to create synergies far exceeding what the individual player could have achieved alone," says Ulstein Group Deputy CEO Tore Ulstein.
SOLVES LOGISTICS CHALLENGES
Ulstein Design and Evomec collaborated with Møreforsking in Molde in developing the deck. Møreforsking has provided special expertise in logistics planning for offshore vessels. Remøy Shipping and StatoilHydro have also contributed their knowledge and influenced the results. The platform supply design ULSTEIN PX105 was used as a case study.
“Ulstein Design is constantly seeking improvements and new solutions that provide more eco-efficient and future oriented vessels,” says Ulstein Design design manager Håvard Stave, adding: “The supply vessels often experience deck area shortage. This is particularly evident when loading and unloading at offshore installations. This innovation increases the vessel's utility value.”
A supply vessel with MODEX™ can sail longer routes and serve more installations on the same trip. “MODEX™ can increase the service to customers because the probability of serious shortages and loss of production value at installations is reduced. The economic benefits of added deck space include lower costs and fuel consumption per shipped unit than with corresponding vessels without MODEX™,” says Bjørnar Aas from Møreforsking.
MAJOR ECO-BENEFIT
MODEX™ provides an important environmental benefit because it makes the ships more efficient cargo carriers. In a time of ship and crew shortages and high operating costs, using vessels with higher utility value, benefits the environment, the shipowner and the end customer.
FAVOURABLE PLACEMENT OF FAST RESCUE CRAFT
MODEX™ also gives a more favourable placement of FRC (Fast Rescue Craft). MODEX™ enables the placement of FRCs near the ship’s centre of buoyancy, providing for gentler handling when bringing aboard injured personnel in bad weather and safer FRC operations in general. By moving the MODEX™ to the forward position, patients can be brought straight to safety.
ABOUT MODEX™
