BNR 176 - Vector

V.O.F. Elisabeth commissioned Shipyard Gebr. Kooiman BV to deliver the newbuild dry bulk vessel Vector. The Vector vessel is a new design by ship designer/draughtsman Van Duijvendijk. It measures 135 x 11.45 x 3.75 metres and has a maximum loading capacity of 4,201 tonnes.

The Vector is a fully customized vessel, designed according to the latest insights and possibilities. The starting points for the design were a well running ship with good proportions of loading capacity and volume and equipped with well thought-out complete equipment. This resulted in a vessel with an optimal lines plan which was tested extensively by the MARIN in Wageningen. One clearly visible hull detail is the sharply swept fore, which flares strongly upwards so that the foredeck has quite a lot of space. The foredeck has an extensive anchor system with two rope rollers and tensioners; these were also designed and produced by Kooiman Marine Group.

Another characteristic is the midship with a depth of 4.25 metres and a hold length which can accommodate 17 containers. The stern is built up high without bulwark, creating a low-maintenance aft deck. The complete equipment includes the spud poles, which were positioned with careful thought.

The hull of the Vector was built in two parts at the Malbo shipyard in Malczyce, Poland, and joined together in Stettin. The midship has a longitudinal construction and double bottom of 0.70 metres. This uses high-tensile steel which creates a lightweight structure. The inner bottom is made from the strong and resilient Hardox steel (Swedish Steel), which also saves weight. The vessel was further equipped with an extensive ballast system with compartments which are operated by means of valves in the gangway.

The Vector is extremely well equipped with the certainty of continuous operation. On the fore ship there is a silenced generator set, two bow thrusters, a spud pole and also the innovative Rotor bow rudder system of type RMS2000V supplied by Van der Velden. Van der Velden installed a vertical, stiff system on the Vector for the first time, which saves even more space. The RMS system is an advanced bow rudder which owes its operation to the Magnus effect. Putting a rapidly spinning cylinder in flowing water creates a lift force due to the pressure difference which arises. This lift force is greater than with a conventional rudder. The lift force of a rotor bow rudder with a length of 1.2 metres corresponds with the lift force of a conventional rudder with a surface area of 2 m2. The Rotor bow rudder also takes up only a very small amount of space. The rotor system on the Vector has been set up in a vertical arrangement, taking up scarcely any space at all.

Two Caterpillar propulsion engines of type 3508B, each with 1,065 HP, are located on the aft ship. There is also a silenced generator set and a hydraulic propeller shaft generator. The electrical system was provided by Kooiman Ship Electric, which took care of the complete system including the two-wire system. Alphatron Marine supplied the complete nautical equipment from the Multifunction line with AlphaChart chart system and AlphaCam stainless steel camera system. Shipyard Gebr. Kooiman was responsible for all the interior carpentry work.

SHIP TYPE:

Twin screw dry bulk / container ship for inland navigation

MAIN DIMENSIONS:

• Length over all 135,00 m
• Beam over all 11,45 m
• Depth 4,25 m

PROPULSION SYSTEM:

• Main engines 2 x Caterpillar 3508C
• Total output 2100 bhp at 1600 rpm
• Gearboxes 2 x Masson MM W4400 red. 5.077:1
• Propulsion 2 x Wartsila 5-blade tiprake propellers in HR nozzles Ø 1700 mm
• Bow thrusters 2x ‘Van Tiem’ type 1200 MKIC with 360° steering grid
• each with Caterpillar C18, 454 bhp/1800 rpm

AUXILIARY ENGINES:

• Generator sets 2 x Caterpillar C 4.4 elec 64 kva (silenced) 220/380 V 50 Hz
• 1 x ‘Van der Velden’ hydraulic shaft generator 60 kva

AUXILIARY SYSTEMS:

• Spuds on after and fore ship, with hydraulic drive

DETAILS:

• Hold length fit for 17×20’ containers
• Mid ship with longitudinally framed
• Top construction mid ship made of ‘High tensile’ steel
• Tank top made of ‘Hardox’ steel
• Fixed deckhouse on after and fore ship
• ‘Friese kap’ type hatches on hold with hydraulic hatch car