Mixing cargo and cruise passengers
01 Jun 2002
They carry passengers, but they are much more than mere ferries. Hurtigruten ships provide a lifeline for Norway?s remote northern communities, bringing in essentials while taking local products out to market.
A Hurtigruten ship is scheduled to leave Bergen every evening on an 11-day round-trip that can take it as far north as Kirkenes near the Russian border ? calling at numerous towns and villages en route. While the ships? primary function is as a lifeline for the communities they serve, the beauty of Norway?s fjords is attracting increasing numbers of tourists to travel on the vessels. In turn, the operators of the ships are providing for these tourists, by building new ships with cruise style standards.
This year two new ferries have entered the Hurtigruten service. Finnmarken, operated by Ofotens og Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab (OVDS), was delivered from Norway?s Kleven Verft in early April. Trollfjord, operated by Troms Fylkes Dampskibsselskab, was delivered from Norway?s Fosen MEK a month later.
Both ships have the capacity to carry vehicles and both dry and refrigerated cargo. And both carry passengers. Yet features such as twin efficiency rudders make Finnmarken the more interesting ship technically.
Good seakeeping
The design of Finnmarken was developed by Kleven Verft, in cooperation with the shipyard and the architect Arne Johansen, from a base of Nordnorge, a hurtigruten ferry built by the yard in 1997. However the yard says the end result is considerably different, with Finnmarken being about 15m longer, 2m wider and having an additional deck.
The hull is designed to provide good seakeeping, manoeuvrability and stability, while maintaining a classic rounded stern appearance, explains Kleven. The Marine Technology Centre in Trondheim undertook model tests of hull forms. The yard says that sea trials have confirmed that the selected hull shape is easily driven.
Manoeuvrability is given by the installation of two Brunvoll tunnel thrusters at the bow, a Rolls-Royce azimuth thruster at the stern, two CP propellers and twin Wärtsilä Propac flap rudders ? the latter has been described at length in previous issues of The Motor Ship. Stability is enhanced through two B+V Industrietechnik anti-roll stabilisers fitted amidships.
To reduce noise and vibration the shipyard says it has used flexible mountings to minimise any resonance transmitted from the main machinery. It says it has also equipped some spaces with floating decks and double ceilings.
The John Crane Lips supplied propellers are designed to minimise pressure impulses on the hull under the vessel?s operating condition, says the yard, and vibration analyses were carried out during the design process. Kleven says it evaluated funnel designs in the wind tunnel to keep smoke and soot away from the decks. It has also installed an Infrafone exhaust cleaning system.
Getting onboard
Access is provided by sideports on the port side. Cargo and car access to the tank top, Deck 1 and spaces over the engine room is via a sideport amidships. The passenger gangway is forward of this. The shipyard says the layout allows both passengers and freight to be brought onboard (or put ashore) at quays of limited length with large tidal ranges.
To fulfil car deck flooding stability requirements, Finnmarken has two splash barriers dividing the space. These are arranged on each side of the centre casing. MacGregor, which also provided the side ports and cargo handling system, supplied the doors. Finnmarken has 14 watertight subdivisions below the bulkhead deck. The vessel meets two compartment subdivision requirements.
Refrigeration ? holds and stores
The ship has three cargo holds of 75, 407 and 308m3 volume. These holds are insulated to a K-value of about 0.465W/m2/OC and can take chilled or frozen cargo with individual temperature regulation. One or two holds can be warmed while the others are refrigerated.
There is a double overhead with ducts through which air circulates. Temperature regulation is provided by three Teknotherm/Mycom screw compressors (using R-507) each rated at 41kW at -37.5/+42OC. Direct evaporators are fitted, with electrical defrosting; which is also used for warming the holds. The whole system has its own programmable logic control. This has direct communication with the ship?s main control and monitoring system allowing operation from the control room or the bridge. The decks are dimensioned for forklift truck axle loads.
The ship has eight provision rooms ? six for chilled stores and two for frozen ? and a thawing room. The total provision room volume is about 306m3. There is also a cold room by the galley on Deck 4. Two Bock piston compressors each of 20.7kW provide refrigerating capacity. The controls interface with the vessel?s main monitoring system.
A central refrigerating unit is installed to cover cooling requirements in the galley, cafeteria and dining room. The equipment is located in the engine room and comprises two Bock capacity regulated compressors using R-507A.
Machinery control and automation
The requirement of the propulsion system is to give optimum engine loading and fuel economy under the many operating conditions that apply on the various stretches of Norway?s coastline, explains Kleven.
Two nine cylinder main engines are located ahead of two gearboxes, with shaft generators inboard of them. Two six cylinder engines are mounted aft of the gearboxes, inboard of the shaft lines. These can be coupled either to their own generators or to the main gears. A stepped bulkhead separates the two sets of engines, with one gearbox in each engine room for maximum redundancy in the event of damage to the vessel.
An ABB Master integrated automation system controls and monitors all functions, including machinery alarms, an electronic tank sounding system, remote control of pumps and valves, remote operation of fans and control and monitoring of the ship?s ventilation system.
A power management system provides load sharing between generators, automatic load dependent starting, synchronising and stopping of gensets and control of thruster breakers.
Concycle shaft generators, which can produce constant voltage and frequency when operating at variable speeds, enable five different operating modes. A shaft generator can also function as a motor when fed with power from the other shaft generator.
The five modes are:
n Harbour Mode ? one auxiliary generator supplies the electrical requirements. The other auxilary genset is on standby. The main engines are shut down
n Manoeuvring mode ? each main engine drives a propeller, through the reduction gear, and a Concycle generator (which supplies the switchboard). One auxiliary genset runs in parallel with the Concycle units. This provides sufficient power for the two tunnel thrusters and the azimuth thruster. The second aux genset is on standby
n Sailing Mode 1 ? the connections are similar to the above. One genset is on standby. Sufficient electrical power is generated for ship services, the azimuth thruster and one tunnel thruster
n Sailing Mode 2 ? the auxiliary engines provide the power, with the main engines on standby. The auxiliaries are coupled to the gearbox and supply the vessel?s electrical requirements (via the Concycle shaft generators) and turn the propellers (via the reduction gear). In event of a shaft generator failing, the auxiliary sets? generators are ready for use. Sufficient power is available to use the azimuth thruster and one tunnel thruster
n Sailing Mode 3 ? one auxiliary engine is coupled to its gearbox, providing power to the propeller while supplying electrical load from the associated Concycle generator. On the other side the main engine drives both its propeller and its shaft generator. One main engine and one auxiliary engine are on standby.
In all modes, the system is designed to automatically prevent loss of manoeuvring capability in case of failure or overload. Measures can include starting a standby unit, or disconnecting heavy consumers, depending on the particular situation and operating mode, says the ship?s builder.
Bridge equipment
Navigation and communications equipment was supplied and fitted by Norwegian-based company Emil Longva. The Ship Control Centre was put together by the yard, OVDS, STN Atlas Elektronik Norge, and Hareid Elektriske Teknikk. The latter was responsible for all bridge consoles.
DNV has given the bridge layout Naut C classification. The shipyard says it is equipped to Watch1-OC1. A TV camera is installed aft to aid navigation.
Finnmarken will follow a route pre-planned into the system. One navigator controls the automation, while the second navigator checks visual references and keeps an eye on his colleague. The vessel is steered manually only in the narrowest fairways and when manoeuvring at quays.
A satellite navigation system ensures that the courses correspond with the channels. The vessel has two separate Differential GPS systems, using 12 satellites plus a shore station reference. This provides a very accurate position update, with the added safety of two navigators monitoring the situation.
The navigation system retains information on areas where speed restrictions apply and automatically reduces power when the ship comes to them. A Speedpilot function allows speed adjustment over the whole passage to give the desired arrival time. A Trackpilot function makes sure course changes take place with a predetermined turning radius.
Part of the Ship Control Centre comprises an Atlas NACOS navigation and command system (with a 1019 ARPA S and 1019 ARPA X radar) and a multifunction display, which allows the radar image to be superimposed on the ECDIS electronic chart display.
For route planning, the ship is fitted with Atlas Planning Stations, consisting of an A1 size digitising chart table combined with a planning and consulting station.
The navigation outfit also includes a C Plath Naviknot III.NF speedlog and an Atlas Dolog23 doppler log, which indicates speed over the ground and speed sideways when manoeuvring. The system includes a rate of turn gyro. Two Plath Navigat X Mk1 gyro-compasses, two Trimble NavtracXL DGPS receivers with remote units and a Furuno Loran C are also installed.
A Sailor GMDSS radio, Inmarsat C with EGC receiver and a Saturn B class 1 satcoms system are the major elements of the communications system.
Internal
communications
A combined alarm and public address system is duplicated, with redundant amplifiers and loudspeakers, in accordance with current rules and recommendations. Alarm signals and announcements are transmitted to ceiling mounted loudspeakers and speaker telephones in all cabins.
Passenger cabins have digital telephones with built-in loudspeakers. These are automatically checked and if a failure is logged a signal is given on the bridge, together with a failure report from a special printer.
Fire fighting system
Finnmarken?s fire alarm system is based on the Delta concept. It uses a PC screen display and individually addressable fire alarms. The system, provided by Eltek Fire & Safety AS, is capable of lowering the alarm levels to detect smouldering fires, to raise them to allow for dirty or dusty sensors and to distinguish ?spikes? which could give false alarms.
The spread of a fire can be monitored on screen. The colours vary according to the smoke concentration, helping those responsible to direct crew members to fight the fire at the most critical locations at the right time. The system also controls and monitors the various fire doors.
A Unitor/Norsk Sprinkler sea water drench system covers the vehicle deck, the car hoist and the pallet hoist. The ship has F-C class notation and a high pressure CO2 system from Unitor serves the cargo spaces.
High pressure CO2 is also available for fire fighting in the engine room, together with a local application fire fighting system using foam.
In passenger spaces fresh water at high pressure is used for firefighting. A Marioff Hi-Fog water mist system is installed. It features 12 pumps each capable of supplying 48.7l per minute at 140 bar. A battery of nitrogen cylinders provide redundancy in case of electrical power failure.
An air compressor maintains a standby system pressure of 25 bar. Water is distributed to the sprinkler heads in stainless steel pipes. Valves control supply to various sections of the system. As soon as water flow is activated, the pumps start and raise the pressure from the standby 25 bar to 140 bar. The section valves indicate which heads have been activated by fire.
Fresh water is supplied from the ship?s tanks, but if the situation requires it the pumps can draw seawater, giving an unlimited duration. A large number of normal fire hydrants and powder and water hand extinguishers supplement the fog system.
Fresh water supply
Fresh water for domestic purposes, boiler feed and water injection for the engines is produced by two RWO reverse osmosis units. Ultraviolet mineral filtration and chlorine dosing equipment is installed to ensure water cleanliness.
Waste and sanitation
The ship has DNV?s Clean Design notation. This requires a comprehensive system for handling solid and liquid waste from its 374 toilets, various urinals and greywater tanks.
Sewage sludge and ground-up garbage is handled by a Pyrall PR100 incinerator. It can handle 200kg/h of ground-up waste and 100l/h of concentrated sludge from sewage. The ship also has a C15 garbage grinder, five Uson 550 grinders for galley waste and a silo to receive the output. Italian-firm I.S.I.R. supplied variouys other pieces of handling equipment such as a particle separator, a press for removing water from the separator, a fat separator, a crusher for glass and a can compactor.
The company also provided the sewage treatment plant, two Bioepuro B250 units, and a Permagrey PG8 grey water handling system based on sand filter and membrane technology.
Jets Vacuum supplied two vacuum units (each built-up of three 60MB units), for the toilet system. RWO supplied a bilge water separator with a throughput of 2.5m3/h.
Air conditioning
The ship will operate under many climatic conditions. Thus the air conditioning system installed is required to maintain an internal summer temperature of 27OC and 50% relative humidity with an external temperature of up to 35OC, 70% relative humidity, and a sea temperature up to 35OC. At the other extreme, an internal temperature of 21OC must be maintained with the outside air at -25OC.
The air conditioning plant for the various spaces is located in 13 rooms split between the three main fire zones. Ductwork within each fire zone is further subdivided by fire and smoke flaps. These close automatically when the fire alarm system registers smoke in the accommodation, giving security against the spread of smoke or flame.
Stainless steel ventilation units are equipped with a heating/cooling section, which operates with steam-heated warm water (25-16OC) and ice water (6.5-13OC), for heating and cooling the air respectively.
The ice water is produced by two Mycom A.C units. Each unit has a cooling capacity of 1,600kW (+2/+45OC) and comprises a screw compressor, an oil separator, condenser and filled evaporator with a high pressure float system. The refrigerant is R-407C.
A post-warming section is fitted, using hot water (80-40OC). Each unit also incorporates a fan with a two-speed motor and a section for humidifying the air.
Air is distributed through a two-channel system. Each cabin has individual temperature regulation via a pneumatic thermostat on the wall. Reutrn air moves partly via the cabin toilet rooms and partly via the alleyways.
In the public spaces a ?rainfall? distribution arrangement is used. This distributes air distribution at low velocity. Air is extracted through vents in the deckhead. Most of the windows on Decks 4, 7 and 8 are equipped with defrosting. The air conditioning units are controlled from the ship?s automation system.
The capacity of the air conditioning system is specified under tropical conditions with a water temperature to and from the cooler of 6/12OC.
Public spaces
The interior design of the ship is the product of work by Arkitekt Arne Johansen. The firm responsible for interior outfitting was Hotech, which used a number of sub-suppliers, among them Electrolux for galley and mess equipment. Public facilities include numerous lounges, restaurants and bars, conference rooms, a swimming pool and a health suite including sauna. Decorating the ship is artwork from 11 Norwegian artists.
A Hurtigruten ship is scheduled to leave Bergen every evening on an 11-day round-trip that can take it as far north as Kirkenes near the Russian border ? calling at numerous towns and villages en route. While the ships? primary function is as a lifeline for the communities they serve, the beauty of Norway?s fjords is attracting increasing numbers of tourists to travel on the vessels. In turn, the operators of the ships are providing for these tourists, by building new ships with cruise style standards.
This year two new ferries have entered the Hurtigruten service. Finnmarken, operated by Ofotens og Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab (OVDS), was delivered from Norway?s Kleven Verft in early April. Trollfjord, operated by Troms Fylkes Dampskibsselskab, was delivered from Norway?s Fosen MEK a month later.
Both ships have the capacity to carry vehicles and both dry and refrigerated cargo. And both carry passengers. Yet features such as twin efficiency rudders make Finnmarken the more interesting ship technically.
Good seakeeping
The design of Finnmarken was developed by Kleven Verft, in cooperation with the shipyard and the architect Arne Johansen, from a base of Nordnorge, a hurtigruten ferry built by the yard in 1997. However the yard says the end result is considerably different, with Finnmarken being about 15m longer, 2m wider and having an additional deck.
The hull is designed to provide good seakeeping, manoeuvrability and stability, while maintaining a classic rounded stern appearance, explains Kleven. The Marine Technology Centre in Trondheim undertook model tests of hull forms. The yard says that sea trials have confirmed that the selected hull shape is easily driven.
Manoeuvrability is given by the installation of two Brunvoll tunnel thrusters at the bow, a Rolls-Royce azimuth thruster at the stern, two CP propellers and twin Wärtsilä Propac flap rudders ? the latter has been described at length in previous issues of The Motor Ship. Stability is enhanced through two B+V Industrietechnik anti-roll stabilisers fitted amidships.
To reduce noise and vibration the shipyard says it has used flexible mountings to minimise any resonance transmitted from the main machinery. It says it has also equipped some spaces with floating decks and double ceilings.
The John Crane Lips supplied propellers are designed to minimise pressure impulses on the hull under the vessel?s operating condition, says the yard, and vibration analyses were carried out during the design process. Kleven says it evaluated funnel designs in the wind tunnel to keep smoke and soot away from the decks. It has also installed an Infrafone exhaust cleaning system.
Getting onboard
Access is provided by sideports on the port side. Cargo and car access to the tank top, Deck 1 and spaces over the engine room is via a sideport amidships. The passenger gangway is forward of this. The shipyard says the layout allows both passengers and freight to be brought onboard (or put ashore) at quays of limited length with large tidal ranges.
To fulfil car deck flooding stability requirements, Finnmarken has two splash barriers dividing the space. These are arranged on each side of the centre casing. MacGregor, which also provided the side ports and cargo handling system, supplied the doors. Finnmarken has 14 watertight subdivisions below the bulkhead deck. The vessel meets two compartment subdivision requirements.
Refrigeration ? holds and stores
The ship has three cargo holds of 75, 407 and 308m3 volume. These holds are insulated to a K-value of about 0.465W/m2/OC and can take chilled or frozen cargo with individual temperature regulation. One or two holds can be warmed while the others are refrigerated.
There is a double overhead with ducts through which air circulates. Temperature regulation is provided by three Teknotherm/Mycom screw compressors (using R-507) each rated at 41kW at -37.5/+42OC. Direct evaporators are fitted, with electrical defrosting; which is also used for warming the holds. The whole system has its own programmable logic control. This has direct communication with the ship?s main control and monitoring system allowing operation from the control room or the bridge. The decks are dimensioned for forklift truck axle loads.
The ship has eight provision rooms ? six for chilled stores and two for frozen ? and a thawing room. The total provision room volume is about 306m3. There is also a cold room by the galley on Deck 4. Two Bock piston compressors each of 20.7kW provide refrigerating capacity. The controls interface with the vessel?s main monitoring system.
A central refrigerating unit is installed to cover cooling requirements in the galley, cafeteria and dining room. The equipment is located in the engine room and comprises two Bock capacity regulated compressors using R-507A.
Machinery control and automation
The requirement of the propulsion system is to give optimum engine loading and fuel economy under the many operating conditions that apply on the various stretches of Norway?s coastline, explains Kleven.
Two nine cylinder main engines are located ahead of two gearboxes, with shaft generators inboard of them. Two six cylinder engines are mounted aft of the gearboxes, inboard of the shaft lines. These can be coupled either to their own generators or to the main gears. A stepped bulkhead separates the two sets of engines, with one gearbox in each engine room for maximum redundancy in the event of damage to the vessel.
An ABB Master integrated automation system controls and monitors all functions, including machinery alarms, an electronic tank sounding system, remote control of pumps and valves, remote operation of fans and control and monitoring of the ship?s ventilation system.
A power management system provides load sharing between generators, automatic load dependent starting, synchronising and stopping of gensets and control of thruster breakers.
Concycle shaft generators, which can produce constant voltage and frequency when operating at variable speeds, enable five different operating modes. A shaft generator can also function as a motor when fed with power from the other shaft generator.
The five modes are:
n Harbour Mode ? one auxiliary generator supplies the electrical requirements. The other auxilary genset is on standby. The main engines are shut down
n Manoeuvring mode ? each main engine drives a propeller, through the reduction gear, and a Concycle generator (which supplies the switchboard). One auxiliary genset runs in parallel with the Concycle units. This provides sufficient power for the two tunnel thrusters and the azimuth thruster. The second aux genset is on standby
n Sailing Mode 1 ? the connections are similar to the above. One genset is on standby. Sufficient electrical power is generated for ship services, the azimuth thruster and one tunnel thruster
n Sailing Mode 2 ? the auxiliary engines provide the power, with the main engines on standby. The auxiliaries are coupled to the gearbox and supply the vessel?s electrical requirements (via the Concycle shaft generators) and turn the propellers (via the reduction gear). In event of a shaft generator failing, the auxiliary sets? generators are ready for use. Sufficient power is available to use the azimuth thruster and one tunnel thruster
n Sailing Mode 3 ? one auxiliary engine is coupled to its gearbox, providing power to the propeller while supplying electrical load from the associated Concycle generator. On the other side the main engine drives both its propeller and its shaft generator. One main engine and one auxiliary engine are on standby.
In all modes, the system is designed to automatically prevent loss of manoeuvring capability in case of failure or overload. Measures can include starting a standby unit, or disconnecting heavy consumers, depending on the particular situation and operating mode, says the ship?s builder.
Bridge equipment
Navigation and communications equipment was supplied and fitted by Norwegian-based company Emil Longva. The Ship Control Centre was put together by the yard, OVDS, STN Atlas Elektronik Norge, and Hareid Elektriske Teknikk. The latter was responsible for all bridge consoles.
DNV has given the bridge layout Naut C classification. The shipyard says it is equipped to Watch1-OC1. A TV camera is installed aft to aid navigation.
Finnmarken will follow a route pre-planned into the system. One navigator controls the automation, while the second navigator checks visual references and keeps an eye on his colleague. The vessel is steered manually only in the narrowest fairways and when manoeuvring at quays.
A satellite navigation system ensures that the courses correspond with the channels. The vessel has two separate Differential GPS systems, using 12 satellites plus a shore station reference. This provides a very accurate position update, with the added safety of two navigators monitoring the situation.
The navigation system retains information on areas where speed restrictions apply and automatically reduces power when the ship comes to them. A Speedpilot function allows speed adjustment over the whole passage to give the desired arrival time. A Trackpilot function makes sure course changes take place with a predetermined turning radius.
Part of the Ship Control Centre comprises an Atlas NACOS navigation and command system (with a 1019 ARPA S and 1019 ARPA X radar) and a multifunction display, which allows the radar image to be superimposed on the ECDIS electronic chart display.
For route planning, the ship is fitted with Atlas Planning Stations, consisting of an A1 size digitising chart table combined with a planning and consulting station.
The navigation outfit also includes a C Plath Naviknot III.NF speedlog and an Atlas Dolog23 doppler log, which indicates speed over the ground and speed sideways when manoeuvring. The system includes a rate of turn gyro. Two Plath Navigat X Mk1 gyro-compasses, two Trimble NavtracXL DGPS receivers with remote units and a Furuno Loran C are also installed.
A Sailor GMDSS radio, Inmarsat C with EGC receiver and a Saturn B class 1 satcoms system are the major elements of the communications system.
Internal
communications
A combined alarm and public address system is duplicated, with redundant amplifiers and loudspeakers, in accordance with current rules and recommendations. Alarm signals and announcements are transmitted to ceiling mounted loudspeakers and speaker telephones in all cabins.
Passenger cabins have digital telephones with built-in loudspeakers. These are automatically checked and if a failure is logged a signal is given on the bridge, together with a failure report from a special printer.
Fire fighting system
Finnmarken?s fire alarm system is based on the Delta concept. It uses a PC screen display and individually addressable fire alarms. The system, provided by Eltek Fire & Safety AS, is capable of lowering the alarm levels to detect smouldering fires, to raise them to allow for dirty or dusty sensors and to distinguish ?spikes? which could give false alarms.
The spread of a fire can be monitored on screen. The colours vary according to the smoke concentration, helping those responsible to direct crew members to fight the fire at the most critical locations at the right time. The system also controls and monitors the various fire doors.
A Unitor/Norsk Sprinkler sea water drench system covers the vehicle deck, the car hoist and the pallet hoist. The ship has F-C class notation and a high pressure CO2 system from Unitor serves the cargo spaces.
High pressure CO2 is also available for fire fighting in the engine room, together with a local application fire fighting system using foam.
In passenger spaces fresh water at high pressure is used for firefighting. A Marioff Hi-Fog water mist system is installed. It features 12 pumps each capable of supplying 48.7l per minute at 140 bar. A battery of nitrogen cylinders provide redundancy in case of electrical power failure.
An air compressor maintains a standby system pressure of 25 bar. Water is distributed to the sprinkler heads in stainless steel pipes. Valves control supply to various sections of the system. As soon as water flow is activated, the pumps start and raise the pressure from the standby 25 bar to 140 bar. The section valves indicate which heads have been activated by fire.
Fresh water is supplied from the ship?s tanks, but if the situation requires it the pumps can draw seawater, giving an unlimited duration. A large number of normal fire hydrants and powder and water hand extinguishers supplement the fog system.
Fresh water supply
Fresh water for domestic purposes, boiler feed and water injection for the engines is produced by two RWO reverse osmosis units. Ultraviolet mineral filtration and chlorine dosing equipment is installed to ensure water cleanliness.
Waste and sanitation
The ship has DNV?s Clean Design notation. This requires a comprehensive system for handling solid and liquid waste from its 374 toilets, various urinals and greywater tanks.
Sewage sludge and ground-up garbage is handled by a Pyrall PR100 incinerator. It can handle 200kg/h of ground-up waste and 100l/h of concentrated sludge from sewage. The ship also has a C15 garbage grinder, five Uson 550 grinders for galley waste and a silo to receive the output. Italian-firm I.S.I.R. supplied variouys other pieces of handling equipment such as a particle separator, a press for removing water from the separator, a fat separator, a crusher for glass and a can compactor.
The company also provided the sewage treatment plant, two Bioepuro B250 units, and a Permagrey PG8 grey water handling system based on sand filter and membrane technology.
Jets Vacuum supplied two vacuum units (each built-up of three 60MB units), for the toilet system. RWO supplied a bilge water separator with a throughput of 2.5m3/h.
Air conditioning
The ship will operate under many climatic conditions. Thus the air conditioning system installed is required to maintain an internal summer temperature of 27OC and 50% relative humidity with an external temperature of up to 35OC, 70% relative humidity, and a sea temperature up to 35OC. At the other extreme, an internal temperature of 21OC must be maintained with the outside air at -25OC.
The air conditioning plant for the various spaces is located in 13 rooms split between the three main fire zones. Ductwork within each fire zone is further subdivided by fire and smoke flaps. These close automatically when the fire alarm system registers smoke in the accommodation, giving security against the spread of smoke or flame.
Stainless steel ventilation units are equipped with a heating/cooling section, which operates with steam-heated warm water (25-16OC) and ice water (6.5-13OC), for heating and cooling the air respectively.
The ice water is produced by two Mycom A.C units. Each unit has a cooling capacity of 1,600kW (+2/+45OC) and comprises a screw compressor, an oil separator, condenser and filled evaporator with a high pressure float system. The refrigerant is R-407C.
A post-warming section is fitted, using hot water (80-40OC). Each unit also incorporates a fan with a two-speed motor and a section for humidifying the air.
Air is distributed through a two-channel system. Each cabin has individual temperature regulation via a pneumatic thermostat on the wall. Reutrn air moves partly via the cabin toilet rooms and partly via the alleyways.
In the public spaces a ?rainfall? distribution arrangement is used. This distributes air distribution at low velocity. Air is extracted through vents in the deckhead. Most of the windows on Decks 4, 7 and 8 are equipped with defrosting. The air conditioning units are controlled from the ship?s automation system.
The capacity of the air conditioning system is specified under tropical conditions with a water temperature to and from the cooler of 6/12OC.
Public spaces
The interior design of the ship is the product of work by Arkitekt Arne Johansen. The firm responsible for interior outfitting was Hotech, which used a number of sub-suppliers, among them Electrolux for galley and mess equipment. Public facilities include numerous lounges, restaurants and bars, conference rooms, a swimming pool and a health suite including sauna. Decorating the ship is artwork from 11 Norwegian artists.
