Deck machineries for cargo ships

The various items of machinery and equipment found outside of the

machinery space of modern cargo ship. These include deck
machinery such as mooring equipment, anchor handling equipment,
cargo handling equipment and hatch covers. Other items include
lifeboats and liferafts, emergency equipment, watertight doors,
stabilisers and bow thrusters.

The operations of mooring, cargo handling and anchor handling all

involve controlled pulls or lifts using chain cables, wire or hemp
ropes. The drive force and control arrangements adopted will
influence the operations. Several methods are currently in use, and
these will be examined before considering the associated
equipment. Three forms of power are currently in use: steam,
hydraulic and electric, Each got its advantages and disadvantages
for particular duties or locations.

Steam powered deck machinery

With a steam powering and control system the steam pipelines are
run along the deck to the various machines. Steam is admitted first
to a directional valve and then to the steam admission valve.
Double-acting steam engines, usually with two cylinders, are used
to drive the machinery. Additional back pressure valves are used
with mooring winches to control tension when the machine is stalled
or brought to a stop by the load. Arrangements must also be made,
often associated with the back pressure valve, to counteract the
fluctuations in main steam line pressure as a result of other users of
steam.

The steam-powered system was widely used on tankers since it

presented no fire or explosion risk, but the lengths of deck pipework
and the steam engines themselves presented considerable
maintenance tasks which have generally resulted in their
replacement by hydraulically powered equipment.

Hydraulic systems

The open-loop circuit takes oil from the tank and pumps it into the
hydraulic motor. A control valve is positioned in parallel with the
motor. When it is open the motor is stationary; when it is throttled
or closed the motor will operate. The exhaust oil returns to the
tank. This method can provide stepless control, i.e. smooth changes
in motor speed. The live-line circuit, on the contrary, maintains a
high pressure from which the control valve draws pressurised oil to
the hydraulic motor (in series with it), as and when required.

In the closed-loop circuit the exhaust oil is returned direct to the

pump suction. Since the oil does not enter an open tank, the system
is considered closed.

Low-pressure systems use the open-loop circuit and are simple in

design as well as reliable. The equipment is, however, large,
inefficient in operation and overheats after prolonged use.

Medium-pressure systems are favoured for marine applications,

using either the open or closed circuit. Smaller installations are of
the open-loop type. Where considerable amounts of hydraulic
machinery are fitted the live-circuit, supplied by a centralised
hydraulic power system, would be most economical.

Electrical operation

Early installations used d.c. supply with resistances in series to

provide speed control . This inefficient power-wasting method was
one possibility with d.c., but a better method was the use of Ward
Leonard control. The high cost of all the equipment involved in Ward
Leonard control and its maintenance is, however, a considerable
disadvantage.

Machines operated on an a.c. supply require a means of speed

control with either pole-changing or slip-ring motors being used.
Slip-ring motors require low starting currents but waste power at
less than full speed and require regular maintenance. Pole-changing
motors are of squirrel cage construction, providing for perhaps three
different speeds. They require large starting currents, although
maintenance is negligible.

Apart from the advantages and disadvantages for each of the drive
and control methods, all electric drives have difficulty with heavy
continuous overloads. Each system has its advocates and careful
design and choice of associated equipment can provide a
satisfactory installation.

Handling Deck machineries: safety precautions

The operation of mooring a vessel has traditionally required the

attendance of a large number of deck crew fore and aft. Supervision
of the moorings was also necessary to maintain correct tension
through changes due to the tides and the loading or unloading of
cargo.

The installation of constant tension mooring winches, which

maintain tension in ropes through any rise and fall, has removed
the need for constant attendance and equipment is available for
tying up which is designed for operation by as few as two men.

Large container ships may have four mooring winches on the after
deck; each of the seif-tensioning type with its own rope drum.
Controls are duplicated and are situated at each side of the vessel,
giving a clear view of the operation. Mooring ropes are paid out
directly from the drums as they are hauled by the heaving lines
from the quay. With the loop in place on the bollard, the capstan is
set on auto-tension after slack is taken up and the ship is correctly
moored. A common arrangement forward is for two similar winches
plus rope drums for auto-tensioning on each windlass.

The introduction of steel hatchcovers not only speeded up the

operation of opening and closing the covers but also reduced the
number of personnel required for the task. Rolling and folding
covers may be operated by a pull wire or hydraulically. Covers for
large container ships may be lifted bodily by crane and there are
now hatchcoverless container ships in service.

Cargo handling may be by winches and derricks or cranes. Some

geared bulk carriers have overhead cranes arranged to travel on
rails.

Most deck machinery is idle during much of its life while the ship is
at sea. In port, cargo equipment will be in use for one or more days
but the machinery for anchoring and mooring is used for a very
limited time. Deck machinery with a restricted and intermittent duty
may be designed with drives with a rating limited from 30 minutes
to one hour. Despite long periods of idleness, often in severe
weather conditions, machinery must operate immediately, when
required. Cooling vents, open when machinery is working, must be
closed for the sea passage.

It is essential that deck machinery should require minimum

maintenance. Totally enclosed equipment with oil bath lubrication
for gears and bearings is now standard but maintenance cannot be
completely eliminated and routine checking and greasing should be
carried out on a planned basis. There are many instances where
remote or centralized control is of great advantage, for example,
the facility for letting go anchors from the bridge under emergency
conditions; the use of shipside controllers with mooring winches; or
the central control positions required for the multi-winch slewing
derrick system.

The machinery on the deck of an oil tanker is limited to that used

for anchor handling and mooring plus pumproorn fans and
equipment for handling the gangway and stores. Power was
universally provided in the past by steam. Hydraulic equipment is
now common, sometimes with air motors for gangway duties. The
availability of safe electrical equipment means that electric motor
drives can be used where appropriate.

Liquefied gas carriers and product or chemical tankers have similar

deck machinery installations but the drive motor for deepwell
pumps may be an induction motor of the increased or enhanced
safety type. Either electric or hydraulic drives are installed for deck
machinery of dry cargo vessel.