Selecting

the Right
Shipyard

GIVES YOU THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL TO INFLUENCE THE

QUALITY OF YOUR NEWBUILDING AND LIFECYCLE COST.

WSM and WE Marine share key findings from shipyard

audits in China.

WHITEPAPER | 2018
 Shipyard Facility Production Sampling
& Process Capacity a Ship

A robust shipyard
selection process
is crucial to ensuring
the success of your
newbuilding project

Selecting the right shipyard also gives you the best opportunity to influence the quality
of your newbuilding and its lifecycle cost thereafter.
In the following sections, WSM and WE Marine share their knowledge and experience
of three key categories to assess during a shipyard audit.

Assessment of Assessment of Sampling a ship that

shipyard facilities & production capacity is close to completion
implemented process (if possible)

While this is non-exhaustive, this overview aims to provide an indication to owners

of the key considerations that are important when selecting a shipyard.

2 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

Assessment of Shipyard Facility
& Process
Production
Capacity
Sampling
a Ship

Shipyard Facilities

We highly recommend a visual inspection

of the following areas during a shipyard audit.
In our experience, observation of the shipyard’s
working environment, production flow and
processes throughout the facilities provides
valuable insights to the assessment

Shipyard facilities recommended for assessment: Assessing the environment and working
conditions of these areas can indicate
• Steel pre-treatment line
the organisation, planning, management
• Cutting & processing workshop
and resource control of the shipyard.
• Sub assembly & block assembly workshop
• Block assembly platform outdoor A well-constructed and organised
• Block pre-outfitting indoor & outdoor shipyard displays a logical production
• Blasting & painting workshop flow throughout its layout and space.
• Pre-erection area
In the following sections, we share
• Slipway/dock
best practices observed during the
• Machinery workshop
shipbuilding process.
• Electrical workshop
• Outfitting berth
• Storage & warehouse

3 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

Steel Pre-Treatment Shipyard Facility
& Process
Production
Capacity
Sampling
a Ship

Process

Good quality treated steel plates will save your

project significant lead time and cost in later
stages of the newbuilding process

SURFACE PREPARATION PREPARATION BY BLAST CLEANING

Proper steel surface preparation is the foundation of an optimum coating that
protects against corrosion. There are a few surface preparation standards widely
accepted, with ISO standards generally being the most common. We are of the
opinion that a well managed steel treatment plant should treat the steel plates
in accordance with Sa 2½ standards at a minimum.
Sa 1 Light blast cleaning. Loose mill scale, rust and foreign matter
must be removed. The appearance shall correspond to the
prints designated Sa 1.
Sa 2 Thorough blast cleaning. Almost all mill scale, rust and foreign
matter must be removed. Finally the surface is cleaned with
a vacuum cleaner, clean dry compressed air or a clean dry
brush. It must then correspond is appearance to the prints
designated Sa 2.

Sa 2½ Very thorough blast cleaning. Mill scale, rust and foreign matter
must be removed to the extent that the only traces remaining
are slight stains in the form of spots or stripes. Finally the surface
is cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, clean dry compressed air,
or clean dry brush. It must then correspond in appearance
to the prints designated Sa 2½.

Sa 3 Blast cleaning to pure metal. Mill scale, rust and foreign matter
must be removed completely. Finally the surface is cleaned with
a vacuum cleaner, clean dry compressed air, or a clean dry brush.
It must then have a uniform metallic colour and correspond
in appearance to the prints designated Sa 3.

A smooth steel plate surface seen Inconsistent and rough steel plate
during visual inspection. surface seen during visual inspection.

4 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

 Shipyard Facility Production Sampling
& Process Capacity a Ship

SHOP PRIMER APPLICATION

It is crucial that shop primer paint applied
to steel surfaces provides adequate corrosion
protection during the shipbuilding process.
The coating will act as a protective layer
during cutting, shaping, sub-assembly &
assembly and secondary surface treatment.
Time and cost savings are achievable
if steel plates are properly treated with
a good shop primer coating, as this
significantly reduces work during
the secondary treatment process. When the shop primer is applied Inconsistent surface due to visible
well, the coating is consistent coating gaps known as “Holidays”.
across entire surface.

5 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

Cutting & Shipyard Facility
& Process
Production
Capacity
Sampling
a Ship

Shaping Process STEEL CUTTING

A good cutting job maximises the use of steel material. Steel cutting should
be undertaken digitally as much as possible to avoid miscalculation and error

Steel cutting and shaping that can arise during manual cutting.
Good cutting and edge milling machines will produce well-cut steel plate
is a key component of the and edge grooves which do not show visible signs of slag or notch.

manufacturing process

Steel plates cut by machine. Steel edge Manually cut steel. Visible slag and
is well-cut and beveled. notch on steel edges.

HANDLING OF STEEL PLATE

Using a magnet lift to transport steel plates is an essential requirement to reduce
the possibility of deformation and damage to the edges.

Magnets used in parallel to lift steel A steel plate bends as it is lifted

plates to maintain its original form. for transportation.
6 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD
 Shipyard Facility Production Sampling
& Process Capacity a Ship

STEEL SHAPING
Bending plates and profiles should be undertaken by skilled and certified workers,
supported with a suitable bending machine and well prepared mould.
The most common hot working method used to bend frames is the principle of line
heating. Skilled and certified workers will apply an appropriate amount of heat and
speed to each point to achieve the desired shape of the curve, thereby preventing
overheating of the plates.
Visual inspection of curved plates produced in the shipyard will indicate the quality
of the cutting & shaping process.

Bending machinery with Good frame bending: Edges are smooth

adjustable mould. and no material cracks are observed.

SHAPING BY HEATING

Heat is applied on steel plate Visible streak lines on steel plates

in a pattern at certain intervals. indicates numerous heating treatment
done (Overheated plates).

7 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

Sub-Assembly & Shipyard Facility
& Process
Production
Capacity
Sampling
a Ship

Assembly Process

Working conditions in the shipyard facility

determine production quality and efficiency

WORKING CONDITIONS
An indoor facility is highly recommended for sub-assembly & block assembly processes.
The indoor facility should provide shelter from all kinds of weather conditions.
This is an ideal working environment for the scope of work undertaken by fitters and welders.
This is particularly important in the pre-heating and temperature preservation processes
used for thick and high-tensile plates. Weather conditions can influence the temperature
of the plates, thereby reducing the efficiency of welds.
This process should only be carried out in a dedicated indoor location and by an experienced
working team.

Indoor preheating in controlled Uncontrolled outdoor environment is

environment is ideal. not encouraged for preheating and
welding procedures.

8 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

 Shipyard Facility Production Sampling
& Process Capacity a Ship

ASSEMBLY PROCESS
It is strongly recommended to visually
and closely inspect a block being built
in the shipyard to determine more about
the quality of production.

Straight line edge: Poor block assembly due to incorrect

Good run-on and -off. placement of structural member.

Common points to look out

for inspections are:

Steel plate Component integrity Welding quality Alignment of plates Non-destructive Accuracy control & Pre-outfitting
materials & and structures testing final dimension report
thickness

9 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

Painting Shipyard Facility
& Process
Production
Capacity
Sampling
a Ship

Process
An ideal facility for painting
should demonstrate
the following:

Designated indoor workshops for

separate blasting and painting work

Equipped with a centralised

compressor, ventilation, dust
collector and heating system

Enclosed working environment;

clean and clear from dust

Compliant to the IMO Performance

Standard for Protective Coating (PSPC)

10 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

 Shipyard Facility Production Sampling
& Process Capacity a Ship

Effective monitoring and control of the painting

work is critical. This is particularly important for
the ballast tank coating where lifetime performance
can be influenced at the newbuilding stage

PAINTING WORKSHOP SAMPLING INSPECTION

Quality of the paintwork on a coated block
can be determined by observing elements
such as strip coating, protection at the
edge of the blocks, protection at the
tank or block entry and passage ways.

Enclosed workshop. Painting facility in an open environment.

PAINT APPLICATION

Completed section of a ballast tank Block assembly edges unprotected

11 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD with strip edge coating. by paint coating.
Pre-Erection
Process
Pre-erection has become
a standard shipyard practice
used to reduce a newbuilding’s
time in dock. Shipyards
equipped with adequate
infrastructure to transport
large blocks will be able
to perform this process
very efficiently
12 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD
Shipyard Facility
& Process
Production
Capacity
Sampling
a Ship
SHIPYARD FACILITY FOR PRE-ERECTION
Prior to pre-erection, blocks completed with paintwork are positioned at the lifting
range of the slipway or dry dock gantry cranes to be pre-erected. The blocks will
undergo further outfitting and painting to become mega blocks during the process.
This methodology promotes good resource planning as it allows workers to focus
on their designated tasks during the pre-erection process, increasing overall quality
and efficiency.
The extent to which superstructure mega blocks are completed prior to erection
can vary significantly between shipyards.
Notable areas which commonly indicate competence gaps are in the outfitting,
piping, cabling, installation of equipment and paint work.
A good facility has lifting capacity Mega blocks can be erected with
and pre-erection field. crane capacity.
A poorly done superstructure mega block
Pre-erected mega-block. with only steel work and minor outfitting
are completed prior to erection.
Pipe Fabrication & Shipyard Facility
& Process
Production
Capacity
Sampling
a Ship

Pre-Assembly
Pipe fabrication and pre-assembly is another
critical process that is often under-estimated.
Accuracy in pipe outfitting and block building
will ensure good fitting of pipe joints

PIPING FABRICATION FIT-UP

Shop primer protecting the pipes. Rusty pipes.

13 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

 Shipyard Facility Production Sampling
& Process Capacity a Ship

Most modern shipyards have adopted a pipe pre-assembly process as standard.

To improve overall quality and efficiency, engine room piping or deck piping (particularly
for tankers) is outfitted with machinery fittings (such as pump and valve equipment)
either in the piping workshop or at hull blocks.
PIPING PRE-ASSEMBLY

Piping pre-assembly in workshop. Assembly of piping after block erection.

PIPING FABRICATION WELDING

Pipe welded and cleaned Unprotected surface of ballast

(Inner pipe surface is smooth water pipe (Inner pipe surface
14 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD and clean). is rusty and dirty).
Erection & Shipyard Facility
& Process
Production
Capacity
Sampling
a Ship

Launching
Slipway or dry dock erection
is the most expensive part
of the newbuilding process
as it takes place in the highest
cost facility of a shipyard

Every measure should be taken to ensure optimal working conditions

such as height of the keel blocks, safe & easily accessible scaffolding Sufficient height of support blocks allows optimal work conditions underneath the newbuilding.
at erection joints, and appropriate air-handling of ballast tanks.
Other important assessments recommended at a shipyard include:

Ship launching methods

Overhead crane lifting capacity and range

Impact of seasonal factors such as water level & depth

(to determine whether all-year launching is possible)
Low support blocks make working conditions more difficult.

15 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

Assessment of Shipyard Facility
& Process
Production
Capacity
Sampling
a Ship

Production Capacity
Assessing the total production capacity
and track record (previous and ongoing
projects) of the shipyard is paramount
to determining the capacity available
for your newbuilding project

Developing an estimation of the earliest availability of the slipway/dry dock

slot for your newbuilding project is a good measure of whether the shipyard’s
production flow suits your planned schedule.
In addition to capacity, it is imperative to evaluate the strength of management
and employees at the shipyard.
The ratio of employees working in production, quality control and the design
department should be reviewed to assess the capability of the shipyard.

16 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

 Shipyard Facility Production Sampling
& Process Capacity a Ship

Evaluation of the
production plan will
indicate the shipyard’s
production capability

A typical newbuilding production

milestone plan comprises:
THIS CHART DEMONSTRATES A NEWBUILDING PRODUCTION PLAN
FOR FOUR SISTER SHIPS

2016 2017
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Block Stage Erection Stage Quay Stage Delivery

Evaluating the consistency of time taken

to complete each stage provides a good
indication of the shipyard’s production
capacity and capability
THIS CHART SUMMARISES THE TIME TO BE TAKEN (IN DAYS) FOR
EACH STAGE OF CONSTRUCTION OF EACH SHIP:
Hull No. Block Stage Erection Stage Quay Stage
(from Steel Cutting (from Keel Laying (from Launching
to Keel Laying) to Launching) to Delivery)

1 144 135 113

2 148 121 134

17 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

Looking Out for Shipyard Facility
& Process
Production
Capacity
Sampling
a Ship

Tell Tale Signs

Observe the shipyard
environment and
surroundings to provide
signs of capacity issues

Are there ‘laid up’ constructions in the yard? For example,

rusted blocks; ships on the slipway or in dry dock which
are not yet complete; fully completed ships alongside
the yard jetty?
Abandoned projects which have not been completed can
materially impact on the shipyard’s production capacity
and efficiency.

18 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

 Shipyard Facility Production Sampling
& Process Capacity a Ship

Inspecting a Newbuilding
that is Close to Completion
(If Possible)
It is ideal to visit
a newbuilding that
is close to completion
at the shipyard berth

In our experience this greatly assists

in providing a direct impression of the
quality of a newbuilding constructed
at that shipyard.
This, however, is not always possible
as approval to do so is at the shipyard
or owner’s discretion.

19 SELECTING THE RIGHT SHIPYARD

 Wilhelmsen Ship Management and CSIC Bohai
CSIC SHG

WestEast Marine collaboratively CSIC Dalian COSCO

provide value added newbuilding Dalian

supervision services to owners

Dalian COSCO
Tianjin Xingang Kawasaki

building in Chinese shipyards

AVIC

HC
Zhongbai Jinglu
Wuchang Shipbuilding
Industry
OUR COMBINED EXPERIENCE OF 11 YEARS IN THE CHINESE SHIPBUILDING CSIC Beihai
Hantong
BUSINESS, ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH SHIPYARDS THROUGHOUT
YZJ
CHINA, AND EXPERIENCE GAINED THROUGH THE SUPERVISION OF OVER Yangzi Xinfu
Kouan
40 NEWBUILDING PROJECTS WILL ENSURE THAT YOUR NEWBUILDING COSCO Shipping Jiangdu
Sanfu NTS
OBJECTIVES ARE MET AND YOUR INTERESTS PROTECTED. AVIC Dingheng COSCO Kawasaki
Hongqiang
Jinling
New Hantong CSSC JNCX
COSCO CIC
CSSC Chengxi CSSC Shipbuilding
HRDD
COSCO Shanghai
Wuhu Xinlian Hudong Zhonghua
Shanghai Waigaoqiao ZESCO
KaiLing Yangfan
Chongqing Chuandong IMC-YY Jinhai Heavy Industry

Jiangzhou Union Zhejiang Xinle

Tsuneishi Group (Zhoushan) COSCO Zhoushan
Yangtze River Tongfang Jiangxin Xinya
Zhejiang Zengzhou

Huadong
Pearl River

Mawei
Dongnan

XSI

Wenchong Dockyard
Yuexin Ocean Engineering JMS
CSSC GSI Nanyang Shipbuilding Engineering
LEGEND

Newbuilding & Dockyard Yiulian

Huangpu
Current Newbuilding Sites COSCO Guangdong

Pure Dockyard CSSC Wenchong

 WILHELMSEN SHIP MANAGEMENT
SINGAPORE PTE LTD
1 Kim Seng Promenade
#09-06 Great World City, East Tower
Singapore 237994
T (+65) 6513 4670
W wilhelmsen.com/ship-management

WESTEAST MARINE
CONSULTING CO LTD
Room B, 10/F, Hualian Building A
No.359, Dong Da Ming Road
Shanghai 200080
T (+86) 21 6543 7296
F (+86) 21 3530 5872
W wemarine.cn
Disclaimer: All information is correct to the best of our knowledge and is non-exhaustive.
Enable, Enhance, Simplify. Content within are solely our views.