Explain the six stages in shipbuilding process.

(10 marks)

Shipbuilding is an industry that produces products (ships, offshore structures, floating plants, etc.)
for customers (private owners, companies, governments, etc.)
The stages in the shipbuilding process are
1. development of owner's requirements
2. preliminary/concept design
3. contract design
4. bidding/contracting
5. detail design and planning
6. construction

1.

The first stage in the shipbuilding process is the formulation of the product requirements
by the customer.

2. The definition of the use or mission of a new ship may be narrow or broad, but the end
product should reflect the owner's needs and intended use.
1.

The preliminary or concept design stage can be done internally by the owner's staff, by a
design agent hired by the owner, or by the staffs of one or more shipyards.

2. The aim is to develop a design that will meet the requirements while taking advantage of
the building experience and capability of a particular shipyard to minimize construction
time and cost.
3. The end product of this stage is a general definition of the ship, including dimensions, hull
form, general arrangement, powering, machinery arrangement, mission systems definition
(such as cargo capacity and handling equipment, combat systems, or habitability),
capacities of variable weights (such as fuel oil, water, crew, and stores) and preliminary
definition of major systems (such as structural, piping, electrical, machinery, and ventilation
[HVAC]).
1.

Based on the general description of the ship to be built, as determined by the end
product of the preliminary design stage, more detailed information is required to permit
bids and/or contracts to be prepared.

2. This information, called the contract design, must be of sufficient detail to permit the
preparation of cost and time-to-build estimates by shipyards interested in the shipbuilding
project.
3. This work can be performed by the owner's staff, by design agents, or by shipyard
personnel.

1.

Following completion of the contract design stage, a specific shipyard is chosen to build
the vessel.

2. Due to the high cost of a new ship, contracts are generally very long and complex.
3. The most significant factors are cost, delivery date, and performance requirements.
1.

After the bidding process is complete, the fifth stage of the shipbuilding process, detail
design and planning and scheduling, proceeds.

2. Detail design and planning must answer the questions of "what, where, how, when, and by
whom."
3. Determining what parts, assemblies, and systems are to be built and what components are
to be purchased is primarily detail design.
4. Where and. how are facility-use questions that include determination of the location within
the shipyard and construction tools and techniques to be used.
5. These questions are resolved as part of planning.
6. When determines the sequencing of all operations, including purchasing and
manufacturing, as well as need times for information (design, planning, approvals, etc.).
7. This is the scheduling function.
8. Finally, by whom relates to the utilization of the shipyard work force.
1.

The final stage of the shipbuilding process is the actual construction of the vessel.

2. Ship construction can be considered to occur in four manufacturing levels.

3. The first is parts manufacturing, using raw materials (such as steel plate and sections, pipe,
sheet metal, and cable) to manufacture individual parts.
4. The next manufacturing level involves the joining of parts and components to form
subassemblies or units.
5. These small collections of joined parts are then combined in the third manufacturing level
to form hull blocks.
6. Erection, the final manufacturing level, involves the landing and joining of blocks at the
building site (such as launching ways, graving dock, or dry dock).