Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

In partnership with Prime Consultant Hornblower Marine Services, Art Anderson Associates is providing naval architecture, marine engineering and related consulting services for Pierce County as part of a Marine Services Contract. The work under the contract includes vessel inspection/evaluation, vessel design services for new or repair work, vessel repair work inspection, liaison with the US Coast Guard and other regulatory bodies, terminal facility design and additional services as-requested.

In November, 2009, we were tasked to provide naval architecture and marine engineering services for the overhaul of the M/V Christine Anderson as she entered her drydocking period. Our scope of work included conducting a shipcheck, developing plans and specifications and performing final QA and submittal of the overhaul package to Pierce County. The work items involved in the overhaul included upgrading diesel generators to 90kw; striping/painting of car deck lanes; replacement of the boat davit with a new foundation, davit and rescue boat; shaft seal water pump and piping modifications for an upgraded cooling system; pilothouse modifications that include new consoles, lockers, work desk, heaters, electrical upgrades and new engine controls; and installation of soundproofing in the engine control room. All upgrades were performed to USCG 46 CFR Subchapter K, ABS Steel Vessels and ASTM standards.

In December, 2009, we were tasked to provide architectural and engineering services for the renovation of the Steilacoom Ferry Terminal. The task goal was to develop a concept designthat would serve as a communication tool to assist the County, local community and ferry riders in establishing a "mutual vision" of the completed facility. Two initial concept designs were developed and used in soliciting input from the public. Based on feedback from the public, a third "optimal" concept was developed. These concepts included plans, exterior and interior renderings, elevations and a cost estimate, and were compiled into an initial concept report transmitted to the County in April, 2010.

Art Anderson Associates provided naval architecture and marine engineering services for Oak Management in the conversion of the ex-USNS Capable to an ocean-going research vessel for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), dubbed the Okeanos Explorer. The converted vessel was classed as an ice-strengthened Survey Vessel by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). It is the only US ship assigned to systematically explore our largely unknown ocean for the purpose of discovery and the advancement of knowledge.

Our initial tasking on this project was based on our extensive knowledge and expertise with the NOAA fleet. We have provided over twenty-five years of primary engineering support to the NOAA Pacific Coast Fleet, under multiple term contracts for naval architecture and marine engineering services. Over the course of the hundreds of tasks on those contracts, we've gained an unrivaled familiarity with NOAA's various research missions and the personnel, systems and equipment that support them. As a result, we prepared a detailed feasibility study of the ex-Capable, working with NOAA to determine how the converted vessel would be outfitted and successfully fulfill its mission requirements. We were then tasked with follow-on work to provide the naval architecture and marine engineering services necessary to execute the conversion.

Our scope of work for the conversion included the renovation of mission spaces, including new equipment foundations, lighting system modifications, electrical system modifications, new laboratory arrangements and fabrication of a new ROV control room console; design of new machinery foundations for the general purpose winch; fabrication and installation of a new J-Frame; electrical and piping modifications for the waste water holding tank; modifications to the ROV handling platform and track; and the addition of new scientific equipment to the main mast. Additional work involved naval architecture services to update post-conversion intact and damage stability data.

Art Anderson Associates has held naval architecture and marine engineering contracts with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for more than twenty-five years, and have been responsible for successfully completing hundreds of tasks in support of the NOAA Pacific and Atlantic fleets. Through the course of these contracts, we've gained unparalleled understanding of the unique needs and characteristics of research vessels. Our work on NOAA tasks has included a number of general science mission requirements, including:

• Winches and Trawl Equipment, including foundations, structures and rigging systems
• Bottom and Floating Net Equipment
• Hydroacoustic Equipment
• Overside Handling Equipment, including masts, booms, davits, frames and handling gear
• Additional Handling Equipment, including scientific data gathering systems like sampling devices, sonar systems, ROVs and a host of specialized systems
• Laboratories, including both wet and dry laboratories

In addition to providing our services for these science mission systems, we have a wealth of experience in designing conventional shipboard systems within the context of a research vessel envelope. This experience includes new and renovation designs for:

• Vessel Arrangements
• Propulsion and Steering Systems
• Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems
• Seawater and Freshwater Piping and Cooling Systems
• Electrical Power and Lighting Systems
• Fire Alarm and Suppression Systems
• Sewage, Bilge and Graywater Systems
• Ballast, Fuel Oil and Potable Water Systems
• Masts, Bulkheads and Other Ship Structures
• Pilothouse/Bridge Equipment and Systems
• Office and Food Service Equipment and Systems
• Life Safety Equipment
• Vessel Trim and Stability
• Vessel Hull Form and Powering

Our ongoing relationship with NOAA is demonstrative of our ability to provide task-order-based naval architecture and marine engineering support services for large vessel fleets.

Art Anderson Associates has served the nation's largest ferry operator, Washington State Ferries, on ten contracts spanning more than 28 years. Our decades of experience and multiple awards for on-call naval architecture and marine engineering are a testament to the depth of knowledge and understanding we have of auto/passenger ferry vessels.

Recent tasks on our on-call contracts include designing heat recovery systems for the Issaquah class ferries, drawing development for the M/V Chelan's fire fighting piping systems, electrical engineering support for the crew endurance lighting project and mechanical/electrical support for various tasks at WSF's offices.

Previous work for WSF includes development of trim and stability booklets for various vessels, propulsion control system replacement for the Evergreen State class, renovations to the M/V Hyak, and electrical engineering support for the Jumbo Mark II class.  WSF continues to rely on Art Anderson Associates to provide high-value naval architectural and marine engineering services for its fleet.