Feature 1 | DANISH MARINE INDUSTRIES Easeacon gains new markets
Marine Alignment’s Easeacon system gauges the strength and stability of a vessel, and can be tailored to shipowners’ requirements.
A
lthough there are some 500 applications in operation of the Easeacon loading software for
containerships, Danish supplier Marine Alignment has increasingly looked beyond this market to embrace a range of vessel types, including offshore production units. Now, there are ship-specific versions for
onboard or office planning and versions capable of bay planning of different ships in an owner’s fleet, all offering extensive online communication features. Indeed, almost 1000 ships have been
equipped with the Easeacon system to date. Customers include companies like CMA
CGM, Rickmers, COSCO, and MISC. Easeacon is a class-approved loading computer package for strength and/or stability assessments. Tere is a shore-based officers’ tool to ensure safe and efficient operation. Easeacon undertakes strength and stability calculations; and cargo handling, management, and planning. Having obtained class type approval,
Easeacon offers a genuine 3D damage stability calculation engine. Using Easeacon, loading calculations can
either be done traditionally with tabular databases or by using a direct calculation method. The cheaper version, using tabular databases, gives quick, reliable, and reasonable accuracy. In the direct method, all stability data can be calculated, including the equilibrium for the ship, with a list generated to flag up a damaged condition. The type of loading instrument that
should be used is dependent on the stability requirements for the individual ship, based on the Unified Requirements, UR L5, issued by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS). For ships contracted aſter July 2005, three types of stability criteria will prevail: intact stability only; intact stability with checks against the damage stability KG limiting curve; or damage stability. Easeacon can be configured to interface
with almost any other system. Links to IMDG codes, stowage segregation guides, ASTM tables, etc allow for accurate
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The Easeacon loading computer is tailor-made for a wide range of ships.
assessment of any cargo situation, taking into account even last-minute decisions. Linking to ASTM tables, for example, minimises the workload for the operator, and the risk of human error. Tere are interfaces to tank level gauging, draught measuring, and communications systems. With an integrated inclining test module,
Easeacon can even calculate the VCG of the ship. ‘One of the Easeacon strongholds is its degree of customisation,’ said Sven Dyrdal, sales and marketing manager, Marine Alignment. ‘This relates to interfacing with other systems, such as tank and reefer monitoring, and to booking systems, as well as implementing features and reports of customer requests.’ Recently, an interface was developed for
Dutch company Amarcon’s data collection system Octopus, which is installed on a series of CMA CGM containerships. Easeacon exports draught, trim, stability, and strength data to Octopus.
Range of versions Today, there are versions of Easeacon developed for ro-ro vessels, multi-purpose
vessels, reefers, LPG and LNG carriers, bulk carriers, and tankers. Tere are more than 100 bulk carriers using the system. For reefer ships, Easeacon has been working closely with the Dutch shipowner Seatrade in developing a special module for the transport of palletised goods. With Lauritzen Kosan as development
partner in the LPG carrier market, Easeacon was developed to accommodate the demands for accuracy and the rather extensive calculation needs. Easeacon is also used on VLCCs and smaller crude oil carriers, and on a number of product and chemical tankers. On the ro-ro vessel side, Easeacon has
strong cooperation from companies such as Grimaldi Lines and NileDutch Shipping. According to Mr Dyrdal, the operation of ro-ro ships constitutes the challenge of fast decision-making and the ability to assess possible loading changes quickly. Various checks and improved visualisation techniques, interface to booking systems, and features for pre-planning of cargo loading have additionally been developed for ro-pax
vessels.NA
The Naval Architect April 2008
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