Western
Highway is the newly build car carrier of the ship-owner Bulkstar
Enterprise. The vessel has a capacity to carry 3,893 units. The
car carrier has 10 decks, and while building the most important
problem that was solved, was about security and high production
of roll on and roll off of cars. The ship can be loaded from 2 points,
ramps situated on the starboard middle and on the stern. The ramps
can load not more than 10 cars per minute, but even this rate is
too big for the loading of such vessel. The vessel can carry heavy
vehicles on board only on the two decks. All the decks can be lift,
which is very important for car carriers for quick loading and discharging.
The
ship Western Highway was built in Shin Kurushima Dockyard Ltd and
Onushi Shipyard in May, 2007. The vessel has deadweight of 12,980
metric tons and a gross tonnage of 39,422 metric tons. The measurements
of the vessel are generous. The length of Western Highway is 188.03
meters and beam is 28.20 meters. The draft of the car carrier is
8.524 meters from the whole draught of 27.97 meters. This means
that the large freeboard of the ship is 19.446 meters. This is the
main measure of one car carrier. Western Highway not only needs
a large capacity of space, but also needs a high speed. This speed
can be received from large and high productive engine. The main
engine of Western Highway is 8UEC 560LSII diesel. This engine is
giving to the vessel a power of 8,925 kW and auxillary diesel generators
add 1,500 kW more to the power of Western Highway. The
problem with rolling on and off was solved with making the direct
ramp from the boarding deck to the uppermost deck. This is making
the loading of vehicles practically from 3 points, in spite of 2
loading ramps. The vessel has a lot of other innovations, which
are making the seamen life easier and better. The support system
for lifting cargo decks is easy and can be operated only by one
man. This offers a free people for working of loading or discharging.
The engine has some developments with are decreasing a fuel consumption
and enhaust gas emissions. In fact the ship got a record for lowest
fuel consumption engine in the world. Western Highway is the ship
that is taking most awards and certificated for her engine and ecology.
The innovations in cargo ramps decreased staying into the ports
to a minimum time. This is because of large stern ramp and other
ramps that are installed on board. Also easy operations with deck
moving system give less time for moving the decks up and down. The
stern ramp has measurements that will make you wonder how so large
ramp can be situated to a vessel. The length of the ramp is 30 meters
and the width is 17 meters. This allows to the vessel to increase
the speed of loading or discharging vehicles.
A
lot of time designers and constructors paid about safety system.
The high detection fire system was installed in the engine room
and in the cargo holds. This system is new for car carriers and
comes from chemical tankers. It is very sensitive and the results
that it is giving are accurate. The fire extinguishing system does
not use CO2, which helps for reduction of greenhouse gases.
The
remote control that is used into the engine room can transfer the
ruling over the main engine and auxillary generators to the bridge
or to the remote engine room. Also the multi-functional ITV is giving
information about all engines and their condition all the time.
This helps to be detected every problem, even if the sensors are
showing that everything is alright. With all these innovations this
ship is sailing almost by itself. And this is not only big, but
very useful car carrier of Bulkstar Enterprise. date: 30th April, 2008
