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The project will see the companies integrate respective shipbuilding software to aid design in accordance with the new IACS harmonised Common Structural Rules (CSR). Data linkage will be improved between ClassNK’s PrimeShip-HULL(HCSR) and NAPA Steel, the company’s 3D model based design software.

The IACS harmonised CSR will be applied to tankers over 150m and bulk carriers over 90m contracted after July 1 2015. The rules will demand deeper structural analysis at the design stage, including FEM analyses of cargo hold structures, and new criteria to enhance safety and reliability.

ClassNK says the additional requirements will greatly increase the overall time needed for vessel design, and its PrimeShip-HULL(HCSR) was created specifically to reduce the burden on designers. The software is the first in the world to incorporate the conditions of the new rules, according to ClassNK executive vice president Yasushi Nakamura.

“With PrimeShip-HULL(HCSR) we have already succeeded in reducing the additional time needed for HCSR vessel design by roughly 50%, but our goal is to reduce the workload and in turn costs for ship designers and builders around the world,” says Mr Nakamura.

“By improving the link to NAPA Steel and other design software we believe we can achieve even greater results.”

The integration of the two software products should ease the workload of designers by eliminating duplication of work and double entry, according to NAPA President Juha Heikinheimo.

“Many of the world’s leading shipyards already use NAPA Steel to improve their design processes, and we see this improved data linkage as offering even greater benefits to NAPA Steel users,” says Mr Heikinheimo.

“Improved linkage between NAPA Steel and ClassNK’s PrimeShip-HULL (HCSR) will allow yards building CSR compliant vessels to even further streamline their design process, while also eliminating the need for designers to input duplicate data into multiple programs.”

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