NYK SILVIA Bulbous Bow after conversion

On June 15^th, NT acceptance for the new bulbous bow shell for NYK SILVIA in 2^nd dry dock marked a successful delivery of the bulbous bow conversion. NYK SILVIA is GWD’s 16^th bulbous bow conversion project and the 8^th of series vessels of NYK carrying out such conversion in our yard.

Shipping market has entered a “slow shipping era” in recent years. To meet the demand of slower speed voyage, the fat type bulbous bow, which is more suitable for high speed voyage, needs to be converted into thinner ship lines and sharper stem. After conversion, the vessel can have higher propulsion efficiency, lower fuel oil consumption and consequently lower operation cost.

 

The demand for bulbous bow conversion has brought opportunities for ship repairing industry and soon became an important strategy to bottom out for many ship repairing companies. To increase GWD’s competiveness in this field, our engineering department keeps striving to make technological breakthrough in optimizing design and facilities and tools to relocate and install the blocks in dry dock. With this breakthrough of the key problem in bulbous bow conversion efficiency enhancement, GWD has successfully increase the block installation and fit-up efficiency in dry dock, resulting in higher quality and efficiency, lower cost and shortened conversion period.