Queensland ship designer approved to use foam aboard USMC vessel

Gold Coast based Ship design group Seatransport has secured the approval and exclusive licence for Class-approved closed-cell foam for commercial vessels.

After 6 years’ research with Strathclyde University and an undisclosed European foam manufacturer on overcoming toxicity and flammability issues with marine closed-cell foam, Lloyds Register gave its approval last month for use of the foam.

Seatransport will incorporate this foam in existing newbuilds including the Stern Landing Vessel (SLV) design selected by the US Marine Corps which the company is now building. The SLV configuration represents a step-change in large landing craft design and performance compared to traditional bow ramp landing craft that have changed little since World War Two, says the company.

The SLV features a ship-shape bow that enables it to undertake blue water transits at speeds of 16 to 20kt with better seakeeping and much longer ranges than traditional landing craft. On approaching the beach the vessel will turn through 180 degrees and discharge troops, vehicles and equipment through its stern ramp over the beach.

Approved closed cell foam inserted in all possible voids increases the SLV’s Survivability Index, developed originally by Strathclyde University, the company says. Most 2 compartment ships have a Survivability Index of 0.72 which equates to surviving 72 out of 100 disaster scenarios. Modelling by Seatransport and Strathclyde on the SLV design brought the Survivability index to 0.96, an unprecedented level for amphibious vessels.

Because these vessels are designed for zero-ballast operations, using closed-cell foam means the foam-filled compartments don’t need pumping out by bilge lines, the company adds, thus reducing the need for bilge pipes and pumps and increasing the vessel’s structural life.

Seatransport’s Chairman Dr Stuart Ballantyne, who was a member of the Australian maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) advisory committee and a founder member of the New York-based World Wide Ferry Safety Committee, says the increase in survivability bestowed by this closed-foam approval is another reason to choose LSVs over conventional bow-landing vessel designs.