Reiseberichte/travel reports

Next part of our excursion was a visit of the EMAS Offshore Services Pte Ltd, which is actually a shipping company for offshore support vessels. But on top of a normal company they provide special training programs for anchor handling, dynamic positioning and engineers for their crew. Mr. Kalyan Chatterjea, the Academy Consultant, and his instructors gave us a very warm welcome and it was a pleasure to get some information about the operation of a vessel which is very rare for us as naval architects.

Highlight has been the visit of the simulator bridge of an offshore support vessel, made by Kongsberg, which allows the operator to drive fore and aft. Major aim of the academy is to test and improve the skills of their own crew and later on maybe they open up for other crew.

After a delicious lunch at the canteen of the NUS, the National University of Singapore, we were introduced to Prof. Choo Yoo Sang. He showed us the projects according to maritime tec hnology in a very kind manner and explained every single question with a smile on his face. Key research projects in collaboration with commercial companies and yards in Singapore are the oil and gas production. The engineering faculty is running partnerships with classification classes as well. They push on special projects like floating container terminals or floating oil reservoirs in dimensions of a quarter of a 1 km².
To complete the visit at the NUS we got a quick view of the mechanical laboratories. At any time we got the feeling that Prof. Choo Yoo Sang wants to encourage us to spend a semester at his university – we will see, may be.

After a welcome we got an introduction about the history and expansion of Singapore. On a large model we had a good overview about the coming up districts and land reclamation. It was interesting to get to know that buildings are not allowed to become higher than 280m because of security and aviation reasons.
After some nice pictures of Singapore live and a presentation we had a lunch break and in the meantime we got some impressions in URA’s Singapore City Gallery of the heavy changes in the last 60 years.

This day started very early at about half-past five and the bus driver picked us up at quarter-past six. We were brought to the port, where a ferry to Batam (Indonesia) waited. Our first appointment was at the “Marco Polo Shipyard” and after a lunch we visited the “MCDERMOTT Yard”. Not knowing, what we have to expect, we were a little bit shocked and surprised. On the way from the port of Batam to “Marco Polo” we passed some “towns” with poor humans living in houses made of planks and corrugated iron. At the end of this trail, we founded the shipyard “Marco Polo”. Marco Polo is a new yard finished in 2008 and builds, with 300 employee and 1000 workers from subcontractors, new ships or does repairings. The business of new build ships generally consists out of accommodation barges and sometimes supply vessels. Everything is done in the two docks with a length up to 175m or in the field next to them. Sometimes, the hole new build ships, don’t care if barge or vessel, is completed on the field. After finishing, the ship is lifted with long balloons and rolls on it into the water.

Additional to modern production, safety and social commitment is a big point of Macdermott. For example, they build accommodations for orphans, schools and helps to bring in the waist separation. One highlight was the way bag to the ferry. We started at finishing time together with round about 1000 scooters and 3000 people sitting on them. The two trail street was added with two new trails and the safety distance decreases down to half a meter.
This day provided an insight into another world just some kilometers away from Singapore and let us know how two completely different yards are able to exist in the same business and area.

Next we needed to hurry to be in time at Berg Propulsion. At first we got a presentation of the company’s history and their current products which are controllable pitch propellers (CPP), fixed pitch propellers, thrusters, azimuth thrusters, hydraulic systems, as well as the recently introduced control systems. Berg Propulsion has the largest market share of midsize CPP’s, which range from 1.5m – 8m, respectively from 300kW – 20,000kW. Once again we got the chance to have a look into the workshop, where we found impressive state-of-art machineries to produce their products. The facility in Singapore is not carrying out the casting but more the finishing of the individual products. After a short lunch break which was held nearby, we came back to Berg Propulsion to see their small simulator, were their latest control systems are usually shown to customers. This control system is being connected with a little game, were a double-end ferry has to be maneuvered through a harbor. All of us had a lot of and one of us even made the second place in the all-time high score.

Last but not least we went to see the Singaporean office of Rolls Royce. After two introductorily movies and a quick presentation of the overall products and services Rolls Royce is doing we held a short Q & A about the different locations, company structure, etc. of which Rolls Royce consists. It was interesting to see the progressive development of the company within the marine market. Afterwards we were shown the workshop. Unfortunately for us, most of the products were being shipped out of the workshop the day before. Nevertheless we got a good impression of the facility and specially their extensive quality management which is being carried out.
Once again we had a good insight into three suppliers, their products as well as their workshops.

After a quiet flight and stopover in London, we landed on Sunday morning in Hamburg at 10.15 clock local time. Except for one student who wanted to visit Malaysia three weeks, everyone is back safely. With a polo shirt on which we had printed a group photo, we thanked our companion Iwer Asmussen for travelling with us. He hadn't just travelled with us, with him we experienced the 14 days fully of interesting company visits and different impressions from an overwhelming city. Singapore was a unique opportunity for us getting "the whole overview".
Once again, we want to say thank you, especially to Iwer and Dirk Lehmann from Becker Marine Systems, and all who supported us and made this excellent journey possible.