A Study on the Safe Maneuvering of a G/T 100,000 Ton LNG Vessel by Using Her Control Surface through a Narrow Channel

Nowadays LNG has been beginning to take the place of petroleum as fuel all over the world and VLCC tankers of LNG will take the same sea routes that had been used by VLCC tankers of petroleum in the last part of the 20th century. The transportation of LNG by a VLCC include more dangerous nature of sea peril than that of petroleum. We already know the dimensions of a disaster a LNG tanker could bring about in the case of the LNG tanker, Yuyo-Maru No. 10 in the Tokyo Bay of Japan in 1974. From the point of safety when we construct a LNG base or LNG pier in the base, the appropriate government authority and constructing company had better take sea pilots or some ships handling experts to participate in a prior consultation of the design of the project. A G/T 100,000 ton LNG base and pier were completed in November of 1996 in Inchon harbour in Korea and LNG VLCC tankers of G/T 100,000 ton class have been entering into the base ever since. This study was started and completed to comply with the requisition of the Sea Pilot Association of Inchon harbour in advance of the opening of the LNG base. As the entrance and exit channels leading to Inchon harbour were constructed in the years of 1930s, it was one of the most pressing works for Inchon sea pilots in 1996 to certify the method of safe passing maneuvering of a G/T 100,000 ton LNG tanker through the Pudo narrow channel prior to commencing actual piloting of the LNG VLCC tanker. The author made some mathematical models computing maneuvering of a vessel changing her course with her control surface through a narrow channel and computed maneuvering of a G/T 100,000 ton LNG tanker and also made maneuvering simulations of the vessel by a desk-top simulator. The results of computations and simulations are well coincided with each other in qualitative aspects to assure safe passing of the LNG VLCC.