New VLCC with OMBO Notation and Advanced Automation
Hitachi Zosen Corporation built two 310,000-dwt double-hull VLCCs with ABS OMBO (One Man Bridge Operated Ship) notation, ATLANTIC LIBERTY and ATLANTIC PROSPERITY at its Ariake Works, and delivered them to Exceed Shipping S.A. in Oct. 1995 and Exult Shipping S.A. in 1996 respectively.
ATLANTIC LIBERTY and ATLANTIC PROSPERITY have a wide wheel house about 1.5 times larger than that of ordinary VLCCs. In such a spacious wheel house with an improved field of vision by IMO resolution A 708, various modern navigation aids are functionally installed in the navigation area so as to achieve optimum safety and efficiency in bridge operation by one navigator, such as;
-Integrated navigation system with route planning station and two ARPA radars, interfaced with two gyro compasses, adaptive auto pilot, echo sounder, doppler sonar docking system, GPS navigator, Loran C navigator, Decca navigator, rudder angle indicator, main engine revolution indicator, anemometer, etc.
-Bridge safety system consisting of off-watch alarm system and alarm transfer system, interfaced with water depth alarm, off-course alarm, gyro failure alarm, navigation light failure alarm, etc.
-External sound receiving system
-Forward watch ITV system to get better visibility
The wheel house also contains, at behind of the navigation area, an integrated central control station for centralized control and monitoring of engine plant and cargo/ballast system. Following remote controls are available from engine control console and cargo/ballast control console respectively, with help of micro computer based monitoring system and/or conventional instrument.
Engine control console
-Main engine control including viscosity and temperature control of fuel oil
-Generator control including power management
-Aux. boiler control including steam dump valve control
-Start/stop of essential auxiliaries
-Open/close of sea chest valves, main engine starting air valve, etc.
Cargo/ballast control console
-Cargo oil pump speed control
-Stripping oil pump speed control
-Ballast pump speed control
-Cargo/ballast valve control
-Control of some valves for inert gas system
-Start/stop of related auxiliaries
-F.O. filling valve control
