Coastdesign News

Canadian firm Autoship Systems Corporation (ASC) in cooperation with its Norwegian reseller, Coastdesign Norway (CDN), has developed an offshore stability software for jack-up vessels called - the Autoload® - Jack Up version and has won a contract to install the solution onboard Seaway 7’s first self-propelled jack-up vessel, VIND 1. Autoload is also installed onboard their entire fleet of vessels which include open deck semi-submersible heavy transportation vessels, cable lay, heavy lift crane installation, and Installation support vessels, Autoship Systems said.

Trondheim Marine Institute has adopted loading instrument software developed jointly by Autoship Systems and Coastdesign, Norway. The Institute plans to use the software for all their loading instrument training courses. The 3D floating simulator, based on a true geometrical model of the vessel offers extensive accuracy in all calculations, especially when measuring free surface effect for slack tanks. The program operates in a standard Windows environment and can be used for creating the stability manual for the vessel.

The early 1980s witnessed the birth of the first generation Autohydro by Coastdesign Inc. (now called Autoship Systems Corporation (ASC)). Autohydro was one of a very few PC-based first principles stability and longitudinal strength programs available on the market of the day. Running in DOS, Autohydro quickly became world-renowned as a robust, dependable design and analysis tool for the creation of trim and stability books. Even today, some users of these early versions of Autohydro call ASC asking for advice. Since those early times, ASC has continued to improve Autohydro. The most recent release, Autohydro 6.0, includes many new features that hundreds of naval architects around the world rely on for their hydrostatic and strength calculations.

Autoship Systems Corporation (ASC) of Vancouver, Canada has been a leader in CADCAM vessel design software for nearly 25 years. Originally conceived for the monohull, ASC software is now used for designing all types of marine vessels – from conventional hull forms to oil rigs. In the early 1980s, PCs were beginning to have respectable computing power at a relatively affordable price. This situation encouraged Grahame Shannon of Vancouver, Canada to develop his idea of designing vessels on the PC-platform. Soon Shannon had many naval architects knocking at his door. His design software, called Autoship, had apparently made the vessel designer’s life a lot easier. Before long Shannon had to hire employees and move his business, Coastdesign Inc., out of his basement. Coastdesign Inc.

Many companies can claim to be global, but Autoship Systems Corporation (ASC) of Vancouver, Canada talks the talk and walks the walk. ASC has been in the business of CAD/CAM software development for nearly 25 years. A core tenant of ASC has been to establish itself as leader in innovation, helping to ensure that as shipbuilding techniques evolved, the industry could rely on its CAD/CAM software to meet new design and construction needs. ASC recently assisted two shipyards to this end: Cantiere Navale Ippolito s.r.l. of Santa Maria di Castellabate, Italy; and Circa Marine and Industrial Ltd of Whangarei, New Zealand. Cantiere Navale Ippolito S.R.L. Cantiere Navale Ippolito s.r.l. is located in the Campania region of Southern Italy.

Autoship Systems Corporation (ASC) announced that their Norwegian Dealer, Coastdesign, Norway (CDN), has received 10 new orders from Solstad Offshore ASA for Autoload onboard stability software. Installations will be onboard vessels; Normand Jarl, Normand Drott, Normand Titan, Normand Trym, Normand Atlantic, Normand Borg, Normand Mjolne, Normand Draupne, Normand Skarven and Normand Seven. Autoload is currently installed onboard 23 Solstad vessels. Normand Seven, delivered to Solstad Offshore in July, is the largest offshore construction vessel (OCV) ever built by Ulstein Verft in Norway. It is a Vik-Sanvik VS 4220 OCV design and was voted Ship of the Year at the 2007 Norshipping Tradeshow in Norway. The vessel is 130m long and 28m wide with a bridge at a size of 400m2.

Autoship Systems Corp. of Vancouver, Canada, along with its partner Coastdesign, Norway have recently signed a contract with Kongsberg Simrad AS for the development of an interface between Autoship's Autoload program and Simrad's Vessel Control System (VCS). Autoload is a DNV type-approved onboard stability and strength monitoring program, while VCS includes dynamic positioning and joystick-control systems, position mooring, thruster control and vessel automation systems. The premiere application of the VCS/Autoload combination will be installed on a drilling rig owned by Sedco Forex Offshore — the offshore contract drilling business owned by Schlumberger.