Kongsberg Maritime recently became the majority owners of Lodic AS resulting in the establishment of a joint venture between the two companies. The acquisition was finalised in August this year, and will result in a more complete product range from Kongsberg Maritime with special emphasis on its new 'Green Ship' strategy.
About Lodic
Lodic AS originates from MARINTEK (Norwegian Marine Technology Research Institute), and was formed as a commercial spin-off of the high-tech cluster created by the SINTEF Group and NTNU (University of Technology and Science) in Trondheim, Norway. The company's software has roots in the 1970s when MARINTEK started making software for hydrostatics and stability calculations for ships and floating offshore structures.
Optimal trimming and cruising speed
One of Lodic's core products is the ShipLoad 3-D vessel model tool, a unique solution for managing loading and unloading operations. The system undertakes calculations to ensure optimal loading and unloading of cargoes as well as ballasting. Combined with Kongsberg Maritime's K-Bridge weather planning and an intelligent auto pilot the system advises mariners on optimal trimming and cruising speed.
Reduced fuel consumption
The ShipLoad 3-D vessel model tool utilises a 3-D model of the vessel's hydrostatics as a basis for the calculation of loading conditions, floating position as well as stability and longitudinal strength. By utilising the full geometrical definition as a basis for the computation, several additional applications have been developed to improve the load planning, condition handling and hull performance. These are all applications that enable optimal usage of the vessel and thereby reduce the relative fuel consumption. The Kongsberg ShipLoad loading computer is available for several vessel applications, such as tankers and FPSOs, container vessels, ferries and RoRo vessels, cruise vessels and supply vessels.
General Manager of Offshore and Merchant Marine in Kongsberg Maritime, Ketil Paulsen, says the new ShipLoad 3-D loading computer reinforces KONGSBERG's already existing product range.
"A joint venture with Lodic AS will strengthen Kongsberg Maritime in an area that we hadn't completely explored. It means that we can offer customers a more complete product range and additional expertise in automatic loading and unloading. We have previously delivered several types of ship loading calculators, but the ShipLoad loading calculator will ensure a standardisation and improvement of the product. The acquisition further strengthens our 'Green Ship' strategy with special emphasis on optimal operations and less emissions," said Paulsen.