The maritime industry requires various facilities for the maintenance, repair, and cleaning of ships. One of these facilities is called a floating dock, which is a system that floats on water and allows for maintenance to be performed on ships without bringing them ashore.
What is a Floating Dock?
The most suitable way to clean and repair the underwater sections of a ship is to periodically lift it out of the water for maintenance and repairs. Floating docks are essentially floating structures that utilize the buoyancy of water to perform maintenance and repair operations on ships. These structures allow for the lifting of ships above the water level, providing access and repair opportunities for the lower parts of the ship. They are particularly critical for large vessels. Due to their flexibility and portability compared to traditional dry docks, they are commonly used in major ports and military bases. They play a crucial role not only in routine maintenance of ships but also in repairing significant damages and supporting new ship constructions. Floating docks contribute to shipyard operations with their flexibility, portability, and cost-effectiveness.
What is the Design and Operating Principle?
Floating docks are generally designed in a U or box shape, consisting of several sections that are open at the front and back with two walls. In short, they partially submerge to lift the ship and then raise it above the surface by emptying the ballast tanks. This facilitates access to the underwater parts of the ship, allowing for quick repair operations.
The Importance of Floating Docks in the Maritime Industry
The maritime sector forms the backbone of global trade. More than 80% of commercial transportation is conducted via sea, and the maintenance and repair of ships are essential for the sustainability of this transportation. Floating docks offer significant advantages in terms of both time and cost at this point. They provide a fast and effective maintenance-repair option for ships, overcoming the limitations of traditional shipyards. Additionally, the use of innovative technologies indicates that floating docks will become even more widespread in the future.
Advantages
1. Mobility: Their portability compared to fixed dry docks offers the possibility of use in different locations.
2. Cost Effectiveness: The construction cost is lower and it provides ease of maintenance.
3. Quick Operation: The time for docking ships is short, thus saving time.
4. Environmentally Friendly: It causes less harm to the marine ecosystem compared to land facilities.
Safety and Legal Regulations
To operate floating docks safely, internationally applicable legal regulations generally cover maritime safety, environmental protection, and ship classification standards.
1. International Maritime Organization (IMO) Rules: The IMO establishes global standards for maritime safety and environmental protection. For example, agreements such as MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) and SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea)
2. Classification Societies: Classification societies like Lloyd's Register provide technical standards and regulations for the construction and operation of docks. For example, these organizations offer guidance on issues such as structural integrity, fire safety, and periodic inspections.
3. Local and Regional Regulations: Each country has its own maritime laws and regulations. Therefore, it is necessary to comply with regulations specific to the region where the docks are operated.
The Use and Future of Floating Docks in Turkey
Turkey is an important maritime center due to its geographical location. The use of floating docks is becoming increasingly common in port cities such as Istanbul, Yalova, Izmir, Mersin, and Antalya.
It is observed that the number of floating docks is increasing with new port and shipyard projects. Especially, existing shipyards continue to acquire both domestic production and second-hand floating docks through significant investments. Additionally, shipyards are turning towards domestic floating dock production through organizations like ASFAT. Floating docks equipped with IoT-based sensors that can perform autonomous maintenance are also being developed.
is being developed.
Areas of Use in Turkey
- Military Naval Bases: Locally produced floating docks meet the maintenance needs of warships like TCG Bayraktar of the Turkish Navy.
- Commercial Ship Maintenance: Periodic maintenance of Ro-Ro ships and cargo vessels is carried out in floating docks.
- Yacht and Luxury Boat Maintenance: Provides maintenance convenience for private yachts in regions such as Bodrum and Marmaris.
High-Pressure Ship Washing Systems Used in Floating Docks
In the maritime sector, cleaning the pollutants on ship surfaces during maintenance and repair is of great importance. One of the most effective methods used in this process is washing with high-pressure water. However, purifying seawater plays a critical role in minimizing the environmental impacts of the water used during this process and providing a sustainable solution.
So far, a protective layer that does not degrade underwater for ships has not been found. The effect of toxic paints applied for protective purposes gradually decreases, and marine animals and plants adhere to the surfaces protected by paint. Accumulated marine organisms (biofouling, mussels, algae, etc.) and inorganic substances that accumulate like rust increase fuel consumption. Therefore, regular high-pressure washing is necessary to eliminate these pollutants.
Features of High-Pressure Washing Systems
1. Pressure Range: Effective cleaning is generally achieved with high water pressure of 200-500 bar.
2. Nozzle Design: Point application can clean narrow areas, while rotating nozzles can clean larger areas.
3. Robotic Systems: Autonomous washing robots reduce the need for human labor. This significantly prevents workplace accidents.
Environmental Impacts and Management
During cleaning with high-pressure water, the environmental effects are...Wastewater generated in the process must be carefully managed to minimize environmental impacts. This wastewater typically contains biological and chemical pollutants, and discharging it directly into the sea can harm the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to treat and dispose of the wastewater properly.Water Needs and Seawater Treatment SystemsHigh-pressure washing systems consume large amounts of water. The use of seawater is important for the conservation of freshwater resources and their accessibility. Therefore, the water used during the cleaning process under high pressure is usually sourced from the sea. Seawater is the most abundant water source on Earth. However, evaluating this water for drinking and usage purposes requires several challenging processes due to its high salt content. When seawater is used directly, the salt and other minerals it contains can damage equipment and indirectly lead to environmental issues. Therefore, treating seawater is the most sensible approach. At this point, the reverse osmosis (RO) membrane technology developed for the necessary treatment work allows for the removal of salt and other impurities from seawater, resulting in clean water. The reverse osmosis method offers an effective and sustainable solution for providing clean water for both industrial and individual needs.What is Reverse Osmosis?Reverse osmosis is a water treatment method in which dissolved substances (salts, ions, minerals, organic matter) in water are separated from water under high pressure using a semi-permeable membrane. This method works in the opposite direction of the natural osmosis process. In natural osmosis, water flows from a low-concentration solution to a high-concentration solution, while in reverse osmosis, this process occurs in the opposite direction. Thus, ions that cannot pass through the membranes increase the concentration of the concentrated water, while on the other hand, water that passes through the membranes under pressure begins to be purified.Seawater constitutes approximately 97% of the total water volume on Earth. Therefore, purifying seawater to make it suitable for use is of great importance for the sustainable management of water resources.Seawater has an average salt content of 3.5% (about 35 grams/liter). This ratio varies in different regions depending on the temperature of the seawater. Higher salinity levels are observed in warmer regions. Additionally, it contains minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium, as well as microorganisms, sediments, and organic matter. These components render seawater unsuitable for direct use.The process of purifying seawater through reverse osmosis consists of several steps:1. Pre-filtration: Large particles in the seawater are filtered out.2. High-pressure pump: Water is delivered to the RO membranes at a pressure of 60-80 bar.3. Membrane filtration: Salt and minerals are separated.4. Final processing: The pH balance is adjusted to make it ready for use.Floating pools are critically important for the development of Turkey's maritime sector. Especially when combined with high-pressure washing systems and RO purification technologies, they offer a sustainable and efficient maintenance process. To evaluate Turkey's potential in this area:- The production of floating pools should be encouraged.- Smart washing systems should be promoted.- Seawater purification facilities could be made mandatory in ports.In the future, the widespread use of environmentally friendly technologies and advanced purification systems in floating pools will contribute to a cleaner and more efficient maritime sector.Reverse osmosis membrane technology provides an effective, flexible, and sustainable solution for purifying seawater. Considering the increasing demand for water and limited freshwater resources,This technology will be used more widely in the future. Minimizing environmental impacts and implementing innovative solutions are increasingly enhancing the effect of reverse osmosis in water management.Reverse osmosis technology is continuously evolving, making seawater purification more efficient. Research is focused on the use of energy recovery devices (ERD), the development of membrane materials, and the enhancement of system automation. Thus, seawater treatment plants can provide lower seawater purification costs and higher quality water outputs with lower energy expenditures.n Systems. https://www.appliedmembranes.com/...
