Review nr 1. 2003 - TTS Group ASA

cargo access equipment to meet
the widely varying requirements
of the owner’s service to
Gotland, as well as the supply
of parts and supervision of
equipment installation.
The traffic between the
Swedish mainland and the island
of Gotland fluctuates widely
during the year. During the
summer months 60% of the
traffic is private cars and
coaches, with freight traffic
evenly distributed throughout
the year.The cargo access
equipment designed for the new
ships reflects this.
Both 195.80m long, 28,600grt
ferries have been supplied with
the following TTS Ships
Equipment designed access
equipment:
• Three stern ramp/doors
• Bow doors
• Folding Frame
• Side door/ramp
• Pilot doors
• Passenger doors
Ro-ro traffic is carried on four
decks; the lower two decks
designed for cars and the upper
two decks designed for freight
trailers with a height of 4.9m.
Cargo handling operations,
via the stern, are highly flexible
thanks to three separate
ramp/doors.
The smaller ramps, to port
and starboard, are hinged to
each vessels stern in way of two
fixed ramps which lead from the
main vehicle deck (Deck No.3,
800 lane metres) up to the other
vehicle deck (Deck No.5,
800 lane metres). Each of these
ramps is 22m long, with a
driveway width of 4.2m.
Meanwhile, a 15.4m long, 11m
driveway width stern ramp/
door provides direct access to
each vessels main deck.
Unique Folding Frame
design provides bow access
Forward on each vessel, a twosection
bow door is hinged to
the ships’ side structure.When
in then open position the doors
enable the unique, patented,TTS
Ships Equipment designed
Folding Frame to be lowered to
allow cargo loading/discharge
operation.The 21.5m long,
6.2m driveway width Folding
Frame, designed to meet the
latest Stockholm Agreement
stability rules, acts as a ramp in
it down position and a door in
its stowed position.
At Deck No.5 level, forward
on the port side, is located a side
door/ramp.This 6.5m long,
4.8m driveway width ramp
allows for loading/discharge of
vehicles via a shore-side ramp.
The 28.5 knot Visby and her
sistership bring state-of-the-art
ro-ro technology to the vital
passenger shipping link between
the island of Gotland and the
Swedish mainland, reducing the
crossing time on this service
from 4hrs 45mins to just 3hrs
15mins. Gothenburg-based TTS
Ships Equipment AB’s expertise
in the design of tailor-made
solutions to ro-ro operators
exacting requirements are ably
demonstrated in these two new
ships.
TTS Review June 2003 7
TTS Ships Equipment
expands worldwide
service network with
co-operation
agreement with Goltens
The Dry Cargo Handling division of TTS has
significantly expanded its worldwide service
and spare parts network with a co-operation
agreement with well known repair and
maintenance specialist Goltens.
The new agreement between TTS Ships
Equipment and Goltens will see the latter
acting as TTS Ships Equipment service stations
in the following areas:
• Rotterdam, The Netherlands
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Bahrain
• Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
• Fujairah, United Arab Emirates
• Mumbai, India
In Rotterdam, Goltens will also act for TTS
Ships Equipment in the role as spare parts
distributor. It is expected that further service
stations, particularly in the Far East, will be
added to the network later this year.
Goltens is a major player in the shiprepair,
maintenance and service market worldwide,
being known particularly for diesel engine
repairs and reconditioning work. The
company’s Dubai operation, also Goltens
headquarters, is heavily involved in ship and
offshore conversion projects, steel repairs and
has recently become involved in the
shipbuilding market in the Arabian Gulf area.
The co-operation between TTS Ships Equipment
and Goltens will mean that shipowners and
operators will be able to call on a global, fast,
reliable, first-class service and spare parts
operation, leading to reduced vessel downtime
and ‘off-hire’ periods.