Markets ⁄ Maritime ⁄
Small Craft Consultants
Through our long-term maritime legacy and our entrenched history in providing all types of marine surveys, inspections and audits, ABL Group has an in-depth and forensic understanding of all types of small craft, no matter size, type or purpose.
We offer a wide range of marine and engineering consulting services to support small craft across the maritime, oil & gas, defence and renewable sectors, providing technical support at any stage of an asset’s life-cycle.
Small Patrol, passenger, rescue and rigid inflatable boat design
ABL Group’s technical expertise in small craft begins with our group company, Longitude Engineering’s well-established reputation in small craft design, conversion and upgrade. This extends to the development of vessel concept and detailed designs of up to 45m in length, including rigid inflatable boats (commercial, military, recue and leisure), patrol boats, all weather recue boats, autonomous vessels, passenger boats, high speed craft and a range of workboats.
Longitude develops design both independently, or by working alongside the client’s design team.
Small boat modifications
ABL Group through our group company Longitude, also supports clients with design changes to existing vessels, such as modifications required due to changes of role, new or additional regulations, design development to reduce weight and mid-life upgrades.
Our range of naval architecture activities include:
- Hull form development (for planning and displacement craft)
- Marine tank testing
- Performance prediction
- Seakeeping
- Weight management
- Stability
Concept design is carried out for entire vessels or for local elements, and often includes a technical analysis of cost-vs-benefit and of trading activity capabilities. Our team has significant expertise in the layout design of small craft, and the use of space for role flexibility.
We can perform the detailed design of all aspects of marine engineering, system design, electrical/electronics design, stability and structures. Design is implemented in both 3D and 2D, as required. Our team has a strong background in manufacturing and in Classification Societies, which is used to ensure that all designs meet the necessary regulations and are developed for cost-effective production.
From a structural perspective, we have expertise in the design of lightweight structures, composite materials and highly loaded structures, such as lift points. Safety and human-factor concerns are integral throughout all design projects.
Marine Assurance and Risk for small craft
ABL Group is well acquainted with all types and project use of small craft across our market sectors – maritime, renewables and oil & gas. Through our long project experience as marine warranty surveyor on offshore projects of all kinds, we often come into contact with the use of small craft in project critical marine operations. In particular, we are highly experienced in reviewing and approving towing operations of all kinds, as well as being experienced in supporting in the engineering and design of marine towing and single voyage operations, to mitigate risk from early operational planning.
Our range of marine surveys, inspections and audits also apply to any type of small craft.
