For many the maritime sector is not one they may know much about but there are many exciting careers in the industry, with plenty of opportunities to travel, work abroad and not just to always sit behind a desk at a computer. Our graduates are highly sought after in the industry and can be found in leadership positions worldwide and across a range of sectors from cruise ships, America’s Cup team, offshore industry, ship design and consultancy, marine renewables, defence sector, academia and even Silicon Valley. We are the only degree programme in the UK which is accredited by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. There are exciting engineering challenges in the maritime sector from how do we decarbonise shipping, protect lives at sea, maritime robotics, develop cost effect marine energy harvesters for wind, wave and tide to name but a few.
For those studying hard at school who are interested in the maritime engineering sector we have four open days this summer. Staff and students will be on hand to answer questions and show some of our facilities and educational experience. Our degree course cover a wide range of the maritime sector and provide great flexibility. We look for strong grades in maths and a suitable science such as physics, chemistry or further maths. Our admissions team is always happy to answer question either by email or phone.
This summer’s University open days are taking place on Saturday 8th July, Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th September and Saturday 14th October. To book for the 8th July or register an interest and find out more http://www.southampton.ac.uk/about/visit/open-days.page . It will be great to meet you and explain more.
Part 2 Ship Science Students Tour China's Maritime Sector
For the second year our second year ship science students have been able to visit ship yards and maritime organisations in China on a 10 day whistle stop tour. The opportunity to visit a variety of ship yards building ships, performance yachts, offshore platforms as well as some of the leading maritime universities and research organisations has been made possible because of a number of on-going educational partnerships between the Faculty of Engineering and Environment and our colleagues in China,
If you want to find out more please find our direct from the student’s blog at csiv2017.blogspot.com. There are some great shout outs to Dr Boyd’s ship production course being seen in action and my personal favourite about the need to reduce the drag of ship rudders..
FSI @ RiverFest 2017
Fluid Structure Interactions, alongside other parts of the University of Southampton, attended RiverFest 2017, part of Southampton Sailing Week on Saturday the 27th May. The event was held in Riverside Park, alongside the Itchen River, with rain in the morning and lovely sunshine in the afternoon and evening.
It was designed as a day of music, theatre, science, games, crafts, talks & workshops. Bringing together artists, historians and scientists to share their knowledge of the river with us. The aim is to inspire the community to enjoy and protect the Itchen river into the future.
Estimates of over 4000 people attended the event across the whole riverside site. FSI brought their Science of Ships display to demonstrate, hands-on, why ships float, sink and capsize.
Long service on board ship science…
A recent innovation at the University of Southampton has been the introduction of a recognition award for long service at 20 years (a glass bowl) and 30 years (a carriage clock). Six members of staff in Fluid Structure Interactions were eligible. Presentations were made by our Head of Academic Unit, Prof Penny Temarel. (Top left) to Prof Ajit Shenoi for 30+ years, (Top middle) by Prof Shenoi to Prof Temarel for 20+ years, (Top Right)PT to Dr Mingyi Tan for 20+ years, (Bottom Left) PT to Prof Dominic Hudson for 20+ years, (Bottom Middle) PT to Prof Stephen Turnock for 20+ years and (Bottom Right) PT to Prof Philip Wilson for 30++ years!
SHIP SCIENTISTS VISIT WALLENIUS WILHELMSEN CAR CARRIER, TOLEDO
Second year students Miri Park and Moriba Konate report:
The second year ship science students had the privilege of visiting the car carrier, Toledo at the Southampton dock. The Japanese built 200m ship had 12 tiers of car decks with the total capacity of 6564 units of passenger cars.
Before going on board, the students spoke to the engineers from Ecosubsea, a company which uses remotely controlled mini-submarines to clean underwater hull. The engineers highlighted the importance of protecting the hull from fouling and how a clean hull with minimal paint damage helps to reduce air pollution and fuel costs for a ship. This allowed the students to acknowledge the growing environmental issues and the needs for regulations on ships.
On the bridge, the electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS) was shown by the chief engineer, which helps the navigation crew to monitor the ship and plan the route in advance. However, in contrast to this technological advancement, a signalling lamp was still in use and it was explained that all crew must know the Morse code. The ballast control system was shown and the students watched how it automatically ballast and deballast during the loading process.
The students were taken around the accommodation space, including the galley, mess rooms, offices and gym, which helped to get an idea for their general arrangement assignment and to see why it is important to provide recreational spaces and a habitable environment for the crew as a naval architect.
Overall, the visit was a success and the shaft tunnel and the steering gear system was most memorable for the students. This helped to understand the importance of shaft alignment and its maintenance during service and it further reinforced their understanding of lecture materials. We are all very thankful to Wallenius Wilhelmsen for this opportunity and hope to see you again!
Brightest and best: – opportunities available
Fluid structure interactions is looking for able individuals with a background in engineering, maths or physics who wish to deepen their research skills by carrying out PhD research. Our group of 40+ PhD students is a vibrant community although focussed in maritime engineering applications but with many links to other research groups both within Southampton and internationally.
A number of immediate opportunities are listed below but it is always worth contacting any of our members of staff directly to see what other opportunities they might have. The applications process itself can be accessed via the on-line link.
The following projects are currently on offer covering some of our diversity associated with the hydrodynamics of swimming and the musco-skeletal system, reducing the climate change impact of international shipping, exploring the challenges of autonomous surface vessels for environmental monitoring, finding new approaches for maritime design optimisation.
Assessing the impact of hydrodynamic loads on shoulder joint injuries in swimming, contact Dr Joe Banks
A High Temporal Resolution Study of Sediment Deposition At River Mouths Using Persistently Present Autonomous Surface Vehicles contact Dr Jon Downes
Reducing shipping emissions through accurately quantifying ship powering performance using statistical analysis of operational data contact Professor Dominic Hudson
Modelling ship selection and operational usage decisions under uncertainty – towards a better understanding of GHG emissions in international shipping contact Professor Dominic Hudson
Assessment of ship powering performance using machine learning techniques contact Professor Dominic Hudson
Re-imagining the genetic algorithm with application to marine engineering design contact Dr Adam Sobey
GDP 19: Atlantis Deep Sea Research Platform
Only 5% of the world’s ocean floor have been mapped, collecting data at these depths provides a significant challenge. This project aims to design a deep-sea research platform, in the form of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle.
If you want to find out more about the project, please visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AtlantisUnderwaterRobot/ The robot will do the following;
- Travel to depths of 100m.
- Carry a payload of sensors and cameras that can collect images and data.
- Uses a flapping foil mechanism for propulsion.The robot will be bioinspired with oscillating foil propulsion; this will provide increased manoeuvrability.
This project involves designing, building and testing a full-scale robot. The team will carry out the following tasks to complete the project:
- Developing the conceptual design
- Modelling and optimising an interacting flapping foil mechanism
- Carrying out material testing for the hull and foil materials to determine if they can withstand operating conditions at 100m depth
- Modelling the hull under operating conditions using FEA, and reinforce the structure where necessary
- Manufacturing and testing the separate elements of the AUV
- Programming the AUV so it is capable of operating autonomously underwater, navigating a pre-set path.
- Test the robot at a depth of 3m
Promoting Maritime Engineering at the IMechE Arnold Barks Christmas Lecture
Professor Stephen Turnock and Laura Marimon Giovannetti had a busy day on the 7th July talking about the University of Southampton’s experience in engineering excellence in performance sport. Firstly in the afternoon at an event hosted by the Bishop Wordsworth school in Salisbury to an audience of 230 year 10 to year 12 students from four different school’s in the Salisbury area. Then again in a slightly longer format to the IMechE’s Wessex Region as the 11th Annual Arnold Barks Christmas Lecture to an audience of over 100 .
The talk linked the long standing work at Southampton in performance sailing led for nearly five decades by the internationally renowned Wolfson Unit for Marine Technology and Industrial Aerodynamics now based in B185 adjacent to our new 138 m long towing tank, the work on developing F1 and Indy cars in the R.J.Mitchell wind tunnel from the late 70s as well as over a decade of collaboration with UKSport/EIS(R&I) supporting a wide range of sports. The pursuit of performance that ensure that all athletes have the best possible equipment relies on a deep understanding of the physics of the problem coupled to possible engineering solutions. A common thread was the human aspects of the work where able PhD students work alongside sport scientists, coaches and athletes. To date PSEL has graduated 8 EngD/PhD students many of whom have an undergraduate Ship Science degree.
In a final section the relevance of the techniques and technologies developed in performance sport to the wider world and in particular the necessity to find solutions to the essential challenge of improving the energy efficiency of global shipping which transports 90% of the worlds goods, emits 3% of CO2 in 100,000 ships. How will these ships be fuelled in a low carbon world? An example of the cross-over is in Dr Angus Webb whose spin out company Dynamon offers services to the logistics industry.
For both talks the audience asked challenging questions and were in turn asked to spread the word that many more maritime engineering and ship scientists are needed!
Royal Visit to Towing Tank and FSI Labs
As part of a recent visit to the University of Southampton the Duke of Kent and guests toured our maritime robotics and performance sports labs Building 176 -meeting Dr Joe Banks, Agata Tomaszewska, DrJon Downes and Sophia Schillae.
James Bowker and Cath Hollyhead used the wavemakers to demonstrate Fleur’s impressive wave crawling ability- just using wave energy to propel herself into and with the waves.
Commissioning of the tank instrumentation continues apace with recent tests on LDV, operation of the new rolling bridge as well as regular use of the Qualisys optical motion capture system. The InnovateUK project led by PlanetOcean associated with the design of an ASV launchable AUV ecoSUB has reached an important milestone with the recent vehicle’s official launch at the NOC. Soon after a prototype was being tested in the towing tank.
GDP 43 Life saving transformers
The Transformers GDP is a team of eight fourth year engineers: seven of whom are mechanical engineers with one aeronautical student. The project is supervised by Dr Nick Townsend from FSI.
Drowning is a huge worldwide problem, which puts thousands of lives at risk every year:
- 372,000 drowning fatalities per year (WHO, 2016),
- 1,000,000 rescues per year (ILSF, 2016),
- Few victims are ever wearing a lifejacket (CDC, 2016).
A frequent risk for lifesavers is being pulled under the water by a drowning person. Therefore, the project intent is to improve lifesaver safety; the robot will save a person from drowning before the lifesaver begins to rescue them from the water. Passive lifesaving robots exist, such as the EMILY robotic buoy (http://emilyrobot.com/portfolio-gallery/photo-gallery/ ), but none exist to actively save lives.
The project aim will be to; design, build and test a working prototype of a marine lifesaving robot, to actively secure casualties in the water. The team will accomplish this by achieving the following:
- Literature review of drowning casualties, existing lifesaving techniques and technology and the human body form whilst drowning,
- Define the anthropometric maxima and minima for an identified human group at risk of drowning for the robotic device to wrap around,
- Design a robotic mechanism to aid lifeguards in securing drowning casualties,
- Research and develop a sensing and control system to allow the device to work semi-autonomously,
- Build a working prototype of the design,
- Perform a realistic, in-depth testing procedure on the device.
