AMADEO SAENZ

Passenger Vessel

The Shearer Group, Inc. (TSGI) was contracted by Southwest Shipyard to provide detail construction drawings for Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) newest ferry, the AMADEO SAENZ, to be operated in Port Aransas. TSGI worked with TxDOT, ABS, USCG, and TxDOT’s Engineer to provide drawings for regulatory review and shipyard construction. TSGI provided independent detail construction design, including detailed structural drawings, piping drawings and as-built drawing details based on the contract drawings provided by TxDOT. One issue demonstrating the benefit of our location had to do with the engine cooling system and electrical cable routing. A detailed pipe design was required and due to the water pumps flow restrictions had to be minimized. While typically a shipyard is given leeway in determining routing of piping and wiring runs, in this case such leeway could have results in underperformance of the cooling system.

TSGI worked with the yard and TxDOT to develop a thorough 3D model of the engine room to determine pipe routing and inferences. This was developed by conducting ship visits, meeting with TxDOT, and general 3D design work. Then we assisted the electrical subcontractor for the routing of electric transmission lines from the generators that were running in proximity to the cooling lines. Given our proximity to the shipyard and TxDOT we were able to visit the yard within 20 minutes to meet with the electrician to discuss and review electrical cable routing to avoid interferences since the electrical cables were being run prior to the water pipes.

Designers: Elliott Bay Design Group, Seattle, WA (contract design), The Shearer Group, Inc., Houston, TX (detail design)
Builder: Southwest Shipyard, Galveston, TX
Owner: Texas Department of Transportation