Life-cycle engineering of an open type bulk carrier

摘要

The Newcastle Engineering Design Centre has developed a Life Cycle Engineering Tool to estimate life cycle cost, environmental performance and risk for Large Made to Order Products. This paper begins with a summary of the stepwise methodology used by the tool, then illustrates its capabilities with a case study of an open-type bulk carrier ship carrying cargo between the UK and the USA. Finally, the implications of the results are discussed, in particular the need for an effective method for the management of epistemic (subjective) uncertainty.