Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report

1. Executive Summary

1.1 This report details the long-term costs and other factors to be taken into account before deciding whether to refit or replace one or more of the current Harbour Patrol boats, and makes a recommendation for a long-term policy. However, in the event that the Management Committee decides to advise the Harbour Board to replace one or more of the boats, a comprehensive set of selection criteria and possible new boat options is also included.

1.2 In order to establish the relevant factors, a thorough investigation has been carried out by the Harbour Master and Patrol Officers into the tasks carried out by the present boats, set against an examination of the characteristics of a number of generic design types. The opinions of other members of the Harbour Authority staff were sought, along with advice from other sources within the marine industry and the County Treasurer. Various types of patrol craft used in similar harbours were also investigated and taken into consideration.

2. Introduction

2.1 The Harbour Authority currently owns two Cheetah catamaran patrol boats which were purchased in 1998 and 1999 at £29,000 per boat including modifications to ensure that they were capable of carrying out their tasks safely and efficiently. The boats had a planned life of ten to twelve years from purchase date without a comprehensive refit. Without a refit, they have been valued by a competent authority at about £10,000 each (including engines) on the second hand boat market at today's prices.

2.2 Three distinct options have been identified and subjected to a cost-benefit analysis:

a. Sell the current boats and replace with new, on a ten-year cycle.

b. Extend the life of the current boats for a further ten years by carrying out a thorough mid-life refit, and then continue with replacement boats on a twenty year cycle with refits at the ten year point.

c. Replace one boat now and refit the second to extend its life to about twenty years, then continue with a cycle of replacing the oldest boat every ten years and refitting the newest every ten years.

2.3 On the basis that two of these three options involve the purchase of one or more new boats, this report examines the tasks which the new patrol boats would be required to carry out, together with an assessment of the characteristics of various generic hull and propulsion types available on the market today.

2.4 This report does not cover replacement of the Dory which is mainly used for patrolling the upper Hamble during the summer months. This boat is not scheduled for replacement until about 2013 and will be the subject of a separate report at that time.

3. Operational requirements

3.1 The working group established by the Harbour Master considered a range of factors which affect the type of boat best suited to Harbour Authority use in the future. The results are set out in the Annexes to this report. Annex A lists the operational tasks currently carried out by the patrol boats, based on information extracted from patrol and incident reports. It also identifies a number of tasks which cannot currently be carried out but which may be desirable in future. Annex B lists the generic hull forms and propulsion systems available, with an outline of their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. Annex C contains details of the modifications, fixtures and fittings required in order to carry out the tasks efficiently and safely. Annex D draws this information together into a single table, with scores allocated to each boat type against the various operational requirements. Whilst it is acknowledged that this scoring is rather subjective, the extent to which members of the working group were able to agree gives a clear indication that the `preferred' hull type and propulsion combination would have widespread support amongst those who use them on a daily basis.

4. Cost Benefit Analysis

4.1 Cost of Replacement Boats

As an illustration, the table below shows the cost of two new 6.2 metre catamarans, together with the estimated cost of a mid-life refit after 10 years, benchmarked at today's prices. The quoted purchase price includes essential factory fitted items that are not standard to the basic vessel and the cost of appropriate engine(s).

4.2 Residual values

Based on a recent valuation of the current boats by a competent authority, it is assumed that the residual value after ten years will be about 33% of the original capital cost, and that the residual value after 20 years (following a mid-life refit) will be in the range of 15-20% of the original capital cost. Residual value figures given below assume that the boats are sold with engines and are bench-marked at today's prices.

	Initial cost	Residual value after 10 years	Residual value after 20 years
Two boats purchased in 1998/9	£58,000	£20,000	£10,000
Two boats purchased in 2009/10	£90,000	£30,000	£18,000

4.3 Engine replacement and engine maintenance

The four 50 hp outboard engines that drive the two patrol boats are currently replaced annually under an agreement with Honda. This programme was established six years ago, having been shown to be the most cost-effective means of reducing down time to almost nil and keeping the maintenance costs to a minimum. It is not proposed to make any changes to this arrangement, although it will be monitored regularly to ensure value for money.

4.4 Through-life costs

This long-term (30 year period) cost evaluation is based on a comparison of the net costs of the three options. Total costs, less residual values (benchmarked at today's prices in £000s) for the three options are shown in the tables below:

Option: Purchase new boats every ten years

	Initial purchase	After approximately.......
	1998/99	10 years	20 years	30 years	Total
Purchase price	58	90	90	90	328
Residual value		-20	-30	-30	-80
Net cost	58	70	60	60	248

Option: Purchase new boats every twenty years with mid-life refit

	Initial purchase	After approximately.......
	1998/99	10 years	20 years	30 years	Total
Purchase price	58		90		148
Residual value			-10		-10
Refit		18		18	36
Net cost	58	18	80	18	174

Option: Purchase one new boat now and refit the other, thereafter replacing on boat every ten years and refitting the other

	Initial purchase	After approximately.......
	1998/99	10 years	20 years	30 years	Total
Purchase price	58	45	45	45	193
Residual value		-10	-5	-9	-24
Refit		9	9	9	27
Net cost	58	49	54	50	196

4.5 Other considerations

It is clear from the above analysis of through-life costs that, based on cost considerations alone, the option of purchasing new boats every twenty years with a mid-life refit is the most economic way ahead. However, there are several factors which may serve to make other options more attractive. These are as follows:

a. The existing boats are very versatile but more modern designs may be

able to offer an even closer match to the wide variety of tasks carried out on a regular basis by the Harbour Authority.

b. The existing boats are already looking shabby after a hard ten-year life; they will doubtless be considerably worse after twenty years and this may not match the modern, efficient image which the Harbour Authority seeks to convey.

c. The option of changing just one boat at a time will mean that the

Harbour Authority will never again own two identical boats because designs and specifications change considerably over a ten year period. Thus, the Harbour Authority would risk losing the considerable advantages of inter-operability and common handling characteristics associated with operating two identical boats.


d. Buying either one or two new boats at this stage would mean that they would be used for some tasks which might cause their condition to deteriorate quite quickly. These tasks include providing a platform for painting piles, removing debris and overhanging branches from the river, and responding to oil spills. If it is decided that both boats should be replaced now, this problem could be largely overcome by retaining one of the existing boats as a working platform with less powerful engines (and without the benefit of a mid-life refit or annual engine replacement) at minimal cost (apart from loss of residual value).

5. Conclusion

5.1. The total net cost, over a 30 year period, of purchasing two new build catamarans with recommended fittings and fixtures every ten years is in the region of £248,000. The net cost over the same period of refitting the two current catamarans, then replacing them after twenty years is in the region of £174,000. The net cost over the same period of replacing one boat now and refitting the other, and replacing one boat every ten years thereafter, is in the region of £196,000. These figures do not reflect the cash flow benefits which would also arise from the purchase and refit options. However, it is concluded that, based on cost considerations alone, the option of buying new boats every 20 years and refitting them after 10 years is the most effective way forward.

However, if the other considerations set out above are also taken into account, the option of replacing both boats now and retaining the best of the existing boats as a working platform at minimal cost is worthy of serious consideration.

6. Impact Assessment

6.1 An Equalities Impact Assessment covering the Harbour Authority's

responsibilities under the Port Marine Safety Code has been conducted and the content of this report does not alter this assessment.

7. Recommendation

7.1 That based on cost considerations alone, and subject to a satisfactory survey of the current boats, the Harbour Board should adopt a policy of purchasing new boats approximately every twenty years and carrying out a planned mid-life refit for each boat, with the first refits taking place in 2009/10.

Integral Appendix A

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Links to the Corporate Strategy

Annex A to Harbour Master's Report

Future management of

Harbour Authority patrol boats

Operational tasks undertaken by patrol boats

1. The following is a list of tasks undertaken on a regular basis by the two

principal Harbour patrol launches. The list of tasks has been compiled from harbour incident reports and shift logs which were written following incidents recorded over a five year period. Some of the tasks carried out may not be within the direct statutory duties of the Harbour Authority but were undertaken for a number of reasons:

a. Requests from the Coastguard to investigate reported incidents before other rescue assets are tasked.

b. Rescue of members of the public in boating incidents when other coastguard assets or club safety boats are not available or not deployed.

c. Towing yachts to safety when commercial or other Coastguard assets not available.

d. Checking moorings on behalf of The Crown Estate (note: the Harbour Authority is recompensed for this through its agreement with The Crown Estate. Any additional tasks which lie outside the scope of the Management Agreement are invoiced separately.

e. Rescue of large animals (typically cows and horses) from intertidal mud.

2. The following operational tasks are undertaken on a regular basis as required to comply with the Port Marine Safety Code. The capability for Harbour Authority boats to carry out these tasks is considered to be essential.

a. Patrolling at 4 to 5 knots (with minimal wash at speeds up to 6 knots) with the ability to increase speed in an emergency to 18 to 20 knots with least possible wash.

b. Monitoring activity on the River (requiring good visibility from steering position(s)).

c. Manoeuvring close to moving vessels for direct voice communication with the crew.

d. Inspecting moorings which requires accurate close quarters manoeuvring in strong tidal conditions.

e. Towing craft up to a maximum of 8 tonnes/12 metres, either by hipping or long line tow depending on the situation (only undertaken for navigational safety reasons).

f. Coming alongside visiting craft on pontoons or other types of moorings.

g. Carrying out maintenance to navigation lights and beacons requiring work from high point on the boat.

h. Patrolling to control dense traffic, requiring good manoeuvrability and high visibility (the boats must be readily identifiable as Harbour patrol launches by harbour users).

i. Patrolling at night (requires full navigation lights and red lighting in the cabin).

j. Patrolling in shallow water (less than 1 metre).

k. Recovering items from the water, bringing them aboard under the manual handling rules, and securing and towing heavy objects that cannot be lifted from the water (logs, hay bales etc).

l. Rescuing boats and crews in a variety of situations:

i. Rescue of people from the water.

ii. Rescue of people from vessels on fire.

iii. Rescue of people from vessels in danger of sinking.

iv. Towing boats from aground.

v. Towing disabled boats from river entrance in all weather conditions.

vi. Evacuating casualties from vessels.

vii. Delivering paramedics to the scene of incidents.

viii. Carrying fire-fighters and their equipment to the scene of an incident.

m. Attending sinking vessels to deploy generators and pumps.

n. Attending sunken vessels to deploy oil protection booms.

o. Attending vessels causing a pollution incident and deploying environmental protection equipment.

(Note: items (k) - (o) above require a good, spacious working platform with room for bulky items, including stretchers)

p. Carrying up to eight passengers including the coxswain.

q. Operating in all types of weather conditions - rain, snow, hail, cold temperatures and strong winds.

r. Operating at night in heavy traffic (for example: Cowes fireworks night when about 800 boats return to their moorings on the Hamble over a short period).

s. Having the ability to get to the scene of an incident very quickly without causing danger to other harbour users.

3. The working group also investigated the occasions when the current patrol boats have been considered unsuitable to undertake specific tasks, such as:

a. Towing large vessels (over 8 tonnes/12 metres). This is normally carried out by commercial operators or assets tasked by the Coastguard during emergency operations.

b. Responding to rescue situations in Southampton Water (outside the Harbour Authority's jurisdiction) in adverse weather conditions. Such rescues are the responsibility of the Coastguard and they normally task sufficient assets to provide adequate cover, but the Harbour Authority has been asked to assist on numerous occasions.

c. Carrying more than eight persons. This is a rare requirement and other more suitable vessels have always been available.

Annex B to Harbour Master's report

Future management of

Harbour Authority patrol boats

Characteristics of generic hull and propulsion types

Engines and propulsion systems - general comments.

The working group considered the following:

a. Diesel engines.

Modern inboard diesel engines and fuel efficient and require only basic routine maintenance. However, they are heavy and take up a lot of space in the vessel, which might otherwise be used for load carrying or a working area. An inboard engine requires a rudder system fitted to the hull unless a water jet is fitted. Inboard diesels prefer to be operated under load and are not designed to operate for long periods at very low power output. Most installations have a single engine/single shaft configuration which can limit manoeuvrability, particularly in close quarters.

b. Outboard engines.

These are complex (particularly if they have electronic control systems), require specialist maintenance and run on petrol which is generally more expensive than diesel. Their weight can also cause some hull designs to trim down by the stern. Single or twin engine installations are available and the latter offers good close quarters manoeuvrability, plus redundancy in the event of a single engine failure..

c. Conventional propellers.

These are straightforward and easy to maintain. However, they can be vulnerable to damage in shallow water and are constantly at risk from the floating ropes and plastic bags frequently found in the River.

d. Water-jet propulsion.

This is now available for both inboard and outboard engines. The latter is a recent development and has not yet been proved as a viable option: the Harbour Authority should not be acting as a proving ground for them. Some members of the working group did express a preference for an inboard diesel engine with water jet propulsion. It was thought that this combination was a good for providing a versatile and powerful propulsion option, excellent for shallow water use. But there are disadvantages including loss of working area/carrying capacity (associated with the inboard diesel), complex maintenance, provision of spare parts and a limited number of suitable hull designs

Hull design - general comments

The working group considered a number of generic hull design options and two possible construction materials (GRP and aluminium), as follows:

a. Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs)

These are normally GRP but are also available in aluminium. Hull designs are optimised for planning so can produce considerable wash at displacement speeds. Few are fitted with cuddies to provide shelter during inclement weather, and those that are do not have two steering positions. The inflatable part of the hull provides excellent fendering but can be vulnerable to impact damage. The relatively narrow rigid part of the hull offers poor working space and limited load carrying capacity. They tend to be wet, even in confined waters, when carrying passengers.

b. Heavy displacement monohulls.

Typically propelled by an inboard diesel, these are often powerful boats but can produce a considerable wash when operating at or near their maximum their theoretical displacement speed. They do not have the capability to deliver higher speeds when required and the inboard diesel limits working space. Some boats of this design offer a suitable cuddy or cabin, but few have two steering positions. Some designs have relatively high freeboards and could be difficult to fender in a way which would provide adequate protection when coming alongside typical leisure craft. These craft tend to be larger than the existing boats and would generally be too big for safe operation within the river, particularly in close quarter situations. Construction is normally GRP, but aluminium (and even steel) options are available.

c. Semi-displacement and planing monohulls

These tend to be optimised for higher speed operation and can create a significant wash at low speeds (in displacement mode). They can be fitted with either inboard or outboard engines and have good potential for higher speeds when required. Their lighter weight makes them more suitable for operations with leisure craft, but they are not always designed with manoeuvrability in mind and the typical hull design does not lend itself to easy fendering. Many designs have a cabin or cuddy and could be fitted with dual steering positions.

d. Catamarans

Catamaran hulls offer a number of advantages, but they are not without their unique disadvantages. They are easily propelled and therefore need relatively small power plants; they produce little wash at slow speed and some designs are capable of 20 knots plus without a significant wake. The wider beam of a catamaran offers a substantial working platform on a modest overall length, combined with good storage space. The rectangular plan-form makes these boats ideal for hip towing and they can be fendered effectively. Twin hulls make an inboard diesel installation difficult, but work well with twin outboard engines. Many have a cuddy or cabin and space for both inside and outside steering positions. Their draft makes them ideal for shallow water operations. Disadvantages include their relatively lightweight construction (which can be GRP or aluminium), which can make them vulnerable to damage, and their light displacement and high profile which can make them difficult to handle in high winds (but the high profile also means that the coxswain gets good visibility and can also be easily seen by other River users.)

Annex C to Harbour Master's report

Future management of

Harbour Authority patrol boats

Equipment and fittings required to carry out operational tasks

The following equipment should be included in the specification, either as standard or as an optional extra.

1. Instrumentation/electronics

a. Echo sounder.

b. Log.

c. Engine instrumentation.

d. Navigation lights.

e. Cabin lights.

f. Spot light/search light.

g. Emergency blue flashing light with siren.

h. Bottom contour display to show bed of River.

i. Horn/loudspeaker system fitted.

j. Internal and external steering, engine controls and switchgear for lights, sirens etc.

k. Internal heater.

2. Radio and Communications

a. VHF/DSC Radio. (loudspeaker fitted internal and external)

b. Hand held VHF radio.

c. Mobile telephone with external aerial.

3. Life Saving Equipment.

a. Hand throwing line.

b. Horse-shoe life ring.

c. Life jackets x 4

d. Flares

e. Jason's cradle

4. Stainless Steel Safety Fittings.

a. Safety barrier around steering position for helm.

b. Safety barrier with ladder/steps for roof working to protect, support and allow worker to clip on if required.

c. Protective railing for engines.

5. Permanent fendering around the hull.

6. Toughened glass windows (not plastic) all round cabin/cuddy.

7. Efficient windscreen wipers.

8. Towing bollard for long line tows.

9. Sufficient cleats that are strong enough to be used for hipping.

10. Provision and storage/stowage space for:

a. Tool boxes.

b. Fire extinguishers (plus extra for use when responding).

c. Boathook.

d. Publications.

e. First aid kit.

f. Binoculars.

g. Spare fendering and cordage.

h. Long-line for towing.

Scoring for suitability on individual tasks for various vessel types