News

📰 LOCOPIAS update for LPG tanker Brisote – a smart step forward This month, a number of vessels were equipped—or upgraded—with LOCOPIAS, our trusted loading software. Among them is the Brisote, an LPG tanker operated by Chemgas, one of SARC’s long-standing and valued customers. For the Brisote, this wasn’t a first-time installation, but an upgrade […]

Seven new vessels equipped with LOCOPIAS – including the impressive Alexia! At SARC, we are thrilled to see more vessels benefiting from our advanced loading software, LOCOPIAS. This month, we welcome seven new ships, all equipped with LOCOPIAS to enhance stability, efficiency, and compliance. One of the standout vessels this month is Alexia, a 150 […]

At LOCOPIAS, we continuously strive to enhance our software’s flexibility and usability. Our modular approach allows users to tailor their experience by selecting specific extensions that meet their operational needs. One such key extension is the lashing module within our container module, which provides essential functionalities for safe and efficient cargo securing. Until now, LOCOPIAS […]

At SARC, we are proud to see more vessels joining the growing fleet that benefits from our advanced loading software. This January, eight new ships have been successfully equipped with our system, allowing them to optimize cargo operations, improve stability, and increase fuel efficiency. The vessels now using our software include: Eco Trinity (General Cargo […]

The month is already halfway through but we didn’t want to deprive you of the December 2024 LOCOPIAS deliveries. The Sno, for example, is the first of a series of three inland waterway tankers to be delivered to Chemgas. The Greetje, in turn, is the third in a series of three general cargo vessels delivered […]

This month, a number of ships received an update to LOCOPIAS for several reasons. Several of vessels in Damen’s CF3850 series have been fitted with a final version of LOCOPIAS. Vessel: Amadeus Diamond Type: General Cargo Vessel Vessel: Vertom Rita Type: General Cargo Vessel Vessel: IJborg Type: General Cargo Vessel Vessel: Eiltank 42 Type: Inland […]

SARC is proud to announce that its LOCOPIAS loading computer software has received its first type approval from DNV. The type approval certificate is the first that SARC has received from DNV, which is one of the largest classification societies. SARC, manufacturer of PIAS ship design software and LOCOPIAS on-board loading computer software, is proud […]

One of the ships fitted with a LOCOPIAS this month is the Baltic Anka. This is a Conoship design from the CIP series. In addition, the ROPAX vessels Nordet and Suroit have been updated again with LOCOPIAS. Vessel: Monomera Type: Inland waterway tanker Vessel: Baltic Anka Type: General Cargo Vessel Vessel: Suroit Type: RoRo/Passenger Vessel […]

The summer period has ended and this is reflected in the number of LOCOPIAS versions delivered. Twelve vessels have been fitted with a new version of LOCOPIAS, most of them general cargo vessels but the SL labuan is also a nice reference. This is a diving support vessel from 2008 where we were able to […]

August saw a focus on general cargo vessels, including the completion of the final LOCOPIAS versions for the Artemis and Anemos. These vessels, part of TOWT’s innovative sailing cargo initiative, represent a unique project to equip eco-friendly ships with advanced on-board loading computer software, enhancing their efficiency and sustainability.. Vessel: Anemos Type: Sailing General Cargo […]

This newsletter summarizes some major enhancements of (LOCO)PIAS since the previous overview from January 2023. Newsletter on PIAS and LOCOPIAS functionality extensions 2024 Keeping up-to-date about exciting news. Follow us at LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

This summer, there are again plenty of ships equipped with LOCOPIAS. Thus, another seven general cargo vessels and five inland waterway tankers have been fitted with a final version of LOCOPIAS. For Vertom, the fifth ship in the LABRAX series (built at Thecla Bodewes) has already been fitted with LOCOPIAS and Briese has commissioned another […]

Since a few years the demand for new short sea vessels raised and several companies decided to purchase a CF 3850. Back in 1998 the first vessels of the Combi Freigther 3850 serie were equipped with LOCOPIAS on-board loading computer software. Since 2021 we have been awarded many contracts for delivery of LOCOPIAS for this […]

Via het Maritiem Masterplan krijgt de maritieme sector een aanzienlijke impuls om vaart te zetten achter verduurzaming. Essentieel voor succes daarbij is de inzet op innovatie. Kennis over en ervaring met nieuwe aandrijftechnieken zoals methanol, waterstof en LNG met carbon capture, moet worden ontwikkeld. Het ambitieuze plan steunt op een digitaal platform voor samenwerking en […]

Last week the 15th International Marine Design Conference (IMDC 2024) took place in Amsterdam. Two papers had been submitted for this, on which SARC was involved. The first explores data standards in maritime applications, data models of PIAS and CADMATIC and the direction for integrating these models in the SEUS project. The other is about […]

Eleven ships were fitted with LOCOPIAS in May. Quite a few ships were fitted with LOCOPIAS again this month, both newbuildings and existing ships.  The Helios is a great example of a ship where the customer is looking at the possibilities of sustainable shipping, over 300 solar panels have been installed on the hatches. Vessel: […]

The lashing system is designed to prevent the containers from shifting or tipping over during rough seas. These systems are crucial for safe and efficient transport of cargo containers. Installing these lashing rods, twistlocks, and turnbuckles takes time so you don’t want to use too many lashings. It is best to calculate the forces acting […]

Five ships were fitted with LOCOPIAS in April. In this month, a colleague of ours went to the Asia Cement No. 9 in Delftzijl to deliver LOCOPIAS including hardware but also giving an instruction of LOCOPIAS to the crew. If required, we can always provide instructions on board or online upon delivery of LOCOPIAS. It […]

An inclining experiment is executed to establish light ship weight and its center of gravity. SARC has had a module to run calculations required and generate a test report for decades. And even such simple module has been developed quite a bit. The current module Incltest can be used even if test weights are variable […]

A good number of ships were again fitted with LOCOPIAS in March. It is nice to see a fine diversity of ships again. Some ships are designed by our customers with PIAS and we were able to quickly deliver LOCOPIAS using their PIAS files. Furthermore, the Vega Alpha has been an interesting project to add […]

Four ships were fitted with LOCOPIAS in February. It is interesting to note that the LOCOPIAS for the Onego Rotterdam is an update. Just to show that we also provide updates for versions of LOCOPIAS that are already a bit older. Vessel: Onego Rotterdam Type: General Cargo Vessel Vessel: SL Mallard Type: Tug Vessel: Birkholm […]

In recent years, a lot of time has been spent developing multi-threading computation. Now a new version of PIAS has been released that makes probabilistic damage stability calculations up to 25% faster. Determining optimal damage boundaries can be performed multi-threaded for some time, but now the damage stability calculations can also be performed multi-threaded. This […]

The first month of the year also saw a number of ships being fitted with LOCOPIAS. Besides a number of inland waterway tankers are, a preliminary version has also been delivered for the Amalia. The third in the series of this unique vessel for Wagenborg. Vessel: Amalia Type: General Cargo Vessel Vessel: Blue Vera Type: […]

The year has been underway for a while but we still want to highlight the ships equipped with LOCOPIAS in December. Despite the festive season, a handful of versions of LOCOPIAS have been delivered. Among others, two vessels of the one of the 5200XL vessels designed by Groot Ship Design. Vessel: JSP Torno Type: General […]

IMO have released a small update to the IMDG Code amdt 41-22. The changes are mostly to the chapters of the Code, there are none at all to the Dangerous Goods List and just two to the Special Provisions. As a reminder, 31 Dec 2023 was the end of the transition year during which either […]

It has been quite a busy month, No less than 15 ships are equipped with LOCOPIAS on-board loading computer software. Among these are six fine tugs from Smit Lamnalco. We are very happy to provide a LOCOPIAS for these vessels with calculation for maximum anchor forces. In addition, it is nice to mention that the […]

In October, nine vessels have adopted LOCOPIAS, the advanced on-board loading computer software. This cutting-edge solution optimizes cargo management, stability, and safety for enhanced vessel performance. Let’s explore the recent integrations: Vessels Equipped with LOCOPIAS: Vessel: Sandpiper Type: Offshore construction Vessel: Kamalij Type:   Inland waterway tanker Vessel: Fyn Type:   General Cargo Vessel Vessel: Gas 85 […]

Click here to register for a free ticket You will find stand 1213 at the NMT Holland Pavilion in Hall 1, search for SARC in the Europort floor plan. We will demonstrate our latest developments, among which: Defining pipe lines and pipe systems in PIAS. EDI-IMDG validation tool. All bullet points for the Europort 2023. More info on […]

In the realm of maritime research and ship design, an enhanced version of the inclinometer sensor has emerged, offering a refined approach to inclining experiments. This updated hardware provides more precise measurements, improving the assessment of vessel stability and safety in the maritime industry. Inclining experiments are pivotal for ship design, primarily used to evaluate […]

In September, seven vessels have adopted LOCOPIAS, the advanced on-board loading computer software. This cutting-edge solution optimizes cargo management, stability, and safety for enhanced vessel performance. Let’s explore the recent integrations: Vessels Equipped with LOCOPIAS: Vessel: Synthese 12 Type: Inland waterway tanker Vessel: Encounter Type:  General Cargo Vessel Vessel: JSP MØN Type: General Cargo Vessel […]

The maximum VCG’-intact and -damaged calculations in the Hydrotables module can now be computed multi-threaded. This means that the calculation of each maximum allowable VCG’ is put on a new thread. With a multi-core computer, this can save a considerable amount of time. For this, the appropriate PIAS extension must be purchased.

In August, eight vessels have adopted LOCOPIAS, the advanced on-board loading computer software. This cutting-edge solution optimizes cargo management, stability, and safety for enhanced vessel performance. Let’s explore the recent integrations: Vessels Equipped with LOCOPIAS: Vessel: Arklow Gem Type: General Cargo Vessel Vessel: Arklow Glen Type:  General Cargo Vessel Vessel: Mundaka NM Type: General Cargo […]

In July, seven vessels have adopted LOCOPIAS, the advanced on-board loading computer software. This cutting-edge solution optimizes cargo management, stability, and safety for enhanced vessel performance. Let’s explore the recent integrations: Vessels Equipped with LOCOPIAS: Vessel: KS Project Type: General Cargo Vessel Vessel: Zwerver V Type: Multi Purpose DP2 Support Vessel Vessel: Hagland Progress Type: […]

The use of weight group numbers has been changed. From now on, the numbers are generated by the program itself and can no longer be defined manually by the user. The numbers are no longer visible anywhere, only the defined weight groups can be selected. As an additional option, the definition of a new group […]

In June, seven vessels have adopted LOCOPIAS, the advanced on-board loading computer software. This cutting-edge solution optimizes cargo management, stability, and safety for enhanced vessel performance. Let’s explore the recent integrations: Vessels Equipped with LOCOPIAS: Vessel: Trade Navigator Type: General Cargo Vessel Vessel: U81 Type: Yacht Support Vessel Vessel: Blue Anouska Type: Inland Waterway Tanker […]

In May, a number of ships were again equipped with LOCOPIAS, see below which ones: Courage – Inland waterway tanker Vilnius – Inland waterway tanker Blue Emily – Inland waterway tanker ADN130 – Seagoing pontoon Sydborg – General cargo vessel Blue Nathalie– Inland waterway tanker Arklow Racer – General cargo vessel Wilson Flex V – General […]

Monday 15 May marked the sixth SARC user day. The presentations can be found below. We will later complement this document with photos. Video’s of all presentations: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0rSumyvsLmCXCFp4jQEZzx-ElEWpbigu Photos taken during the SARC User day: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/nzox8tn8wyc81s3blur5f/h?dl=0&rlkey=zpnqep9mhxg138duarc6lfxfy Novel tools and methods in PIAS – Collaboration and interfacing – Herbert Koelman   Support – Implementation – Mark […]

The following vessels have been equipped with a final version of LOCOPIAS last month: Stolt Ludwigshafen – Inland waterway tanker Vertom Joy – General cargo vessel Othello – Inland waterway tanker Spectre – Inland waterway tanker Vertom Cyta – General cargo vessel Mistral – Inland waterway tanker Osanyamo – Tug

In the weight item list of a loading condition, 3 columns have been added for displaying the value of a measuring instrument. The printed value is calculated for the trim and heeling angle specified with that tank. The center of gravity and FSM are always calculated for an even-keel vessel. If multiple sounding pipes or […]

The following vessels have been equipped with a final version of LOCOPIAS last month: Seapiper – Fallpipe vessel Apollo mts – Inland waterway tanker Choules – Bay-class landing ship dock Nordborg – General cargo vessel Courage – Inland waterway tanker Gust – LPG Tanker Florvik – Cement carrier Stolt Ijssel – Inland waterway tanker Ijsselborg […]

We are happy to announce that the SARC user day has been scheduled for 15 May 2023. So please save this date! Throughout the day there will be several presentations on the developments of PIAS and LOCOPIAS over the last few years and we will give you an idea of our plans for the following […]

February was a productive month, the following vessels have been equipped with a final version of LOCOPIAS last month: Scot Leader – General cargo vessel Bahia Levante – Bunkering tanker Energy  – Container vessel Typhoon – LPG Tanker Twister – LPG Tanker Ijborg – General cargo vessel JSP Løjt – General cargo vessel Canopee – […]

The IMDG code extension in the LOCOPIAS (on-board loading computer software) container module assists in the loading of dangerous cargo by real time validation against the IMDG code. The stand alone EDI-IMDG validation tool can operate without any predefined ship geometry and is based on a schematic bay plan. This bay plan is derived from […]

Smart European Shipbuilding project – integrated platform for a combined solution incorporating CAE, CAD, CAM, and PDM software The Smart European Shipbuilding project (SEUS) aims to create a framework for European shipyards by developing an integrated platform for a combined solution that incorporates CAE, CAD, CAM, and PDM software and testing it at shipyards. The […]

This newsletter summarizes some major enhancements of (LOCO)PIAS since the previous overview from July 2021. Newsletter on PIAS and LOCOPIAS functionality extensions 2022 Keeping up-to-date about exciting news. Follow us at LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

For many years, PIAS has  a module Sounding, which computes  tank capacities and corresponding COG for an arbitrary list/trim combination, if applicable also with temperature correction to account for expansion of tank structure or cargo. The latter also with support for standards, e.g. ASTM tables for liquid hydrocarbons. These results can be utilized in a […]

For damage cases it is possible to use a so-called damage box, interactively a rectangle can be dragged, which makes the contained compartments flooded. This is a quick and consistent tool for declaring a large number of compartments flooded simultaneously. Now there is the possibility to define multiple damage boxes that can be quickly switched.

At draft marks the user can define minimum and maximum drafts for sailing in ice. This defines a so-called ‘ice belt’, which is graphically drawn and also checked. The user can turn the ice belt on and off in the settings of a loading condition.  

There is also the option to calculate and output the so-called ‘Envelope curve’. With this option, the envelope upper and lower limits are calculated of the occurring shear forces and moments based on the curves of the selected loading conditions. This envelope curve can be used to determine how strong the ship should be at […]

On user request, the module “Cargo Weight” in LOCOPIAS  Draft survey – SARC is extended with functionality to read the (draft)sensors. If a vessel is equipped with draft sensors, the measured values and the predefined sensor positions can be read and copied to the correct position in the draft/freeboard menu. After the sensor reading the […]

At the stability criteria it is possible to enter a table of minimum allowable G’M, for example calculated with the probabilistic damage stability : In the summary of the stability criteria in Loading, this minimum allowable G’M was printed as a maximum allowable VCG’. From now on, it is printed as a minimum G’M, see […]

In the menu with the overview of loading conditions, under the ‘Output / Damage stability’ option, there is a new additional option ‘Longitudinal strength’ : If this option is selected, longitudinal strength calculations are made for all selected loading conditions for damage stability (2nd column in this menu) and for all selected damage cases for […]

SARC has developed a constraingt management feature for our Layout module. Constraint management is an important step in automating a part of the design proces, while leaving the designer firmly in the captain’s seat. When the Constraint Management program is used, a feasible ship compartment design can be made in a quick manner and the […]

During the design process, compartment geometry or tank properties are frequently changed in order to optimize the performance of the design. Changes in tank geometry (and hence in volume etc.) are always processed in subsequent modules (In Loading immediately if ‘direct calculation of tank data’ has been switched on, see https://www.sarc.nl/images/manuals/pias/htmlEN/config.html#config_compartments). However, for some tank […]

The strip theory method of PIAS’ Motions has been expanded with the option to include additional roll damping. The implementation is based on el Moctar, B. O., Schellin, T. E., & Söding, H. (2021). Numerical Methods for Seakeeping Problems, Springer International Publishing. Strip theory is based on the potential theory, which does not account for frictional […]

In addition to the larger development projects, there are occasionally smaller functions that we adjust in the software to make it easier or faster to work with. Some of these that have taken place in recent months are listed below. From the very beginning, the hull shape data (cross-sectional shapes) were stored in a file […]

In the past, you could only leave Hulldef if there were no more errors in the input. Now you can always leave the module, but you will still get a popup with possible errors. This popup is also available in the module itself, see the ‘Check’ option in the menu bar.   When starting any […]

In March of last year, we already delivered the news that the Cargo Weight module had been renewed. (https://www.sarc.nl/cargo-weight-module-renewed/)  Afterwards, customers still had some questions, so we took another critical look at the program and made some extra adjustments. Additional fields are shown for draft and freeboard. Calculated (or initial) values will all be displayed […]

In order to support future expansions, the storage format of the loading conditions and weight items has been expanded. As usual, the conversion is fully automatic. The files with the extension BEL, GEW and KET are merged into 1 file with the extension WIT (from Weight Item). Converted files cannot be read in older PIAS […]

The damage case definition has been updated to add past desires and support future extensions. Features of the new damage case definition: All damage cases from all modules are in 1 list, each damage case can be calculated in any module. Per damage case you can specify for which module it is meant, possibly for […]

After 15 years at the Brinklaan, SARC moved this month to a new office space, where we have enough possibilities to grow and to give courses for larger groups. Those who are curious are more than welcome at the address below: Landstraat 5 1404 JD Bussum Netherlands Telephone etc. remain unchanged.   Parking is still […]

Click here to register for a free ticket You will find stand 8004 at the NMT Holland Pavilion in Hall 8, search for SARC in the Europort floor plan We will demonstrate our latest developments, among which: New container module for PIAS and LOCOPIAS. Possiblity for seakeeping studies within PIAS. EDI-IMDG validation tool. Several small improvements to the […]

SARC, Netherlands-based developer of maritime software solutions, has released an EDI-IMDG validation tool for shipping dangerous goods by sea. The SARC EDI-IMDG Validator can operate without any predefined ship geometry and is based on a schematic bay plan. This bay plan is derived from an Electronic Data Interchange file (EDI/Baplie). The tool is meant for […]

LOCOPIAS has always been equipped with a dedicated container GUI with support for a wide range of standard container types. However, corresponding container slot positions needed to be pre-defined for all container types, which was quite a task to do. Recently, a completely redesigned and rewritten container module was released, equipped with enhanced logic for […]

Earlier this year we announced that we had added a new module to PIAS: Motions. With this module the seakeeping behavior of a monohull vessel can be analyzed. While at launch only a simple empirical model was available, we are happy to announce that the module has been extended with a strip theory based method. […]

Vessels are always equipped with an appendage in PIAS. At the starting point ‘Start appendage’ appears on the right. The appendage points are shown in grey and cannot be changed. Nor can points be deleted or inserted. It is only meant to confirm the location of the appendage points. More info at: https://www.sarc.nl/images/manuals/pias/htmlEN/hulldef.html#hulldef_input_coordinates_manual

In the program for reporting an inclination test, a VCG is determined per measurement, so that all small hydrostatic differences that may arise between the measurements are fully taken into account. Such may for example be differences in KM — because PIAS determines rather accurately for each heel the hull intersection with the waterline, and […]

This newsletter summarizes some major enhancements of (LOCO)PIAS since the previous overview from January 2020. Newsletter on PIAS and LOCOPIAS functionality extensions 2021 Keeping up-to-date about exciting news. Follow us at LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

Within PIAS function keys are also being used. These keys act as shortcuts, performing certain functions. The following options facilitate the use of input window: F1 – Opens the context-sensitive help reader. F2 – In order to edit the text in a cell, the can be used. The existing text will then become modifiable. F3 […]

Motions is a program for predicting the ship motions in the frequency domain. As of now it uses a semi-analytical method for quick calculations in the concept design phase which can calculate the transfer functions for the heave, roll and pitch motions of the vessel, using only the main parameters of a vessel together with […]

In recent months we have made several minor adjustments to PIAS. One of them is the PIAS printer settings. These can still be found in the same location, but now everything is clearly displayed in one screen. http://www.sarc.nl/images/manuals/pias/htmlEN/general.html#general_print_options In combination with the general page heading, it has become easier to quickly get the right output […]

In order to make it easier for the user, it is now possible to make multiple selections within PIAS. This can be done by holding down the Ctrl button and clicking with the mouse on a cell. More information on the general process and options can be found: https://www.sarc.nl/images/manuals/pias/htmlEN/operation.html#operation_copy_paste Please note that this also affects […]

The IMDG Code, 2020 Edition (inc. Amendment 40-20) comes into force on 1 June 2022 and may be applied voluntarily as from 1 January 2021.   The IMDG Code, 2018 Edition (inc. Amendment 39-18) came into force on 1 January 2020 for two years and may be applied voluntarily as from 1 January 2019. Validity […]

The cargo weight module is designed to do a draft survey. Before and after loading the drafts are measured. These values give a difference in displacement. When taking into account the difference in consumables, the (un)loaded cargo weight is determined. The module could also be used to check if a loading condition in LOCOPIAS matches […]

At the request of several customers, the PIAS installer has now been extended to accept command line parameters for silent installation, custom installation folder and autorun. For further details we refer to the manual: https://www.sarc.nl/images/manuals/pias/htmlEN/general.html#installation_command_line_parameters

Introduction The seasoned PIAS user will have experienced that from time to time a module is subject to a radical rewrite or even a complete redesign. We have seen that the past years with the Fairway GUI, and with Compart being replaced by Layout. You will not have noticed yet, but some month ago we […]

The PIAS license is protected by means of a Codemeter Dongle (a physical USB hardware lock) or CMact license (a software based hardware lock) manufactured by Wibu Systems. For the communication between PIAS and the Codemeter solution, a runtime environment (driver) is required. Wibu systems recently informed us on several detected vulnerabilities in their Codemeter […]

For De Heer land en water SARC delivered a series of stability booklets. De Heer land en water operate multiple modular pontoons for inland waterway maintenance works, such as dredging and construction. The pontoons are interconnectable, so for every job a suitable size can be chosen. However, once the ponton is equipped with a crane, […]

Computations of PIAS often involve many steps, however, (paper) space and human attention span are too limited to present each and every intermediate computation sub result. So, only the most prominent results are printed — or listed, or exported, for that matter — and the experience over the past decades has shown that the standard […]

Until now, the tank data from the weight list of a loading condition were interpolated on a pre-calculated tank table. This required tank tables to be calculated in the Layout module. In this implementation, the accuracy of the interpolated data was dependent on the step size of the computation of the table. Recently, in PIAS […]

PIAS was adapted around 2015 so that more than two calculation cores can be used in parallel. In view of the overhead time involved in starting up a separate calculation task, a maximum of 8 simultaneous calculation tasks was chosen at the time. Meanwhile, multithreading has been implemented in even more places within the PIAS […]

During this global pandemic we are trying to stay in touch with PIAS users and our other followers and keep them updated about our software. Just before the CoVid-19 pandemic we have visited some companies to inform them personally of our recent, current and future developments within SARC and on PIAS, Fairway and LOCOPIAS. Because […]

SARC has provided multiple licenses of PIAS to DNV GL Hamburg and Gdynia office. DNV GL is an international classification society from Norway/Germany and has around 350 offices operating in more than 100 countries. DNV GL is the world’s largest classification society and is now able to approve stability booklets and on-board loading computer software […]

Now it is possible for the user to modify the PIAS page heading for all generated output. With this setting you can add and remove page headings and give it an identifiable name. More detailed information can be found in the manual.

On May 1st, 1980, Herbert Koelman started a small company named SARC from his attic in Delft when the computer age was still in its infancy. You probably know the story from there: SARC currently employs 14 enthousiastic naval architects, we have done some 4500 projects, we have delivered some 1300 versions of LOCOPIAS, while […]

In the last few years SARC and CADMATIC have joined forces to develop a collaborative ship design system together with Conoship.  This collaboration has been called the Dutch Collaborative Platform for the Design and Engineering of Ships (CPDES) research project. In the early design stage, most small and medium-sized shipyards and design offices have difficulty […]

The PIAS menu has been modified, all modules are now collected into a single window. New additions are buttons to read latest PIAS news, check your PIAS version number and to open the manual.

Now that the year is already a few weeks away, we still want to share a newsletter with you where we merged last year’s news. Newsletter on PIAS and LOCOPIAS functionality extensions 2020 Keeping up-to-date about exciting news. Follow us at LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.

Container ships navigating the major European inland waterways should comply with the ES-TRIN 2017/1 standard. Since the 1980s PIAS contains a dedicated module, named Rhine, for this regulation (and its predecessors). This module has now been discarded, for all its functions have been relocated to other PIAS modules. All input can now be done with […]

Since its childhood, PIAS had the feature of an easy definition of upper appendages, such as deckhouses or camber, where manual commands were used to explicitly add or remove the appendages to or from the hullform. With the latest PIAS version this user command is not required anymore; once appendages have been defined, they will […]

The PIAS module Resist, which can predict resistances of different ship types with nine published empirical methods, has been expanded with a shallow-water correction. The implemented method is based on H.C. Raven, “A new correction procedure for shallow-water effects in ship speed trials”, Proceedings of PRADS2016 (2016), Kopenhagen, Denmark. In 2017 the ITTC has accepted […]

The 2020 edition of the intact stability code has been extended with, among other things, regulations on the maximum allowable chain force for anchor handling vessels. The implementation of these rules in PIAS has been released on August 21, 2019. This calculation involves many iterations and decompositions of anchor forces, much too many to be […]

Earlier this year we have sent our customers information on the upgrade of our software license protection mechanism from the hardware lock brand “Sentinel”  to the Codemeter license. Early next year we will switch permanently to the use of the Codemeter implementation. After this date you can still use the sentinel, but if you want […]

Different regulations are used for vessels with designation Anchor Handling: Norwegian Maritime Directorate (NMD) from 2007: Guidelines for immediate measures on supply ships and tugs that are used for anchor handling. Bureau Veritas (BV) amendments January 2014, Pt. D Ch. 14 Sec. 2 Reg. 5: Additional requirements for anchor handling vessels. Intact Stability Code (IS) […]

To speed up time consuming calculations (more specific, parts of the probabilistic damage stability calculations), PIAS uses parallelization of the calculation process where possible. For example the generation of damage cases and the calculation of damage boundaries is multithreaded. Multithreading in PIAS is available as dual-threading (up to 2 cores), Octo-threading (up to 8 cores) […]

A select set of frequently used functions in Fairway are now just one click away, directly accessible from the new tool bars. Tool bars in Fairway can be rearranged by dragging them to a different location around the drawing area, or floating anywhere on top of the drawing area. Individual tool bars can be hidden […]

It will be well known that for the definition of spaces and compartments in PIAS, the ‘physical planes’ provide a very efficient modelling tool. Obviously, these planes will in practice be used to model bulkheads and decks. Recently, the data storage of the physical planes has been enhanced to include a specific weight (which is […]

IMDG amendment 39-18 is now published, may be used from 1/1/2019 and becomes mandatory on 1/1/2020 when amdt 38-16 is no longer valid. The overview of changes has been published by Hazcheck: http://www.imdgsupport.com/IMDG_2018_Changes.asp Last year we released the IMDG module for the first time. Now SARC has integrated the IMDG Amendment 39-18 into the LOCOPIAS […]

IMO Intact Stability Code is in its 2020 version extended to include a section 2.7, “Ships engaged in anchor handling operations”.  These have now been added to the rule set of  PIAS’ Maxchain module, as well as in the polar plots of LOCOPIAS. Polar plot of maximum allowable anchor chain force, according to intact Stability […]

Those who followed the newsletters of the past years will have noticed that PIAS has seriously been revised and modernized. An important topic in this process has been the replacement of Compart with the Layout module. However, PIAS modules using compartment data were still based on the Compart data format, so Layout stored the compartment […]

On June 15, 2018 IMO adopted resolution MSC.421(98), titled “Amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea”. With respect to probabilistic damage stability, this encompasses: A change of the required subdivision index for passenger vessels. Changes in the formula for the probability of survival, applicable to damage cases that involve a […]

When designing or defining a ship for some tanks or compartments target capacities apply. In those cases it will be convenient to have permanent feedback on the actual volume of a compartment. This feature is now available in PIAS’  Layout module.

The output of damage stability (summary) has been given a makeover and has become much shorter than before. This output can also be imported into Microsoft Word or Excel to edit it yourself. For each damage case it is now possible to see briefly and clearly whether this case is complies or not. The complete output […]

In the January 2019 issue of the Naval Architect journal, an article has been published about Computer-Aided Ship Design (CASD) software. Discussed subjects are: User-friendliness of software in practice. Root cause analysis of ill-designed software. Examples of PIAS software after proactively envisioning what the user really needs. With kind permission of The Naval Architect the […]

Just before the closing of the year we would like to inform you about the most recent developments concerning SARC and PIAS, as elaborated in attached newsletter. Newsletter SARC BV December 2018

Already for some twenty years, the Probdam damage case generator has a feature, called compartment connections, for generating complex intermediate stages of flooding. This tool has been improved so that a multitude of complex intermediate stages will be generated, instead of just a single one previously. This results in a more realistic flooding pattern of […]

SARC is already present in the maritime software industry for more than 35 years. Our goal is to create software for naval architects which programmed from the mind and practice of a naval architect, in order to make it quick and easy to use. One of the most challenging parts of software programming is to […]

Hopper dredger stability (e.g. dr-68 or Bureau Veritas N.I. 144) computation used to be present in PIAS in a separate module Hopstab. In February 16 of this year a new version of PIAS’ stability module Loading was released, where all hopper stability effects have been integrated (and enhanced, compared to Hopstab). The dr-78 and dr-68 […]

The applicable rules are available in all European languages: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32006L0087 Per 1 juli 2009 is in de Binnenvaartwet vastgelegd dat eigenaars van jachten langer dan 20 meter een Certificaat van Onderzoek (CvO) moeten hebben. Dit certificaat is nodig om op Europese binnenwateren te mogen varen. Destijds is er een overgangsregeling ingesteld die eigenaren tot 31 december […]

For the computation of wind heeling moments, in PIAS the windage area can be given. That used to be limited to a single contour, with some maximum number of points, which was sufficient for the common use the past 25 years. However, when importing the contour shape from a CAD system that maximum can easily […]

Type vessel: General / Bulk cargo for inland waterways Rule dimensions: L = 110,00 m B = 10,46 m D = 3,2 m T = 3,2 m Delivery: Lines plan for a single screw inland waterway vessel. For Shipbuilding Solutions our engineers performed the lines plan design for a general cargo vessel built for the […]

Righting (and heeling) levers of stability are determined by dividing the righting (or heeling) moment by the ship’s displacement. In intact condition, the displacement to choose for that division is unambiguously that of the loading condition under consideration. In damage stability, the choice is not that obvious. However, the standard suggested by the relevant regulations […]

SARC has successfully delivered the on-board loading computer software for the new cargo vessel Arklow Villa (YN 730). This is the last ship in a series of ten 5,150 DWT traders that SARC has fitted out at Royal Bodewes Shipyard to Bureau Veritas class standards. They are all owned by Arklow Shipping and are being […]

The stability required to ensure the safety of a ship, its crew and the environment is laid down in legislation. In PIAS the major part of legislation is predefined, readily available, while the underlying parametric editor facilities allows the definition of less frequently used or very specific criteria. More information about manipulating and selecting sets […]

Although the NURBS surface method is not very suitable for the hull design process as such, it is widely used for interfacing. So, when a hull design is to be used downstream, e.g. for engineering, CFD analyses or visualization, the Fairway hullform has to be converted to a set of NURBS surfaces. The first step […]

Herbert Koelman, who founded SARC in 1980, has recently been appointed as Lector Maritime Innovative Technologies at the Maritime Institute Willem Barentsz (MIWB). The function of a Lector is initiating and managing applied research, as well as supporting education. This appointment is for two days a week, the other three days Koelman will remain at […]

From January 2018 the new 38th amendment of the IMDG Code will become mandatory and to invigorate this an IMDG module has been added to LOCOPIAS. IMDG  (International Maritime Dangerous Goods) Code is accepted as an international guideline to the safe maritime transportation or shipment of dangerous goods or hazardous materials. This (mandatory) Code has […]

Last week our colleagues provided a probabilistic damage stability training in Aalst, Belgium, the home base of Jan de Nul, a leading and maritime construction company. To know more about the trainings we provide, please check the ‘Training’ page.

This manual is intended to explain how to verify the Loading Computer System (LCS). The LCS, in this case LOCOPIAS, must be verified at regular intervals to check the correct functioning of the loading instrument. EBIS is asking for a Class approved ship stability calculation program for on-board use and there muest be records indicating […]

Already for some decades, PIAS has the capability to compute intact and damage stability for open-top hopper vessels, e.g. as required by the dr-67 & dr-68 regulations for hopper dredgers with a reduced freeboard. This function, which was available in a separate PIAS module, has recently be integrated in PIAS’ standard stability module, called Loading. […]

SARC is pleased to announce the extension of LR (Lloyd’s Register) Type Approval for their LOCOPIAS on-board loading computer software. This approval certifies LOCOPIAS products for use in LR class ships in the (damage) stability and longitudinal strength of the vessel. “We are very happy with this certification,” said Herbert Koelman, Managing Director of SARC. […]

A number of standard stability requirements have been programmed, an overview is presented in the figures below.

You might know that IMO is currently developing an additional set of intact stability criteria, the so-called “Second generation intact stability criteria”. It is expected that its development will be finalized around 2019, so it might become sensible to verify some of your ships or designs against these criteria. An occasional PIAS user is already […]

Last month the RYDC organized a bilateral talk on Dutch and Chinese Yacht Engineering Technology and Cooperation on October 26th in Seven Star Bay, Shenzhen. At this symposium the following companies gave a speech (from left to right): SARC (Herbert Koelman) University of Delft (Jenny Coenen) University of Twente (Robert Wendrich) University of Wuhan (Prof. […]

PIAS’ Layout module is able to produce tank sounding tables with a variety of parameters and units. Commonly, if the ullage or sounding parameters are included in such a table, those are determined in a user-defined sounding pipe, which can exist of two or more points. The latter to model curved or knuckled pipes. Additional, […]

On September 13, Herbert Koelman received a best presentation award out of the hands of the chairman of the South African Institute of Marine Engineers and Naval Architects for his presentations held at the HIPER (High-Performance Marine Vehicles) conference held in Zevenwacht, South-Africa. Kevin Watson (left, SAIMENA) and the two price winners Anriëtte Bekker (middle, […]

In PIAS, for each particular project of vessel the side of heel for intact and damage stability calculations is user-configurable, where the options are: Portside (PS). Starboard (SB). The side of the statical angle of inclination. With this setting, the side of the worst stability is estimated with this method: if this statical angle is […]

PIAS, as many other stability programs, has from its conceptualization in the 1980s determined the intact and damage stability (or, to be more precise, the GZ) with respect to centerline plane. That is not always correct, in particular with hull shapes which are significant asymmetrical in longitudinal direction the GZ should be determined with respect […]

Some tasks of PIAS can be quite computation-intensive, such as the computation of intact stability (in particular if enhanced features are active, such as the shift of liquid method, and/or stability around the weakest axis) and damage stability, but also the generation of curved surfaces in Fairway. Time was that each new computer generation was […]

For our General Cargo module in LOCOPIAS we now have a connection with the software Visual Cargo Care (lashing & securing). Visual Cargo Care is an advanced software solution for lashing & securing of heavy-lift and project cargo. The Visual Cargo Care solution for Heavy-Lift & Project cargo helps you to be more effectively calculating acceleration forces, […]

A Ballast Water Management Plan must be approved and on board by 8 September 2017. With the deadline approaching, SARC has information and resources to help you. Ships of 400 gt and above are required to have on board and implement a Ballast Water Management Plan approved by Class. The Ballast Water Management Plan is […]

The 16th International Ship Stability Workshop, ISSW 2017 was held in Belgrade, Serbia, from 5th to 7th of June, 2017. During this workshop Herbert Koelman had given a speech about the practicalities of loading instruments for Inland Waterway Tankers. Intact and damage stability properties of Inland WaterWay (IWW) tankers are being considered to a much […]

In order to accommodate future program enhancements, PIAS’ module Layout has been updated as per May 18, 2017. As usual, this format update is upwards compatible, which means that newer PIAS versions can read the old format, but older versions cannot read the new format. So, in order to be prepared to receive PIAS files […]

In the April 2017 issue of the Naval Architect journal, an article has been published about recent developments in PIAS. Discussed subjects are: The recent restructuring of the PIAS program suit. PIAS used to contain quite some separate modules, from which many have merged into core functional modules for e.g. hullform design, compartment modelling, intact […]

Ship Design – To Boldly Go… (Volker Bertram) 2017Amsterdam_Koelman Recent developments in PIAS (Mark Visser) recent developments in PIAS Product Data Technology: pitfalls, disappointments and outlooks (Herbert Koelman) https://prezi.com/q1a5om6vb8wc/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share PIAS – CADMATIC collaborative ship design tool (Paul Filius & Jan van der Zee) CPDES Smart Interoperability Novelties in LOCOPIAS (Douwe Plukkel & Egbert van Ijken) […]

In order to be able to prepare a smooth day, we would kindly ask you to register for this event not later than Friday March 31, at http://sarcuserday.app.rsvpify.com/ The invitation can be found here: Invitation SARC user day April 7th 2017 If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact us through sarc@sarc.nl or call […]

Our previous leaflets are made in 2011 and we needed some refreshment because we have developed a lot the last few years. Underneath you can find all of the leaflets, but also on our Downloads page. PIAS : English LOCOPIAS: English Company: English LOCOPIAS Inland Waterway: Dutch

We have reached the 1000 vessels which are equipped with LOCOPIAS! Take a look for the complete list at https://www.sarc.nl/locopias/examples

We are happy to announce that the SARC user day has been scheduled for 7 April 2017. So please save this date! Throughout the day there will be several presentations on the developments of PIAS and LOCOPIAS over the last few years and we will give you an idea of our plans for the following […]

Just before the closing of the year we would like to inform you about the most recent developments concerning SARC and PIAS, as elaborated in attached newsletter. Newsletter SARC BV December 2016

PIAS’ Probdam module is equipped with functions for damage case generation and for the automatic determination of damage boundaries. The algorithm for the latter has been enhanced for two reasons: To accommodate damages over centerline (as already announced in the newsletter of October 2015). To be able to handle non-foursided compartment shapes. With PIAS’ old […]

Although the freeboard calculation module of PIAS is not core of the suite, it is still intensively used in many phases of the ship design process. For that reason we have taken up this module — from which the origin lies 20 years back — and brought it in line with the look and feel […]

PIAS’ Newlay module – for definition of the internal geometry, such as planes, bulkhead and compartments – has been enhanced with a function to compute the area of the outer surfaces of compartments. These figures are intended to serve as a guide for the paint area of compartments. https://www.sarc.nl/images/manuals/pias/htmlEN/newlay.html#newlay_complist_tanktabellen_surfacearea

Since its establishment in 1980, SARC has been using the Good Vibes font for its logo. On May 1st SARC celebrated its 36th birthday, which we consider to be a good opportunity for a fresh logo: The logo designer has motivated his creation with these words: “A wave is the most identifying visual form that […]

De afgelopen jaren hebben Numeriek Centrum Groningen (NCG), Conoship en Scheepsbouwkundig Advies en Reken Centrum (SARC) een pilot ontwikkeld waarbij scheepsontwerp- en engineeringssoftware van verschillende herkomst, m.n. NUPAS-CADMATIC en PIAS, zich gedraagt als één systeem. Om dit concept verder uit te bouwen is, met behulp van Netherlands Maritime Technology (NMT), een voorstel gedaan voor een […]

PIAS’ internal libraries will be enhanced in order to benefit from facilities of more recent versions of MS-Windows. This implies that future versions of (LOCO-)PIAS will not be able to operate on Windows XP. For program users who still rely on XP a backdoor will be available for some time. This has internally to be […]

For many years, the hullform modeller of PIAS, Fairway, has a capacity to import the hull shape from files in (several formats of) IGES or DXF format. We noticed a rising application of trimmed surfaces in IGES, for that reason the Fairway import now also supports this IGES sub format.

Click here to register for a free ticket You will find stand 8114 at the NMT Holland Pavilion in Hall 8, search for SARC in the EUROPORT floor plan For opening hours and other useful information, click here. We will demonstrate our latest developments, among which: New interfaces of our PIAS software New LOCOPIAS features Fairway […]

Maritime Industry 2015 – De complete maritieme sector bij elkaar in het hart van de waterregio. Van dinsdag 2 juni tot en met donderdag 4 juni 2015 vindt de 11e editie van vakbeurs Maritime Industry 2015 plaats in Gorinchem. Hier presenteren jaarlijks meer dan 500 producenten, importeurs, constructeurs, groothandelaren en toeleveranciers hun oplossingen aan ruim […]

SARC is to present two papers at the Compit conference this year. The paper by Herbert Koelman concerns the integration of PIAS with other design tools. Experience indicates that coupling dedicated software packages is a better strategy than trying to develop monolithic “one code fits them all” ship design software. The paper by Bastiaan Veelo is about the […]

The Dutch Government and a consortium of four companies (SARC, Mastership, Polyworx and MHE Engineering) based in Netherlands signed the agreement “Yacht engineering and Design China” on AThe consortium for this Partners for International Business (PIB) project consists of Dutch leading companies of the yacht design and engineering sector. Jointly they can offer to the […]

The new AND rules of January 1st 2013 include a requirement for stability software on board of a double-walled inland waterway tanker, ADN type-C with effect from 1st of January 2015. A computer loading instrument, covering stability and strength, is required in case the skipper cannot easily determine whether an anticipated loading condition is acceptable from […]

On February 26, SARC presented recent and future developments on CASD, for the Rotterdam branch of the KNVTS society, in Vlaardingen. The presentation sheets are now available on prezi.com here and here. The same presentation will also be held (in dutch) for the Amsterdam branch of the Society, see the KNVTS website.

LLoyd’s Register EMEA have prepared for an expected increase in work on inland waterway tankers. New ADN and rules and updated EBIS questionnaires now require inland waterway tankers to have stability documentation and loading instruments updated and approved. As the majority of these vessels have been designed with PIAS software, either by SARC or one […]

Conoship International, ship designers from Groningen, The Netherlands, is a long lasting user of PIAS; way back in the 1980s they belonged to one of the first users of PIAS, so in the past 25 years numerous ships have been designed and optimized with the PIAS tools. Furthermore, Conoship and SARC have collaborated in quite […]

Mactech Marine Pvt. Ltd. is a Marine Consultancy dedicated to provide high quality services to their customers in the shipping industry. We are proud they have chosen for PIAS as their tool for stability analyses (Intact, damage, probabilistic). We have provided PIAS via our Indian agent Harsha Marine Designers.

LOCOPIAS has recently been delivered for the Panama pipe layer ‘Sapura Topazio’.

For more then 30 years, Technisch Bureau Gommers have outsourced stability calculations to SARC. Now Technisch Bureau Gommers have decided the time is ripe to purchase a basic PIAS package to do the bulk of these calculations themselves. SARC will continue to provide support (and if necessary additional calculations) and look forward to a continued fruitful […]

The German inland motor freighter ‘Girbaud’ has recently been equipped with LOCOPIAS.

Quoting from the new LOCOPIAS Certificate of Approval issued by Lloyd’s Register: “This is to certify that the above Strength, Intact (Type 1) & Damage (Type 2 & 3) Stability calculation program has been examined in accordance with the relevant Classification Rules and the requirements of Statutory Regulations and is approved for the functions stated on […]

Following her sisters Polaris and Pollux, Procyon is now also equipped with LOCOPIAS including intact and (direct) damage stability calculations.

Please click here to register for a free ticket! Please use the following registration code “7140005455” Opening hours: 13:00 – 21:00 hour We look forward to seeing you on our stand 390 We will demonstrate our latest developments, among which: New LOCOPIAS features New interfaces of our software New modeling techniques for modeling watertight subdivision

Following her sister Orabothnia, Katelina has now also been equipped with LOCOPIAS, including intact and damage stability plus longitudinal strength.

SARC have delivered a version of LOCOPIAS for the crane pontoon ‘Conquest MB1’. The setup includes ‘loss of load’ calculations.

SCYLLA wants to be able to evaluate intact and damage stability and run longitudinal strength calculations for their fleet of over 20 vessels. Most of SCYLLA’s vessels were designed using PIAS, which made the choice for PIAS even easier.

LOCOPIAS has recently been installed on the following vessels: The inland chemical tanker mts ‘Ursula’. Seagoing gas tanker ‘Brisote’. Seagoing chemical tanker ‘Orabothnia’.

Recently, Royal Bodewes shipyard in Hoogezand, the Netherlands, started using our hull modelling software Fairway. The yard, founded in 1812, designs and builds a wide variety of ship types. Fairway shows to be a good fit to the yards’ focus on quality, optimization and innovation.

LOCOPIAS has recently been added to the German inland tanker ‘Blandina’.

The Turkish military vessel ‘Buyakada’ has recently been equipped with LOCOPIAS.

Recently we have added a small but practical extention to the dragger in Fairway that you may find valuable to know about. We call it “Snap to point” and it can be used to copy the coordinates of any point in the model whenever you need to enter a position. It is used like this: […]

Please click here to register for a free ticket! Please use action code “NTWO000411VOU” if you are asked for one (not all browsers seem to handle this automatically): For opening hours and other useful information, click here We will demonstrate our latest developments, among which: New interfaces of our software New modeling techniques for modeling watertight […]

Our hull modelling programme Fairway has had the ability to generate shaded surface renderings for many years, but it did not allow manipulation of the geometry simultaneously. SARC B.V. has been investing effort into the renewal of Fairway for quite some time, and one of the goals has been the visualisation of the rendered surface within the […]

Dutch pipe burying vessel ‘Joseph Plateau’ has been equipped with LOCOPIAS.

We’ve recently supplied LOCOPIAS for the Norwegian offshore suppliy ship ‘World Peridot’.

We welcome the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) as a new client. They have selected PIAS and Fairway for their department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. The software was delivered via Harsha Marine Designers, our agent in India.

  The oil tanker ‘King Fisher’ has recently been equipped with LOCOPIAS.

An interface between LOCOPIAS and BERG Maritiem Meetsystemen is now available. For a recent delivery on the inland waterway tanker “Antverpia” we included this functionality. The interface consists of reading volumes and densities for actual temperature for all cargo tanks from the tank measurement system.

On June 14, SARC installed LOCOPIAS loading computer software on-board of mv ‘UAL TEXAS’.

LOCOPIAS has recently been delivered for vessel ‘Industrial More’.

Herbert Koelman has been announced as the winner of the GL COMPIT Award 2013. The Dutch computer aided design expert was honoured for his paper’s contribution to the promotion of innovative approaches in ship design, at the COMPIT Conference which took place from 15 to 17 April in Cortona, Italy. The jury singled out Dr […]