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Marine deck spreads
Marine deck spreads and vessel layouts
Deck spreads aren’t just about what’s bolted down. A good deck spread considers the whole operational picture, including how equipment interacts, how people move and how work and services flow.
Structural integrity is paramount. MintMech seafastenings meet class requirements and can be reviewed by any marine warranty surveyor. But structural calculations alone don’t deliver efficient, safe and easy-to-use deck layouts. A vessel layout might be strong and safe, but if crew have a nightmare performing their jobs, the whole project will suffer.
Designed for the real world
Every MintMech vessel layout decision is tested against three lenses: equipment in isolation, equipment working with other kit and the people and services that weave between them.
It’s important that design engineers take the time to understand how their team will actually work with the spread. For example, on a geotechnical drilling vessel, where does the core sample go when it comes up? Do crew need to carry it around a corner, over a step or up a ladder? Could one raised section of deck eliminate a trip hazard and the associated risk of an offshore injury that halts the job?
On a recent project, we raised the deck by 200 mm to eliminate a step that created a trip hazard. In another case, we raised it by 600 mm, creating a crawlspace beneath the working area that allowed services to be run neatly out of sight, keeping the deck flush and free from obstruction.
Integrating services and safety
Winch wires, electrical cables and spooling angles all need to be accounted for on a deck layout. We have designed winch bases that double as shielding, repositioned equipment to keep people out of snapback zones and created bolt patterns that allow rapid reconfiguration for vessels operating in multiple modes.
For example, on one vessel spread mobilisation we engineered a winch base that could be rotated 180 degrees, with both bolt patterns installed during fabrication. On another, we routed high-tensile winch wires beneath a heavy piece of equipment, using its structure to shield crew naturally and avoid extra barriers.
Crew access ways are sized for stiffness, not just code strength, so crew never feel a platform ‘bounce’ under load.
Collaborative, not prescriptive
Our layouts are not imposed; they are developed in collaboration with your team. We combine our engineering knowledge and proven back catalogue of innovative solutions with your specific operational requirements. This creates a practical, reliable deck spread that suits your workflow and the realities of offshore life.
Every detail is part of a larger strategy: building a vessel spread that keeps people safe, workflows smooth and mobilisation times short. And, because we have solved these problems many times before, we can draw on existing designs to deliver outcomes sooner.