Piping & Machinery
Piping & Machinery Engineering
Navtech designs and integrates marine piping and machinery systems — ballast water treatment and scrubber retrofits, thermal oil and cargo heating systems, fuel and bilge systems — from P&ID through 3D routing and isometrics to installed, class-approved reality.
BWTS and scrubber retrofit integration
Retrofit work lives or dies on how well the new equipment fits the space that actually exists. We start from a 3D laser scan of the machinery space, model the equipment and its services into the real geometry, and produce routing that avoids the clashes and rework that destroy dry-dock schedules. The same approach applies to exhaust gas cleaning systems, where structural, piping and electrical interfaces all land at once.
- Equipment selection support and space feasibility studies
- 3D scan-based modelling of existing machinery spaces
- Ballast water treatment system tie-ins, bypass arrangements and sampling points
- Scrubber integration including exhaust routing, washwater and sludge systems
- Commissioning support and as-built documentation after installation
P&IDs, 3D routing and isometrics
We produce the full documentation chain a yard needs to fabricate and install without interpretation — process and instrumentation diagrams that reflect the operating philosophy, a 3D model that resolves clashes before steel is cut, and spool-level isometrics with material take-off.
- Process and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) and system schematics
- 3D piping models with clash detection against structure and equipment
- Spool drawings, isometrics and pipe support details
- Valve and equipment lists, line lists and material take-off
Pipe stress, water hammer and system analysis
Where temperature, pressure or vibration matter — thermal oil systems, cargo heating, high-pressure lines and long ballast runs — we run the analysis rather than relying on rules of thumb. Support arrangements are then designed against the calculated loads and thermal movements.
- Pipe stress analysis including thermal expansion and support loads
- Water hammer and surge assessment for ballast and cargo systems
- Thermal oil and heating coil sizing with heat-loss calculations
- Pump and pipeline hydraulic sizing and system balancing
Machinery, HVAC and conversion systems
Beyond individual systems we handle the machinery integration side of conversion projects — the complete set of services required when a vessel changes cargo, fuel or operating role. Oil-to-bitumen conversions are a recurring speciality, where thermal oil heating, cargo pumps, insulation and stability all interact.
- Machinery arrangement and foundation interface design
- Fuel oil, lube oil, bilge, ballast and cooling water systems
- HVAC design and ventilation calculations for machinery and accommodation
- Oil-to-bitumen and product conversion system packages
- Dual-fuel and decarbonisation retrofit feasibility studies
Frequently asked questions
Can you design a BWTS retrofit within a fixed dry-dock window?
Yes, and that is the normal constraint. The key is doing the survey and 3D scan early so that routing, foundations and electrical interfaces are resolved on the model before the vessel arrives. We have turned around 3D routing, isometrics and class submission inside a dry-dock window, but the earlier the survey happens, the lower the risk.
Do you carry out the 3D scanning yourselves?
Yes. We use FARO 3D laser scanning to capture machinery spaces and deck areas, then build the retrofit design directly into the scanned point cloud. This removes almost all of the fit-up surprises that come from working off outdated drawings.
What is involved in an oil-to-bitumen tanker conversion?
Typically thermal oil boiler and heating system integration, cargo heating coils with heat-loss calculations, insulation, cargo pump and piping modification, structural reinforcement, electrical load reassessment, and a full stability booklet update — submitted to class as a coordinated package. We have delivered this scope repeatedly and work from a proven process.
Do you supply equipment or only engineering?
We are an engineering consultancy — we do not sell equipment, which means our selection advice is independent. We support the owner through technical evaluation of vendor offers and then integrate whichever equipment is chosen.
What do you need to quote a piping scope?
Vessel particulars and class, the existing machinery arrangement and relevant system diagrams, the equipment being installed (or the requirement if not yet selected), survey and dry-dock dates, and whether a site survey or 3D scan is needed.
Have a vessel and a scope in mind?
Share your drawings, class society and target dates — we respond within 24–48 hours.