How to manufacture aluminium sections to Freedom class vessels

Engineering to production

Freedom class ships are owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. Currently these tree vesselss are worlds largest cruise ships. Freedoms are 2,4meters narrower that Queen Mary 2 at the waterline, 6 meters shorter and have 1,5 meters less draft. Freedom class ships are however largest cruise vessels in terms of gross tonnage by range of 160,000GT.   

Our resposibility was to deliver aluminium sections for decs 11 and 12. Section made by us are shown in the drawing in light blue. The area includes more than 60 sections and more than 300 tons of aluminium.

Large sections - Huge project

The aluminium sections were made in our own workshop by our own workers.

Our resposibilities were the project management, aluminium work: part manufacturing and assembly, supervision of work, work design,  approval procedure and transportation. 

Aluminium profiles 

For every aluminium profile there is a different cutting instruction, according to which profile is shaped, marked and delivered to assembly. 

Aluminium plates 

Aluminium plates were cutted with Mobimar's plasma cutting device. Use of large plate size reduced waste and sped up the work. There are two large plasmacutting tables in Mobimar's production (3,7meters x 13,4meters and 3,7meters x 12,8meters). 

Pre-assembly

During pre-assembly all the parts belonging to a section are assembled as large units.  Bending and forming are also phases that are done during pre assembly.

Aluminium panels

Mobimar also has a long history of using stirwelded aluminium panels. In Freedom projects these extruded and stirwelded panels were attached to each other via mechanised mig-welding.  

Section assembly

In section assembly all the parts manufactured during the pre-assembly were attached to the large aluminum panel surface.

Steel parts were attached to the aluminium surface with vacuum explosion welded transition joints.

Section welding, approval procedure 

All the constructions were welded according to drawings. When the section was finished it was inspected and "sold" to the classification society, shipyard and to the representiteves of the shipowner.

After the section was approved it was transported to the shipyard with large barges