Sustainable Electrical Outfitting in Shipbuilding: A Chemical Tanker Case Study

Electrical outfitting is sometimes overlooked despite its significant impact on build efficiency and vessel performance. It typically occurs towards the end of a ship’s construction. An organized and traceable method for organizing, carrying out, and verifying electrical installation operations is presented in this paper as the Generalized Electrical Outfitting Traceability Management (GEOTM) model. Data on labor utilization, cable routing methods, and cold insulation records were meticulously analyzed when the model was applied to a real-world setting—a 10,000 DWT chemical tanker project. Using organized from-to routing sheets, thoroughly documenting all connections and tests, and integrating electrical components early on during block assembly were all given special attention. This led to a 7.9% reduction in cable waste, less rework, and better timeline compliance, all of which were supported by GEOTM. The early and planned integration of electrical work, which made up a smaller fraction of the total labor, greatly improved build quality and schedule consistency. Beyond the scope of this particular case study, the results indicate that shipyards could benefit from adopting more sustainable, lean, and predictable building techniques by utilizing a digitally backed, traceable model such as GEOTM.