Re‑Engineering a Classic: How FARO Industrial Used Orca3D to Support the EDITH FOSS Repowering Project

January 9, 2026

Project Project Overview

In this Orca3D Customer Spotlight, we’re highlighting the repower of the EDITH FOSS, a 77‑foot towing vessel originally built in 1980. Naval architect Darren Monzingo of FARO Industrial, LLC led the engineering effort, which required significant structural modifications, tank revisions, and a complete reassessment of the vessel’s stability characteristics. Using the latest capabilities in Orca3D’s Advanced Stability module, Darren developed tank models, free‑surface moment calculations, and full stability criteria evaluations as part of the vessel’s Subchapter M compliance review. This project demonstrates how Orca3D can now handle the kind of in-depth stability work required for regulatory approval.

The repower wasn’t just about upgrading engines, it was aimed at bringing the vessel into compliance with California Air Resources Board (CARB) emissions standards, extending its service life, and preserving the legacy of an iconic tug in the “Super D” class.

Design Goals & Mission

The primary goal of the project was clear: Upgrade the vessel to a modern Tier 4 propulsion plant while maintaining structural integrity, aesthetic character, and regulatory compliance. Bringing an older Super D class tug into CARB compliance presented a unique technical and spatial challenge. Unlike modern tugboats, these vessels were designed in an era when:

Exhaust after‑treatment systems didn’t exist
Space was maximized for function, not flexibility
Hull forms included very few straight lines, creating complexities in retrofitting

Preserving the vessel’s traditional look while fitting modern machinery required a delicate balance of engineering creativity and respect for the original Glosten-designed heritage.

Key Design Specifications

Vessel Type: Towing Vessel
LOA: 77’–2”
Beam: 26’–6”
Construction: Steel hull
Propulsion: Twin-screw, high-speed diesel engines, fixed‑pitch propellers, reversing reduction gears
Regulatory Classification: U.S. Subchapter M vessel

Design Challenges & Innovations

Space Constraints in Machinery Spaces

The existing machinery casing and stack structure were never designed to accommodate modern Tier 4 engine packages or their associated SCR and DEF systems. FARO overcame this by redesigning the casing and interior arrangements from the ground up, finding every cubic foot possible without disrupting the recognizable silhouette of a classic tug.

Tankage and DEF Storage

Tier 4 compliance requires Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF), which the original tank configuration did not support. To solve this: Existing inner-bottom fuel tanks were subdivided to create dedicated DEF storage Range and endurance were intentionally sacrificed for compliance All tank modifications required updated hydrostatic and stability calculations.

Preserving the Vessel’s Legacy

Darren noted the importance of honoring the original Glosten engineering:

“The Super D class is a great example of economy through design. EDITH will always be a Glosten boat, and we hope this latest iteration does not diminish its legacy.”

Using Orca3D: A Unified Platform for Stability & Analysis

The repower required a complete re-evaluation of the vessel’s stability, triggering the use of Orca3D from the earliest stages.

Preliminary to Final Stability, All in One Workflow

Orca3D became the primary tool for:

Preliminary stability and launching calculations
Post-incline test data analysis
Intact stability evaluations
Model revisions based on new tank and machinery configurations

Darren emphasized how critical the workflow efficiency was:

“The simplified workflow of having a unified interface makes the ‘design > analyze > iterate’ process much simpler. I don’t imagine I will go back to any other software for this type of analysis.”

Seamless Integration in Rhino 3D

One of the biggest advantages of Orca3D was its seamless plugin integration within Rhino:

Modeling and hydrostatics all within the same environment
No exporting, reformatting, or switching software
Faster design iterations and fewer opportunities for error

Support from the Orca3D Team

The Orca3D support team provided timely assistance when a discrepancy appeared between original righting arm curves and those generated in Orca3D. Their support helped:

Quickly identify the cause, traced back to some assumptions made in the original analysis
Revise the model
Maintain project momentum

Project Timeline & Collaboration Timeline:

September 2023 – June 2025
Engineering Lead: Darren Monzingo, FARO Industrial Foss
Maritime Collaborators: Michael Minnig, P.E. Jerry Allen Dain Schmidt Sergiy Saliyev

Reflections & Impact

This repower became an engineering‑intensive effort requiring contributions across mechanical, electrical, structural, and naval architecture disciplines. It also became Darren’s full-scale introduction to Orca3D:

“This project was my first REAL test drive for the Orca3D platform… and it proved itself. Building and analyzing a model in Orca3D was much more straightforward than my past experiences with other software.”

The final result is a modernized, compliant, and revitalized tugboat — one that continues the legacy of a classic Super D class vessel while extending its operational life under new environmental regulations.

Conclusion

The EDITH FOSS repower demonstrates how Orca3D helps naval architects tackle some of the most complex retrofit challenges — from stability reassessment to structural modifications — all within a unified, streamlined software environment.

Projects like this showcase the power of combining modern tools with respect for classic design, and we’re honored that Orca3D played a role in supporting the vessel’s next chapter.