Bureau Veritas has delivered an approval in principle (AiP) to InfraCore Co for the design, modelling, production and testing of a full glass fibre-reinforced polymer rudder flap (GFRP) for an 18,500-TEU container ship
The certificate was delivered as a result of the EU-funded project Realisation and Demonstration of Advanced Material Solutions for Sustainable and Efficient Ships (RAMSSES), which aims to expand the application and use of innovative materials to build more efficient and sustainable ships.
Lightweight and other advanced materials were identified as technologies with high potential but development for use in the maritime sector was lagging. Increased freedom of design of a composite rudder flap can improve hydrodynamic performance, lifetime and reduce maintenance costs.
RAMSSES was initiated to validate and fast track approvals on using innovative materials to improve the lifecycle performance of European-built ships and maritime structures, assisting the industry to build more sustainable and efficient ships at pace, while reducing their environmental footprint and making the industry more competitive at a global scale.
An important aspect of RAMSSES was the role classification societies play in developing a more efficient and agreed upon standard risk assessment. Bureau Veritas successfully defined a first draft of the approval process to be considered within the RAMSSES project, pioneering the safety and performance of new technologies.
Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore senior vice president technical and operations Laurent Leblanc commented, “Bureau Veritas is honoured to hand over the AiP document to InfraCore Company for their work on the design, modelling, production and testing of a full GFRP rudder flap for an 18,500 TEU container ship. The use of innovative materials will help advance innovation, safety and performance. This AiP is another testament to our ambition to support safe innovation to shape a better future for the maritime industry and the wider world.”
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