[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/7394\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ENew materials to make ships more sustainable and less noisy for marine life\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUsing ships to transport goods contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/clima\/policies\/transport\/shipping_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eabout 940 million tons of carbon dioxide being released every year\u003C\/a\u003E. In Europe, maritime shipping is responsible for \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/clima\/policies\/transport\/shipping_en\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eabout 13% of all transport emissions\u003C\/a\u003E. Shipbuilding itself consumes energy and produces waste at the end of a ship\u2019s life with only some parts of a vessel repurposed.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018(Ships) are taken to scrapping facilities, most of them in Africa or Asia,\u2019 said Alfonso Jurado Fuentes, head of research and development at \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/tsisl.es\/en\/\u0022\u003ETSI\u003C\/a\u003E, an engineering company specialised in marine activities in Madrid, Spain. \u2018Many of these materials are extremely degraded and useless but some of them are used as an important source of raw materials on these continents.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBuilding ships that are less heavy is one tactic that can help reduce emissions. Using composite materials such as fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) instead of steel, for example, should reduce a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/article\/id\/135504-europe-to-manufacture-ships-of-the-future\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eship\u2019s weight and lower fuel consumption\u003C\/a\u003E. \u2018You have the benefit of consuming less fuel and then emitting less pollutant gases,\u2019 said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/old.future.hamburg\/en\/creator\/center-of-maritime-technologies\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EMatthias Krause\u003C\/a\u003E from the Center of Maritime Technologies in Hamburg, Germany. \u2018That also means less emissions per transported kilogramme of payload.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFurthermore, using composite materials could extend a ship\u2019s lifetime and therefore reduce resources needed for construction. Steel ships are often damaged by corrosion and repair is eventually no longer possible, which is not a problem when non-metallic materials are used. There is also potential to better reuse vessels made from composite materials as they can be better recycled at the end of their life, says Jurado Fuentes. Whereas \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/article\/id\/135504-europe-to-manufacture-ships-of-the-future\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Eabout 34% of steel ships are repurposed, it is thought that up to 75% of composite ships could be given a second life\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018We have been studying different technologies and technical advances to demonstrate that it is feasible to design, build and operate these kinds of vessels.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EAlfonso Jurado Fuentes, TSI, Spain\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMetallic propellers\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EKrause and his colleagues are investigating the use of new materials and technologies to make specific components of large vessels, from cruise ship cabins to rudders, as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/723246\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003ERAMSSES project\u003C\/a\u003E. They are looking, for example, at how metallic propellers could be made using a 3D printing technique that would allow for hollow and more lightweight blades. The propeller would also be quieter and emit less vibration. \u2018If you\u0027re thinking about environmental benefits, it is also about less noise, which is harmful for the animals in the sea,\u2019 said Krause.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe team produced prototypes of several parts such as a ship hull made of FRP. Working with a shipyard in the Netherlands that produces patrol vessels, they needed to develop a new type of resin that wouldn\u2019t set too quickly since they wanted to create part of a six-metre-high hull.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThey were able to show that their composite ship hull would have a lower environmental impact\u0026nbsp;than if it were made of steel. It weighed over 24% less, which they calculated would lower its environmental footprint during operation by 25% when considering factors such as greenhouse gas emissions and aerosol formation, which impact air quality.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EComposite materials could also be used to repair damaged steel ships and extend their life. A patch made of composite materials, for example, could be applied to cracks or to reinforce areas welded together. \u2018We are investigating the link between composite structures and steel in order to have an easier way to (perform) a quick and safe repair onboard,\u2019 said Carlo Cau, project coordinator and senior researcher at a maritime research and consultancy company called Cetena in Genoa, Italy.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022 class=\u0022@alignleft@\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cimg alt=\u0022The Fibreship project investigated the feasibility of constructing an entire vessel out of composite materials such as FRP (fibre-reinforced plastic). Image credit - TSI\u0022 height=\u00223000\u0022 src=\u0022\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/IMCEUpload\/fibreship_demonstrator_03.jpg\u0022 title=\u0022The Fibreship project investigated the feasibility of constructing an entire vessel out of composite materials such as FRP (fibre-reinforced plastic). Image credit - TSI\u0022 width=\u00224000\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022tw-italic tw-mb-4\u0022\u003EThe Fibreship project investigated the feasibility of constructing an entire vessel out of composite materials such as FRP (fibre-reinforced plastic). Image credit - TSI\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EComposite materials\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAnother approach is to focus on making an entire vessel out of composite materials, which was the aim of Jurado Fuentes and his colleagues. They investigated the feasibility of constructing large ships more than 50 metres in length out of FRP as part of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/723360\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003EFibreship project\u003C\/a\u003E. Their main goal was to set the foundations for the design and construction of these vessels by, for example, coming up with design guidelines and performance criteria, which didn\u2019t exist. \u2018We have been studying different technologies and technical advances to demonstrate that it is feasible to design, build and operate these kinds of vessels,\u2019 said Jurado Fuentes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMembers of the team designed three different FRP vessels: a container ship, a fishery research vessel and a vessel that can transport cargo, vehicles and passengers, known as a RoPax. Since their container ship design would result in a more lightweight vessel, they calculated that it would be able to carry almost 17% more cargo when fully-loaded compared to a steel counterpart. With their fishery research vessel design, they were able to obtain a total weight reduction of 36%.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETheir RoPax design would also result in a significant reduction in weight and hence fuel consumption. Since this type of vessel travels at much higher speeds compared to the two other vessels, which require high power from the engines, cost savings would also be most significant. \u2018It is a better investment opportunity compared to the steel vessel,\u2019 said Jurado Fuentes.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the team\u2019s budget didn\u2019t allow for a full FRP ship prototype to be built, they constructed a block of a fishery research vessel at IXBLUE facilities in La Ciotat, France. With dimensions of 11 by 11 by 8.6 metres, it contained a bottom deck with part of an engine room and an upper deck with passenger accommodation. The team was able to demonstrate that it is feasible to build large structures from composite materials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018You have the benefit of consuming less fuel and then emitting less pollutant gases.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EMatthias Krause, Center of Maritime Technologies, Germany\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ERequirements \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBut there are still hurdles to overcome before composite ships become a reality. Cau and his colleagues found that it\u2019s tricky for a ship component to meet all the different requirements. One panel they created, for example, was fire resistant and had satisfactory mechanical properties but it didn\u2019t meet noise and vibration standards, which could hinder the comfort of passengers onboard. \u2018There are a lot of aspects to be satisfied and the ability to satisfy all (of them) in the same product is something that we are trying to solve,\u2019 said Cau.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFurther work is also needed to address recycling FRP ships at the end of their life. Few facilities in Europe are capable of recycling composite materials, where fibres, resins and other materials need to be first separated. \u2018Today, it\u0027s really expensive to recycle a lot of elements of FRP,\u2019 said Jurado Fuentes. \u2018I think more research and investment is needed.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor larger ships made entirely of FRP, the main challenge is to show that they meet fire \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.imo.org\/en\/KnowledgeCentre\/ConferencesMeetings\/Pages\/SOLAS.aspx\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022\u003Esafety standards set by the International Maritime Organisation\u003C\/a\u003E (IMO). FRP is a combustible material and it would currently be difficult to evacuate an FRP vessel in time to avoid casualties. Its material properties also don\u2019t hold up at high temperatures and a vessel could therefore collapse. Manufacturers of composite materials are working on developing FRP resins that are non-combustible and the way spaces onboard are designed could help improve fire safety too.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJurado Fuentes thinks that large composite vessels could start navigating in about 15 years, as regulations and standards for design and construction are established in the industry as well. \u2018It\u0027s a matter of improved technology to make these vessels safer,\u2019 he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research in this article was funded by the EU. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EUpdated 13 April, 2021: The name of the shipbuilding facilities for the Fibreship project - IXBLUE - was added.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-31yiw4xwzmwmd7xlnnrg7lhxp4ttzmqw6gmxkus8hr8\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-31yIW4xwZmwMD7xlNNrg7lHXp4TtzmQw6GMxkUs8Hr8\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]