Fifteen years to ‘technomax’ ships

Big data analytics – accompanied by the required advances in communications, sensor technology and smart ship systems – will be allied to increasing use of robotics to progress the commercial shipping industry towards what Lloyd’s Register calls ‘technomax’ ships.

Combined with advances in shipbuilding, propulsion technology and advanced materials, these trends are set to have a dramatic impact on the commercial, operational and technical landscape of the industry – as well as the associated businesses of designing and building ships, machinery and equipment.

Researchers for the ‘Global Marine Technology Trends 2030’ report, developed in partnership with QinetiQ and the University of Southampton, studied more than 56 technologies with the potential to be implemented in the commercial shipping, naval and ocean space [or natural resources] sectors. A final 18 were selected that scored highest for technical and commercial feasibility, potential marketability and transformational impact, with eight technologies then highlighted for each sector.

“These ships will be smarter, data driven, greener, with flexible powering options, fully connected wirelessly onboard, digitally connected through global satellites,” the report stated. “Technomax ships will require fundamental changes in terms of design, construction, operation and supply chain management. They will be designed by technologically advanced shipbuilders, ordered and operated by owners to sharpen their competitiveness and boost their corporate social responsibility credentials.”

On advances in propulsion and powering, the report noted: “It is not only the scope of applicable technology, which includes future engines, alternative fuels, propulsion energy-saving devices, renewable sources of energy, hybrid power generation, and emissions abatement technology. It is also, and perhaps more importantly, the scale of future challenges for commercial shipping which makes propulsion and powering a key technological theme. These challenges are not only environmental (exhaust gas emissions and climate change), but also commercial (rising fuel costs and fleet overcapacity).”

Across a series of ‘technomax’ vessel concepts, the report specifies how each technology will influence the ships of 2030. Describing the power and propulsion plant in future tankers, the report notes: “The main propulsion package will still be large-bore 2S engines. Combustion mapping, heat flows, re-tuning, the self-adjusting and close monitoring of essential and non-essential parts, and remote monitoring will be possible with new, intelligent engines. The overall efficiency of the propulsion plant will be enhanced with the use of new materials, such as graphene and its alloys, in heat exchangers and condenser piping. This will improve the overall thermal efficiency of that equipment and will reduce associated maintenance and chemical dosing.

“3D-printing devices for expensive spare parts will improve repair activities onboard and will consequently reduce OPEX. Lighter propulsion packages, using lighter materials together with optimised maintenance strategies, will have an influence on the fuel bill.”

Dual-fuel diversifies

Among the developments foreseen by the report are more varieties of dual-fuel engines, including variants running on distillates and alcohol-based fuels. “High-pressure fuel supply networks will be necessary for the utilisation of these alcohol-based fuels. Technologies like common rail would be revisited in order to accommodate these new fuel types. The use of alcohol as fuel will require new lubricating oil formulations to avoid severe damage to primary components of internal combustion engines.”

Advanced materials – including future composites, nano-impregnated metals, new alloys and substances with biologically-inspired protection (including self-repairing materials) – will be one of the key areas of progress, the report suggests. While metal will continue to dominate shipbuilding, the emergence of alternatives with high strength to weight ratios will offer the opportunity of building in better fuel economy or cargo capacity. But the introduction of such materials to the marine field will be a challenge in terms of price, as well as understanding their marine performance and any impact on health, safety and ship recycling.

The shipbuilding industry in 2030 will feature “higher levels of automation, high-fidelity design software integration, human-computer interfaces, morphing structures, and the introduction of additive manufacturing [3D printing],” the report claims. These advances will drive corresponding developments in ship structures: adaptable hull forms will be developed to better tackle changing loading conditions and speed profiles, and a reduced ballast or ballast-free design will be further developed, reducing the impact of marine invasive species.

Fewer parts will be produced as a result of these improved techniques, leading to weight reduction and a minimisation of construction waste. These techniques will initially apply to engine and other machinery components, the report suggested, leading to flow optimisation of fuels during ship operations. These new technologies – and the requisite increased automation of shipyards employing them – will require increased training, greater standardisation and a new approach to logistics.

Big data impact

It is in the continuing advance of information and communications technology where Lloyd’s Register sees the true revolution in the shipping business. Enhanced big data analytics – driven by communications and sensor improvements – will lead to different approaches to decision making, asset management, condition monitoring and surveying. The industry will become more transparent as a result of all this data, and new skills will be required to make the most of its potential.

On the potential for robotics in commercial shipping, the study notes: “For the short- to mid-term future, autonomous robots will only see application in a limited range of rather specific areas. In fields where autonomous robotics is not a realistic option, at least for the foreseeable future, remote-controlled robots are a promising alternative.”

Nevertheless, increased use of robots will be a tantalising prospect. The consequent reduction in human involvement – and further integration of systems across the ship – is expected to have a positive impact on efficiency, costs and safety.

Amid these opportunities though, the report highlights several concerns that will come with a new age – notably cybersecurity, data integrity and data protection, as well as limitations imposed by communications infrastructure. There are also hurdles to overcome regarding how increased automation is dealt with within legal and regulatory frameworks.

“The speed of innovation is rapid and the introduction of new technologies is swift, which means that predicting which technologies will transform commercial shipping, ocean space exploitation and naval operations is always a challenge,” said Lloyd’s Register CEO Richard Sadler in the foreword to the report. “This represents our look towards the future of technology and provides a glimpse of the future these evolving technologies may provide by 2030.”

The full report – which also detail technology trends influencing the naval and ocean resource sectors – can be downloaded from Lloyd’s Register’s website.