Improved ice load monitoring under development

The system monitors hull loads to show operators the loading and risk level imposed by ice impacts, as well as providing a probability forecast of the expected loads.
Aker Arctic is a leader in the icebreaking ship design while Light Structures is a well-established provider of optical hull monitoring systems.

Reko-Antti Suojanen, managing director of Aker Arctic, said: “This systems and service will help operators in many ways, it provides more safe operations, improves the understanding of the ice loads and therefore the practical training will be improved. We can provide our extensive technical know-how to help ship owners in their operations and avoid unnecessary cost arising from the hull damages.”

Inge C. Paulsen, CEO of Light Structures, added: “Ice loads exceeding the design load is a major risk and may cause permanent damage to the hull and challenge the crew’s safety. The system monitors the actual load on the hull in real-time and displays the utilization factor of the hull structure – which will be of immense importance for both unexperienced as well as experienced navigators, in addition to the important input for maintenance planning and surveys.”