JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #136 - September/October 2020 - 4

MOVING COMPOSITES FORWARD

"We
"We can
can change
change the
the way
way
we
we envision
envision global
global shipping
shipping overall"
overall"
FIBRESHIP is a revolutionary R&D H2020 project funded by
the European Commission which attempts to develop a new
market focused on the design and construction in composite
materials of large-length commercial vessels over 500 GT
(approx. 50m length). The project attempts to overcome the
current market challenges and technology gaps to make feasible the building of these innovative vessels by developing
guidance notes and fostering a new regulatory framework.

Alfonso Jurado: The FIBRESHIP
project arose with, as its purpose, enhancing the competitive position of the EU
shipbuilding and shipping industries in the
world. The immediate impact on the European maritime industry is demonstrating
the remarkable economic advantages and
technological improvements that the application of FRP solutions in shipbuilding
brings. In the mid- and long-term, the expected impact that the FIBRESHIP project
will have on the maritime industry is the
creation of new business opportunities and
niche markets. We could see this take place
once new or modified regulatory frameworks allow the broad use of FRP materials
in the construction of large-length vessels.
Can you tell us more about the international
consortium that collaborates on FIBRESHIP?
How was ATEKNEA selected to take part in
the adventure?

A.J.: The international consortium of
the FIBRESHIP project is composed of a
network of 18 entities, all of which are led
by TSI. The partners possess the required
multi-disciplinary expertise and know-how
to meet the industrial and technological
challenges of this revolutionary innovative
project. The consortium is made up of three
prestigious classification societies (LR, BV,
and RINA), three medium-sized shipyards
(iXblue, NAVROM, and TUCO), five re-

4

Alfonso Jurado
Head of R&D Department
Técnicas Y Servicios De
Ingeniería S.l

search and technological centres (CIMNE,
ULIM, VTT, SOERMAR and TWI), four
relevant shipping companies (DANAOS,
IEO, FOINIKAS and ANEK LINES), and
three companies with expertise in the naval
architecture and marine engineering and
business sector (TSI, COMPASSIS and
ATEKNEA).
Attila Uderszky: ATEKNEA had
already participated in other projects with
FIBRESHIP consortium partners and was
invited on the basis of those previous collaborations and our expertise in business
development.

"

JEC Composites Magazine: In what context
did the FIBRESHIP project emerge? What
influence do you expect it to have on the
maritime industry?

with

The application of FRP materials in
large-length vessel shipbuilding will
substantially enhance the competitiveness of the European shipping

What are the key milestones in the development of the FIBRESHIP project?

A.J & A.U.: -A fishing research vessel
ship-block designed by TSI built completely
in FRP materials. It serves as a demonstrator
at iXblue shipyards, and utilizes the materials, solutions and production techniques
generated within the FIBRESHIP project.
The purpose is to show their technical feasibility and economic viability in the construction of large-length fibre-based vessels.
-The FRP structural bulkheads of the FIBRESHIP comply with the strict IMO/
SOLAS fire safety requirements according
to one fire test carried out by VTT. This is a
good indicator of the remarkable fire performance of the FRP materials analysed in the
context of the project.

jec composites magazine / N°136 September - October 2020

Attila Uderszky
project manager
ATEKNEA Solutions
Europe Ltd.

-The FIBRESHIP project has been presented at the IMO with the aim of promoting
changes in the regulatory frameworks and
class notations that permit the use of lightweight composite materials in large-length
vessel construction. The extensive use of
these lightweight materials in shipbuilding
could revolutionize the European shipping
and maritime industry as a result of their
multiple economic and environmental benefits.
A.U.: The most important milestone of
the project is the demonstrator prototype
that was built, which is a complete section
of ship hull made exclusively from FRP materials.
What are the vessel categories on which
project activity has focused?

A.J.: The FIBRESHIP project is focused
on three vessel categories: i) lightweight
commercial vessels, ii) passenger, transportation and leisure vessels, and iii) special
service vessels. In the framework of the project, a 265 m container ship, a 204 m ROPAX, and an 85 m fishing research vessel
(FRV) have been designed because of their
promising market orientation. It should
be emphasized that the three vessels have
been designed fully from lightweight FRP
materials, implying a substantial reduction
of up to 70 % in structural weight of the vessels (considering insulation). This results in
considerable advantages in terms of bunkering consumption, payload cargo & passenger capacity, and suppression of corrosion
problems, among others.
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #136 - September/October 2020

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