A "Fast Track to Approval" Process for Innovative Maritime Solutions

RAMSSES (Realisation and Demonstration of Advanced Material Solutions for Sustainable and Efficient Ships) is an Innovation Action project partly funded by the European Commission in the framework of the H2020 program. During the 4 years of the project, 13 demonstrators will be developed and realised to demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the introduction of innovative materials in shipbuilding. Objectives of using new materials such as composite materials and high tensile strength steel are to reduce the weight of the vessel and to increase performance compared to when using conventional material.
The role of the classification society Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore in the project RAMSSES is to help and support shipyards, designers, naval architects and owners to reach the above objectives while achieving existing rules and in-ternational regulations.
The paper give an overview of current international regulations and especially the recent IMO (International Maritime Organization) interim guidelines MSC.1/Circ.1574 concerning the use of Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP) ele-ments within ship structures. The global survey scheme applied by classifica-tion societies is described and the material approval process is detailed in the scope of innovative materials certification. An accelerated approval process called “Fast Track to Approval” (FTA), developed in collaboration with RAMSSES partners and leading to the certification of innovative solutions in ship construction is presented in detail. The goal of the FTA is to have a rapid and efficient methodology for the approbation of new designs or solutions in-volving advanced materials. This process is based on risk analyses, including model and demonstrator case tests performed during the RAMSSES project. Moreover, a materials database has been obtained from mechanical and fire tests results carried out on innovative materials, which is utilized for the FTA. The FTA also make use of proposed standard risk scenarios, standard tests, standard solutions in addition to the database to look up reusable data. This will accelerate the process approval of innovative maritime solutions for sustainable and efficient ships.