Hanwha’s hull monitoring solution gets green light from ABS

Hanwha Ocean from South Korea has received preliminary approval from the classification organization American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) for its advanced hull monitoring system. The approval is related to the ABS SMART structural health monitoring (SHM) Tier 3, which acknowledges systems using hull sensors and algorithms to provide structural health insights at key locations, even without sensors. The system aims to gauge structural damage to ships and offshore assets during operations, aiding in decision-making for optimal maintenance timing to ensure safety.

Young Chang Shon, Chief Technology Officer at Hanwha Ocean, expressed that shipowners are increasingly incorporating digital technologies into their requirements, and classification societies are refining regulations related to digitalization. He stated that the approval will help Hanwha Ocean meet the rising demand for smart and digital technologies in the shipping industry. The approval is a result of the collaboration agreement signed by the two companies in September 2024, focusing on technology development in digitalization, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity operations, and sustainability.

ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Patrick Ryan, highlighted the significance of the achievement in enhancing safety at sea. The collaboration aims to advance health and condition awareness, operational optimization, and classification supported by condition-based programs in the maritime and offshore sectors. Hanwha recently held a naming ceremony for their seventh-generation drillship, Tidal Action, in partnership with Constellation Oil Services and Petrobras, which will operate in the Campos Basin offshore Brazil.

In October 2024, ABS and another classification society, Bureau Veritas (BV) from France, granted preliminary approval for the front-end engineering design (pre-FEED) of a standard floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility developed by Hanwha. The FPSO concept involves a 340-meter-long and 62-meter-wide unit with a daily crude oil production capacity of 190,000 barrels and storage capacity of around 2.38 million barrels. Hanwha believes this standardized concept will enhance its competitiveness by reducing construction periods and costs.