HHI granted Approval in Principle by LR to provide structural health management of independent gas containment tanks using digital twin technology.

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) to Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for its Digital Health Management (DHM) System for a Type B gas containment tank, following a Joint Development Project (JDP) between the two parties launched in November 2019.

The system, Hyundai Prismatic Independent IMO Type B Tank eXcellence (HiPIX), has been assessed by LR’s digital experts against LR’s ShipRight Procedure for Digital Compliance, resulting in HiPIX receiving Digital Twin Ready AiP.

This approval sets HHI on the path to become a DHM provider to the maritime industry, offering customers the possibility to operate and maintain their ships’ Type B gas containment tanks in an optimal cost-effective way while complying with classification and statutory requirements.

HHI is aiming to develop a complete structural DHM system for its LNG Fuel Type B Tank fitted onboard the world first dual-fuelled ultra-large container ships that are currently under construction at Hyundai Samho Yard. This will assure structural integrity in operation and safety and enhance the ship’s operational and compliance performance.

HHI’s HiPIX is a suite of software and service solutions designed to assure the structural safety of Type B tanks and enhance the performance of assets by obtaining survey credit through accurate insights on the condition of tank components, using digital twin technology and data as an alternative to a physical survey. This will provide shipowners with an advantage when securing charterer contracts by lowering the through-life costs of the containment tank while maintaining a high level of safety and reliability. The digital twin’s ability to process real-time data and generate insights on the health condition of the gas containment tank improves maintenance effectiveness through the ability to make just-in-time, specific maintenance advisories. Furthermore, its ability to estimate and localise incipient fault conditions allows accurate tracking and progression of faults, prior to becoming costly failures.

Seung-Ho Jeon, Executive Vice President of HHI Initial Design Division said: “We are glad to receive Digital Twin Ready AiP from Lloyd’s Register. Now ship operators can feel confident about operating HHI’s dual-fuelled ultra-large container ships by using HHI’s HiPIX solution to meet the rigorous requirements of classification as well as flag administration. We plan to further develop HiPIX to include the machinery digital twin for a gas supply system by working together with LR’s Marine & Offshore Innovation team.”

Luis Benito, LR’s Marine & Offshore Innovation and Co-creation Director, said: “A new paradigm in shipping has started, towards remote operations, when digital health management technology starts enabling remote servicing, maintenance and testing of critical equipment for the safety of ships, with digital technology that can be trusted by ship managers and ship operators end users.”

Joseph Morelos, Assurance of Digital and AI Solutions, LR Marine & Offshore Innovation, added: “In applying LR’s innovative ShipRight Procedure for Digital Compliance, HHI and their end user customers can be confident of deploying digital twins that are safe, dependable and effective to generate business outcomes.”

This announcement is underpinned by LR’s digital strategy that is focused on delivering tangible benefits to our customers and partners, helping them to drive business outcomes through the safe and appropriate adoption of new technologies. Our digital solutions enable clients to optimise the performance of their assets, their people and their business, whilst opening new opportunities for growth. Our pathway aligns with what matters most to customers, in line with what technical solutions are right: we’ll take a customer led approach.

LR awarded the world’s first Digital Twin Ready AiP to GE at SMM 2018, the first ever approval of a digital twin health management system for marine applications.