Light Structures to deliver customised fibre optic solution for stress and fatigue measurement with real-time decision support

Light Structures AS, the world leading supplier of fibre optic condition monitoring systems based on Fibre Bragg Grating technology (FBG) has been selected to provide a Hull Stress Monitoring System for two new hybrid-power, double-ended RoPAX vessels under construction at Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) in China for P&O Ferries. Delivery, installation, and commissioning is expected to be completed within 2022.

At 230 metres in length with 3600 lane meters (Lm) and a passenger capacity of 1500, the ferries will become the largest double ended RoPAX vessels ever built and the largest vessels to operate on the route between Dover and Calais when they go into service in 2023. They feature countless innovations that contribute to cutting fuel consumption by 40%, including advanced power management and heat recovery systems.

Further design advances focus on passenger comfort and satisfaction with the inclusion of dedicated viewing platforms that provide panoramic sea views and a revolutionary new hull shape designed for safe, efficient, and comfortable passage in the English Channel, and to accommodate the effective use of azimuth thrusters that improve vessel manoeuvrability.

Light Structures’ SENSFIB^TM Global+ system will be used to monitor stress loading on the advanced new hull, providing precision data in real-time, which will also contribute to optimising maintenance windows based on real-world fatigue. The data collected by the SENSFIB sensors will also be used to validate integrity of the hull design over a sustained period, enabling improvements for future iterations.

“As part of our intensive lifecycle maintenance regime, the data unlocked by the SENSFIB system will help us to improve asset availability and reduce operational overheads, while maximising the lifetime of our new vessels,” said a P&O Ferries spokesperson.

“SENSFIB Global+ is the ideal solution to deliver precise data on very large ships including P&O’s new super-ferries,” adds Goetz Vogelmann, General Manager & Sales Director, Light Structures. “We’re delighted to have been selected for this project and confident that we can provide the data that P&O needs to help maximise their investment in these next gen ships.”