Events

UKNEST focuses on material risks

These days of political unrest mean directly facing another set of challenges: how innovation meets the new realities of warfare. This isn’t just a matter for the UK’s military, but its industry and academic partners too. In fact, the recurring theme of the latest UK Naval Engineering Science & Technology (UKNEST) event made clear that difficult but necessary conversations are on the cards.

So, what is the issue? “Current procurement processes are risk-averse,” says UKNEST’s Science & Technology Working Group co-chair, Jake Rigby. He outlines how the speakers at the organisation’s Advanced Materials conference shared a clear message: this approach to risk can slow, or derail, the acceptance and integration of new technologies and materials at a moment when we may not be able to afford that luxury.

For example, Robin Oakley, principal materials and corrosion engineer at QinetiQ, asks of the many potential developments he’s seen over three decades: why is it that so many haven’t made good on their promise? You can have “brilliant new materials, lots of amazing benefits”, he says. But the inevitable question that follows is: “Are you sure you’re not bringing any new risks to our established design space?”

Submarine developments highlight all these risk concerns and add another dimension. “As we push the boundaries in terms of engineering scope and what’s expected from the actual ship or the boat, material, physical and mechanical properties are being pushed as well,” says Ben Turner, Copper Alloys MD. “With shock loads increasing with each class, we are finding traditional materials are simply not strong enough.” Therefore, Copper Alloys’ part in a case study on doubling the life of the Royal Navy’s Dreadnought-class submarine has focused on an alternative metal. Turner explains: “Just to give you an idea, on one of those boats there might be millions of components.” Problematically, the current offerings don’t necessarily last particularly long in situ. Turner adds: “You’d be surprised how much has to be replaced just to give [the submarine] an extra 10 or 15 years in the sea.”

Look closer, and the number of metals found in these parts is surprisingly low. That’s not because better alternatives can’t be found; it’s because the lists of ‘acceptable’ materials can be years or even decades out of date, claims Turner, adding: “Really, there are just five to 10 metals underpinning all of that complexity. If you could improve on just one of these [affordable, primarily copper-based alloys], you could indirectly improve the lifespan of tens of thousands of components.”

This is where a tougher material that can be manufactured at a reasonable cost, and to timeframes and at scale, comes in. CNC-1 (CuNi30Cr2) is a copper-nickel-chromium alloy in a wrought form, which quadruples the strength of the cast material. Combined with advances in machining capability, it has enabled the production of parts for an equivalent or lower cost than casting structures.

So, while CNC-1 can’t compete with the strength of nickel-based super alloys or super duplex stainless steel, it’s still the toughest of all the copper alloys, retaining electrochemical compatibility with onboard systems and resistance to biofouling. Plus, the expected lifespan of wetted parts is over 50 years.

Despite these benefits, there is no guarantee that CNC-1 will be adopted and used. “Design engineers have to work from a range of alloys that the organisation says is acceptable,” says Turner. “It’s like a straitjacket…this becomes the limiting factor.” Turner adds that it might be high time the sector begins “designing alloys around the engineering requirements instead of engineering requirements around the alloys”.

Even joining materials can be tangled in the web of risk-averse processes. “A lot of fabrication is actually done using arc welding because it’s tried and tested,” comments Robert Scudamore, former associate director of The Welding Institute. That’s despite the potential drawbacks of multiple passes, such as thermal stresses and distortions, and despite the availability of other alternatives.

However, Scudamore hopes that a crossover from friction stir welding (FSW) could make a difference. Initially developed for aluminium, FSW doesn’t melt the material itself, says Scudamore: “You have a pin plunged into the material and it stirs the joint together” – resulting in a thermo-mechanically forged join. Users are now beginning to adapt FSW for more challenging materials: “What we’re trying to do now is progress into steel,” Scudamore adds.

While FSW requires a very hard ‘pin’ and more robust equipment, there are advantages. Take plate strengthening, where the usual approach means adding molten metal into an angle. This requires multiple passes, which create a large heat-affected zone with potential for cracking. Neither are the resulting thick welds particularly easy to inspect. By contrast, the FSW method uses rolled T-sections with a symmetrical, one-shot butt weld and an extremely reduced heat zone. The result is higher-strength joins, increased consistency and reduced distortion. Moreover, Scudamore notes that the tensile strength of the joint is typically 25% higher than that of the parent material.

Fresh firefighting tactics urged for alt-fuels

Updated guidance on tackling ‘non-traditional’ fires, including those involving batteries and alternative fuels, take prominence in the British Tugowners Association’s (BTA’s) recently published Use of Tugs in Firefighting e-doc, which offers industry-standard guidance for tug operators.

“In 2023, over 200 shipboard fires were reported globally, highlighting the urgent need for effective firefighting protocols,” the BTA says. “Additionally, with the growing prevalence of alternatively fuelled vessels, such as those powered by lithium-ion batteries, methanol and ammonia, the guide addresses a critical gap in practical marine firefighting procedures.”

The UK-specific guide (drawn up to comply with SOLAS and Merchant Shipping Act requirements) was developed with input from Lloyd’s Register, UK Harbour Masters, Hampshire Fire & Rescue, REACT Emergency Response, Artemas Academy and Multraship Towage and Salvage, among others. Additionally, Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF) and Shipowners P&I contributed to the document. The contents include up-to-date information on areas such as: the legal obligation to assist persons in distress (as outlined in the abovementioned SOLAS/MSA requirements); the importance of conducting regular firefighting drills; and the different categories of FiFi-rated vessel, plus the equipment, monitor types and discharge rates required for each.

The guide notes: “As of May 2025, according to Clarkson’s World Fleet Register, 2,224 vessels in the global fleet [2%] were alternative-fuel-capable.” This is in addition to “an orderbook of 1,991 vessels, representing 52% of the tonnage in the global orderbook”. As such, the techniques traditionally employed to combat hydrocarbon-based fires may prove obsolete when up against alt-fuels like battery packs, LNG, LPG, methanol, ethanol, HVO/FAME, ammonia, hydrogen and even nuclear energy.

For example, the guide explains, while a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery can store significant amounts of energy, it can be highly dangerous if it overheats and enters a state of thermal runaway, where it keeps producing more heat in a chain reaction. While Li-ion batteries are usually safe, problems occur if the battery becomes damaged, either due to physical impact, overcharging, extreme heat or issues with the battery’s control system.

“Thermal runaway generates large volumes of flammable gases that can catch fire very quickly and may also cause a vapour cloud explosion,” the guide warns. “Gases of a Li-ion battery fire are extremely white and should not be confused with a steam cloud.” When thermal runaway occurs, the battery can reach temperatures exceeding 1,600°C and violently release toxic gases, flames and pieces of the battery itself. This can spread to nearby batteries or flammable materials, rapidly making the fire more intense. The toxic gases form a vapour cloud that can easily explode if it builds up in a confined space without proper venting.

“Lithium-ion battery fires are extremely difficult to extinguish and boundary cooling of the affected area or vessel until the fire burns itself out is often the best course of action,” the guide advises. “The use of fixed firefighting systems on board and water jets for boundary cooling is the most effective known method for control.”

The guide recommends that tugs called in to assist casualty vessels in the event of a Li-ion battery fire consider three factors. Firstly, the internal location of the fire: “due to the intense heat, it is possible there will be structural damage or hull integrity compromised, which could be exasperated through thermal shocking from boundary cooling water”, the guide notes. Secondly, vapour cloud venting: “the assisting vessel should remain upwind, and where possible on the weather side, of the area where the vapour cloud is being vented due to the potential toxic gases and toxic soot”, the guide explains. Thirdly: “the assisting vessel should remain a safe distance from the casualty vessel due to the explosion risk from the vapour cloud”.

Li-ion battery fires are tricky because they can restart days after they seem to have been put out, due to leftover chemical energy in the battery. This means water needs to be applied for a considerable period, though too much water could affect a burning ship’s stability. The water used to fight these fires can also become polluted with toxic metals, which can harm the environment and people’s health, so protective gear is essential for anyone involved in its containment.

Liquid ammonia, meanwhile, is toxic when inhaled: high concentrations of ammonia vapour can cause immediate irritation to the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory system, and prolonged exposure can lead to death.

“A liquid ammonia leak or spill requires a larger exclusion zone than LNG or LPG due to ammonia’s high relative density, which causes the ammonia vapour cloud to sink and pool on the deck or water surface,” the guide says. “It is more persistent and takes longer to dissipate compared to LNG or LPG, requiring larger exclusion zones.”

The most effective way to extinguish ammonia fires, the guide recommends, is “applying water via water spray”. However, crew should be aware that “applying large quantities of water to an ammonia liquid pool will increase the evaporation rate, making the fire larger”. The guide continues: “Water spray on ammonia vapour should be applied with caution, as it may result in the formation of ammonium hydroxide, a corrosive by-product. Recondensing ammonia vapour, in certain scenarios, can reduce the intensity of the release but must be carefully managed to avoid further liquid release.”

Greener bulk runs for the Great Lakes

Defence duo under construction for Montenegro

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Kongsberg's K-Sail aims to bring it all together

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Arksen and RAD Propulsion team up for "revolutionary" craft class

Repair round-up: LNG conversion work, FLNG upgrades

Preview: Student innovation still going strong

I can’t remember the first time I covered the Worldwide Ferry Safety Association’s (WFSA’s) international student design contest for a safe, affordable domestic ferry, but our report on the 12th instalment of the competition in the June 2025 issue of The Naval Architect reminds me of the many winners that the dearly departed Ship & Boat International profiled over the past seven to eight years – to the point that the contest became an annual fixture of SBI‘s Ferries reports. 

So, this year’s contest – the first to appear in The Naval Architect, in what I hope will become as regular a feature – saw Team Black Pearl of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology wow the WFSA judges with its design for a 200-pax aluminium catamaran, Naija Spirit, devised as a safe, affordable and eco-friendly ferry for the waterways of Lagos…and perhaps for other countries, including the team’s native Bangladesh. 

It’s a shame we don’t have the space to feature the runner-up teams too; one could dedicate the best part of an issue to profiling most of the contest entrants’ original and innovative designs. What’s for sure: the WFSA’s annual contests demonstrate that skilled naval architecture is far from at risk of extinction. Anyone concerned about its future should follow these events closely: there’s no shortage of talent out there, and the WFSA deserves the utmost respect for encouraging students to get to grips with the processes of ferry design, from determining weight distribution, depth clearance and construction overheads, to assessing evacuation plans and financial/operational viability. Don’t miss the June issue for an in-depth interview with Team Black Pearl leader Md. Safayet Hossain Shishir, and a comprehensive overview of the winning design – published soon.

Dual-fuel propulsion upgrades for container ship sisters

MPC Container Ships reports that it has installed Berg Propulsion’s green-fuel technology aboard its 150m, dual-fuel sister vessels NCL Nordland and NCL Vestland. As part of the contract, Berg also acted as “co-designer” for each ship’s engine room layout and propeller arrangement, comments Mattias Hansson, senior global sales manager at Berg.

Built this year by China’s Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering, NCL Nordland and NCL Vestland feature a 28.6m beam, a draught of 9.9m and 380 reefer plugs apiece. The vessels have been placed under a 15-year charter to North Sea Container Line (NCL), which will utilise them on a route linking Norway and Rotterdam.

Mattias Dombrowe, business manager for electric system integration at Berg, explains: “The hybridised set-up optimises energy use from gensets, the shaft alternator and 250kWh battery for load balancing during thruster or other peak loads, also accommodating the shore connector for zero emissions when the vessels are in port.” Both 1,300teu vessels can operate on methanol and/or MGO, and come equipped with Berg’s MPP 1410 controllable-pitch props and MTT bow and stern thrusters. Berg estimates that these propulsive systems could slash energy consumption per teu “by 63% per nautical mile compared to their predecessors”.

NCL has also signed a contract with Equinor to bunker bio-methanol, “initially running on a 5% blend, but increasing bio-methanol content over time to support carbon-neutral operations as the supply chain matures”, Berg says.

UK expands attack submarine programme in response to SDR

The UK Government is to build up to a dozen new attack submarines as part of the AUKUS programme, in response to “rapidly increasing threats”. The decision means that the UK’s conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet will be significantly expanded.

In a statement, the government said: “The increase in submarines will transform the UK’s submarine-building industry…and deliver on the Plan for Change, supporting 30,000 highly skilled jobs up and down the country well into the 2030s, as well as helping to deliver 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles across the next 10 years.”

Currently, the UK is set to operate seven Astute-class attack submarines, which will be replaced with an increased fleet of up to 12 SSN-AUKUS submarines from the late 2030s.

The boost to the SSN-AUKUS programme will see a major expansion of industrial capability at Barrow and Raynesway, Derby, with the build of a new submarine every 18 months in the future. To ensure the demands of this expanded programme can be met, government is working closely with industry partners to rapidly expand training and development opportunities, aiming to double defence and civil nuclear apprentice and graduate intakes.

The announcement came as the government prepared to unveil its Strategic Defence Review (SDR), an externally led review expected to recommend that the UK’s armed forces move to warfighting readiness to deter growing threats. Defence secretary John Healey MP said: “We know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression. With new submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead programme on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad.” The SDR also calls for significant investment into the UK sovereign warhead programme this parliament, while maintaining the existing stockpile.