New Technologies for Hull Assemblies in Shipbuilding

Abstract

The modern stage of shipbuilding industry development is characterized by an intense competition and the beginning of introduction of new materials and effective welding technologies, which change the appearance of this quite conservative field, at leading global shipbuilding enterprises. In particular, the application of laser technologies during ship construction decreases the cost of hull manufacturing by 30%, increases the production capacity by 10%, and reduces welding deformations by 30% compared to traditional welding methods. The application of composite materials for ship construction allows decreasing the ship weight by 10%, which leads to 1-7% decrease in fuel consumption, reduction of polluting emissions and significant saving of expenditures. Adhesion-bonded joints become more frequently used in shipbuilding, as they off er a possibility of joining different materials along with the advantages brought by the adhesion process itself, being reliable, cost-efficient and ensuring easy maintenance and repair.