HHI granted Approval in Principle by LR to provide structural health management of independent gas containment tanks using digital twin technology, the company said in its release.
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.