The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has granted an Approval in Principle (AIP) to Light Structures for its ARGUS-VM hull monitoring concept, according to ABS's release.
This concept has received a SMART (SHM) Tier 1 AIP, indicating compliance with the functional and system requirements outlined in the ABS Guide for Smart Functions for Marine Vessels and Offshore Units.
Unlike traditional hull monitoring systems that rely on physical strain sensors, ARGUS-VM utilizes existing onboard vessel data to provide virtual measurements of hull responses.
This approach offers a scalable alternative for shipowners and shipbuilders aiming to monitor structural performance without additional onboard instrumentation.
"Our AIP for Light Structures is a continuation of the ABS activities to approve in principle new technologies that provide informed and actionable insights to vessel owners and operators on the structural health condition of their vessels. These insights, underpinned by real operational data, provide crew and support personnel with key information to aid in decision making," said Gareth Burton, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Engineering.
Founded in 2001 as a spin-off from the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, Light Structures AS is headquartered in Oslo, Norway. The company specializes in providing turnkey fiber optic stress and fatigue monitoring systems based on Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technology. Its SENSFIB™ portfolio offers custom solutions for assessing uncertainties related to ship and maritime asset design, safety, and operations.