Fiber optic hull monitoring chosen for eight newbuild LNG Carriers

Oslo, Norway: Light Structures AS, the world leading supplier of fiber optic condition monitoring systems based on Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technology, has been contracted by its partner China Merchants Hoi Tung company to deliver and install Hull Stress Monitoring Systems for eight newbuild LNG carriers. The vessels are owned by two separate consortia for operations in the Middle East and are being built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding for delivery through 2024 to 2026.

Light Structures will provide precise hull monitoring data to the LNG vessels using the standardised SENSFIB Global system. While essentially a Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) product, SENSFIB Global installations are always configured according to vessel design. This ensures that its precision sensors record the most accurate data on ‘global bending moments,’ which can be used to minimise hull stress and fatigue, and therefore ensure the ship meets its designed operational lifecycle.

SENSFIB Global also meets new requirements detailed as part of new SMART notations from classification societies including ABS, BV and DNV. This ensures the system is ready to provide data as part of a wider digital condition-based monitoring system, which unlocks the potential to reduce operational costs by extending the time between dry docking for vessels repairs.

“While SENSFIB Global’s primary role is the provision of onboard decision support based on real-time data, our experts also analyse the same data as part of enhanced annual reports that help our customers to plan for the long-term effects of hull stress and fatigue on their LNG vessels and any other type of ship,” says Goetz Vogelmann, Sales Director, Light Structures.

About Light Structures AS

Light Structures AS was founded in 2001 as a spin-off from the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment and is now established as the leading provider of turnkey fiber optic stress and fatigue monitoring systems based on Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technology. Light Structures leverages its passion for monitoring to deliver custom solutions based on its SENSFIB^TM portfolio for the qualification of uncertainties in relation to ship and maritime asset design, safety and operations. More than 300 SENSFIB^TM systems have been installed globally for diverse applications, vessels and customers. Light Structures is headquartered in Oslo and has a growing network of international offices. SENSFIB^TM solutions are sold through a dedicated network of partners and agents worldwide. www.lightstructures.com

About SENSFIB^TM

The patented and intrinsically safe SENSFIB^TM range unlocks environmental and financial benefits by giving ship owners and operators the potential to avoid incidents before they happen or to gain a deeper understanding of causes during incident investigation. The range includes diverse solutions that can be customized for specific applications such as Hull Stress Monitoring, FPSO Monitoring, Ice Load Monitoring, Sloshing Monitoring, and the customized HullInfo application. In addition to real-time operational data for decision support on board, SENSFIB^TM also provides data for Active Fatigue Management reports, which can contribute to reducing operational cost and extending a vessel’s lifetime. Leveraging the reliability and precision of FBG technology, SENSFIB^TM provides unique visibility into asset integrity, enabling improved predictive & condition-based monitoring to be integrated in newbuild vessels or retrofits. Data from SENSFIB^TM systems is available on dedicated user terminals, through integrated automation and control systems, and as part of IoT networks and cloud-based operational platforms.