Germany's Oldendorff Carriers is continuing its eco-quest with a ship design deal in the US.
It is teaming up with the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA).
Oldendorff will work with CBA and campus collaborators including MIT's Sea Grant Program to investigate "disruptive improvements" in design and propulsion with an eye on the IMO's decarbonisation targets in 2030 and 2050.
The initial emphasis will be directed at improving hydrodynamic efficiency, which builds on work CBA has been doing with the aerospace and automotive industries.
"This looks beyond traditional naval architecture to a deeper integration of form and function," Oldendorff said.
"Anticipated research areas include morphing structures, hydrodynamic cloaking, moving boundary layers, and alternative energy sources."
Record-setting properties?
CBA digitises the construction of materials, with the resulting structures promising to bring benefits including record-setting material properties, integrated heterogeneous functionality, automated life-cycle assembly and disassembly, and reduced environmental footprints.
Since 2013, Oldendorff has invested $3bn in 90 new eco-vessels built in China, Korea and Japan, which have fuel-efficient and reduced greenhouse gas emissions engines, and a number of fuel saving devices to reduce consumption and carbon emissions.
More than 95% of its fleet, and most of its chartered vessels, are eco-ships. It operates around 700 vessels.
Clean oceans vital
Oldendorff CEO Peter Twiss said: “We recognise that clean oceans and clean air are vital for our survival, both as a company and as individuals.
"With less than 10 years to implement a fundamental shift on how ships are powered in order to achieve the GHG reduction mandates, Oldendorff Carriers is partnering with MIT’s preeminent experts in technology research to forge the way ahead.”
CBA director Neil Gershenfeld added: "We're pleased to have this opportunity to extend our research on high-performance structures from air and space to the seas, and appreciate the ambitious commitment that Oldendorff Carriers is making to the important goal of meeting the IMO mandate for reducing the environmental impact of shipping."
CBA is known for pioneering advances in digital fabrication, materials, robotics, computing, biology and design.
