Concern for the structural assessment of ship and offshore structures during operations, including unmanned operations. The focus shall be on methodologies translating monitoring and inspection data into operational and life-cycle management advice, with associated criteria for decision making. This shall include diagnosis and prognosis of structural health, prevention of structural degradation and failures, and structural renewal and reuse. The research and development in passive, latent and active systems including their sensors and actuators shall be addressed. Special attention is to be given to structural digital twin technology and methods including reduced order analysis, inverse modelling, and AI technology application, combined with the use of monitoring systems and inspection data, to provide real-time advice for safe operation during the structural life-cycle.
Concern for the overall design process for ships and offshore structural safety and performance, including unmanned, and its integration with production, maintenance and repair. The development of appropriate principles for rational life-cycle design using general sustainability criteria in economic, societal and environmental terms shall be addressed. Particular attention shall be given to the roles and requirements of computer-based design and production, and to the utilization of information technology. Possible differences with the safety requirements in existing standards within the regulatory frameworks, including comparisons with other relevant industries and Goal-Based Standards, shall be considered. The role of reliability-based design codes and requirements shall be treated as well as their calibration to established safety levels.
Inclined plates equipped with nozzle systems for wall cooling and cleaning are employed in a wide range of industrial applications, including the metallurgical, nuclear, energy, and marine sectors. Although jet-based cooling has been widely investigated, detailed multiphase simulations are often computationally expensive and difficult to validate experimentally. In this context, a detailed investigation of the thermo-fluid dynamic behavior of the jet distribution, impact, and plate cooling process is essential. In this study, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed to accurately capture the physics of the problem and realistically predict the resulting flow and heat transfer phenomena. The aim of this work is twofold: first, to analyze in detail different physical modeling approaches, ranging from a simplified one-dimensional model to a more compact and comprehensive one that accounts for jet dynamics; second, to compare the obtained results to assess the robustness of an intermediate model representing the optimal trade-off between computational cost and accuracy. Finally, the numerical predictions were validated against experimental data, showing maximum temperature deviations below 1.31 degrees C and mean absolute errors lower than 0.79 degrees C. This demonstrates that a simplified CFD approach can reliably reproduce the thermal behavior of more complex multiphase models while significantly reducing the computational cost. This contribution provides a validated and efficient methodology for thermal analysis and design of jet-cooled inclined surfaces at engineering scale.
Concern for the application of offshore structures for ocean space utilization purposes, such as VLFS, seabed mining and offshore aquaculture structures. Focus should be given to fluid-structure interaction induced by the large size, seabed bathymetry and structure flexibility. Due consideration should be given to the comparison of simple and more refined theories to determine the dynamic response of structures with connectors, mooring systems, etc. The engineering applicability should be discussed based on available tank testing and full-scale measurements in the actual engineering structures. General requirements, interpretations and standards used in the design for safety, reliability and serviceability of the offshore structures for different ocean space utilization purposes shall be discussed.
For the EU, decarbonising the maritime industry represents a fundamental test of its capacity to enhance industrial competitiveness in a contested global market. This paper examines the relationship between EU funding mechanisms, industrial policy, and the drive for breakthrough innovation, focusing specifically on the adoption of hydrogen technologies. The analysis charts the EU’s current funding architecture, assessing how instruments like Horizon Europe, the Innovation Fund, and the Connecting Europe Facility support different stages of the innovation lifecycle. This paper argues that the Important Projects of Common European Interest function as unique, ecosystem-building tools, capable of tackling the systemic market failures in “hard-to-abate” sectors. The strategic construction of the hydrogen value chain through four IPCEI “waves” is examined, with Fincantieri’s “Wave 2 the Future” project as an example of this integrated policy’s real-world impact on maritime innovation. The paper situates the debate within the EU’s strategic evolution from a “Green Deal” to a “Clean Deal” where competitiveness is the central pillar. The vision for a consolidated post-2027 framework, exemplified by the proposed European Competitiveness Fund, aims to rectify current systemic fragmentation. A strategic, streamlined, and market-focused funding ecosystem positions Europe’s maritime industry as a leader in the global green transition.
