Inha University and Three Major Shipbuilders Begin Development of Core Technologies for Polar-Operating Vessels

Inha University announced on September 1 that the research team led by Professor Yooil Kim from the Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering will develop core technologies for polar-operating vessels together with the country's three major shipbuilders.

This development project, supervised by Professor Kim's research team, will involve Samsung Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and the Korean Register. These organizations aim to develop an integrated software platform called 'iFAST (Ice Force Assessment Simulation Tool)' for predicting ice loads and analyzing ice-structure interactions.

Ice load refers to the force exerted on vessels or offshore structures when they collide with ice. Ice-structure interaction analysis is a technology that analyzes the process in which ice breaks and the hull or offshore structure responds to it. Accurately predicting these forces and responses is essential in improving the safety and reliability of polar-operating vessel designs.

iFAST simulation results for icebreaker ships navigating Arctic ice fields. Provided by Inha University

Recently, the demand for vessels and offshore structures operating in polar ice environments has been increasing due to the pioneering of Arctic routes and the expansion of polar resource development. In particular, as orders for ice-adapted facilities such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, icebreakers, and offshore plants are growing, the importance of technologies that can precisely evaluate ice loads is also on the rise.

Although research and technology development related to ice load evaluation are ongoing domestically, it is still necessary to expand the localization base for an integrated analysis platform that can be directly used for the design and verification of large-scale ice-class vessels and offshore structures.

Professor Kim commented, "This research, in which shipbuilders, classification societies, and academia are closely collaborating, will be a significant milestone in advancing South Korea's core competencies for polar response. By establishing an analysis platform based on proprietary technology, we aim to contribute to enhancing the international competitiveness of K-shipbuilding in the global market for polar-operating vessels and offshore structures."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.