[Yonhap/ March 21, 2025] Hanwha Ocean has developed a smart solution that enables real-time monitoring of the safety status of ships and offshore plants. This innovation has received the Approval in Principle (AiP) for its "Smart Hull Structure Health Monitoring Tier 3" from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), which is the highest level of technological approval. This marks a key milestone in their ongoing collaboration with ABS, which started in September of the previous year under a "Technical Cooperation Agreement on Maritime Business."

To achieve Tier 3 status, the solution had to meet strict safety assessment standards even in areas lacking sensors to measure hull load. Hanwha Ocean has overcome this challenge by employing data fusion and analysis techniques, enabling the evaluation of structural soundness in sensor-free areas. This is a major improvement over existing systems that only assess areas where sensors are installed.

The real-time monitoring system will allow ship owners to assess the structural integrity of their vessels and offshore plants continuously. This includes predictive capabilities like estimating the remaining fatigue life and identifying the best times for inspections, all of which will help minimize the disruption caused by regular inspections and ultimately extend the operational life of ships.

Looking forward, Hanwha Ocean plans to implement a comprehensive hull structure monitoring system from the design phase to post-delivery, with plans for commercialization of the technology set for around 2026. This will likely revolutionize how maritime safety and maintenance are approached, offering greater efficiency, cost savings, and sustainability for the industry.

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