Design smarter. Build better: New webinar series explores polymers in ship and offshore piping systems

With the maritime industry under increasing pressure to improve efficiency, cut emissions, and extend asset lifetimes, materials are playing a decisive role in the design of next-generation ships and offshore installations. Polymers, long established in secondary systems, are increasingly being implemented in critical piping applications thanks to their lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and cost-efficient properties.

To support engineers and designers in navigating this material shift, GF, together with experts from DNV and Roxtec, has launched the on-demand webinar series “Design Smarter. Build Better.”. The five-part program is aimed at naval architects, FEED consultancies, and shipyards looking to understand how to integrate polymers into marine and offshore piping systems.

Across the series, host Paul Jolley, Business Development Manager Floating Wind & Offshore at GF, will speak to industry specialists about the unique demands of implementing polymers on board:

• Episode 1: Roberto Chiesa, Head of Business Development Marine at GF, and Martin Vloedbeld, Global Marine / Business Development & Sales Manager NL Marine at Georg Fischer NV, will lay the foundation by focusing on the rise of polymers as an alternative to metal piping systems, and how GF developed its marine portfolio to include demanding essential applications.
• Episode 2: Michaela Eichenberger, Head of Materials Technology Polyolefins & Technical Polymers at GF, and James Chandler, Head of Engineering Services at George Fischer Sales Services Ltd., discuss the crucial parameters that need to be considered during material selection, as well as the differences compared to metal.
• Episode 3: James Chandler returns to speak about the design process for thermoplastics, including topics such as pipe stress analysis and prefabrication.
• Episode 4: Roberto Chiesa and Hagen Markus, Principal Engineer - Piping Components, Ship Classification Maritime at DNV, look at the history and current trends of type approval for thermoplastic piping systems which involves a wide range of stringent testing.
• Episode 5: Roberto Chiesa is joined by Oskar Erlingsson, Manager - Technical & Commercial Support for marine and offshore at the Roxtec Group, to talk about the various methods of installation. The episode covers flange types, bracket systems and jointing technologies for polymers, as well as Roxtec’s pipe seals.      

Host Paul Jolley comments on the launch: “Polymers use in the industry is established and increasing. Therefore, as Naval Architecture firms and FEED consultancies recognize the incredible potential of these materials, designers are looking for guidance on how to get the most out of thermoplastic piping systems. Across five episodes, we want to answer some of the questions we regularly receive about polymers and empower maritime professionals to design smarter and build better.”