The importance of LÄSS for the future

Sweden has a complex transport mix of road, rail and maritime transport, together with a well developed industry producing all types of transport system vehicles, and that industry's subcontractors. Some of these industries and subcontractors already supply other high-tech industries in the military sector. Competition is hard, but there is scope for expansion into new areas. Future transport systems need to be faster, yet with reduced environmental impact: this requires light weight for all types of transport stock, including ships.

There is virtually no general cooperation structure today in the field of lightweight materials for use at sea, other than customer/builder relationships between materials manufacturers, ship designers and shipyards. There are few links between customers and producers, and a lack of effective links between military and merchant shipping.  Contact between universities and research institutes is also inadequate. 

LÄSS will bring together a wide cross-section of important shipping interests and target groups - producers and consumers (naval and civil), researchers and public authorities - and so provide a substantial boost to the missing cooperation links. The synergic benefits that can be expected in this environment will also mean that LÄSS is important at the interface between traditional and new technologies. Although new and unconventional ideas and materials are needed in order to accelerate the rate of change, the traditional ones are needed in order to reach out into the market at a suitable rate that does not threaten the boundaries of regulations or frighten customers.

When the project is completed, knowledge from it can be incorporated in the basic training of transport engineering students in our institutes of technology.  Continuation courses based on the results should be developed in conjunction with commercial organisations and the institutes of technology in order to accelerate dissemination of the results.

Shipping lines involved in the project, such as Wallenius Lines and Stena Line, will be able substantially to reduce the weight of their Ro-Ro vessels. Meanwhile FMV, working with Kockums, will be able further to develop their lightweight designs for the Swedish navy and for export of naval vessels. The technology can be extended to other types of vessels for which light weight is important, so benefiting other Swedish shipping lines. Subcontractors will be able to point to the lightweight design demonstrator results, and expand their markets both in Sweden and other countries.  Consultants involved in the work will create an expert network, helping to spread the results to the consultants' clients.

Advances in ship design and building are driven by many factors, with commercial factors being the most influential. The pressures of environmental consideration have made end users and interested parties more aware of the environmental impact of transport systems. In several cases, Swedish shipping lines have been at the forefront of developments aimed at reducing environmental impact, and participation in LÄSS indicates their intention to continue along this path. 

International and national legislation will impose ever more stringent requirements on marine transport. As the cost of fuel over a ship's lifetime has a decisive effect on its total life cycle environmental impact, shipping lines are constantly looking for more efficient propulsion systems and greater cargo capacities for the same underwater profile. Lightweight construction of ships can thus make a significant contribution to greater sustainability of transport systems.