Leading innovators in reinforced pressure vessels for the shipping industry, reveals a Ship Technology news source.
Hotbed of innovation
The shipping industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by increasing global trade and commerce and the need for efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable sea transportation solutions, as well as growing importance of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial and augmented intelligence, advanced vessel operation monitoring systems and hydrogen fuel cells. In the last three years alone, there have been over 67,000 patents filed and granted in the shipping industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in Ship: Reinforced pressure vessels.
However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
30+ innovations will shape the shipping industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the shipping industry using innovation intensity models built on over 25,000 patents, there are 30+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Vessel propulsion systems, gas turbine-propelled vessels, and vessel internal combustion engine are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are underwater drilling support systems and anti-fouling ship hull coatings, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the shipping industry
Reinforced pressure vessel is a key innovation area in shipping
Reinforced pressure vessels used by tanker ships are closed containers designed to store and transport gases or liquids at appropriate temperature and pressure conditions.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 10+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established shipping companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of reinforced pressure vessel.
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Samsung Heavy Industries is the leading innovator in reinforced pressure vessels. The patents filed by the company in this space are related to corner panel, barrier sheet, and insulation and shock absorbing structures for LNG cargo tanks.
French LNG containment specialist GTT received an order, in the first quarter of 2023, from the Korean shipbuilder to provide the tank design based on GTT’s Mark III Flex membrane containment system for two new LNG Carriers that Samsung Heavy Industries is building for an Asian ship owner.
Other leading innovators in reinforced pressure vessels include Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Korea Gas.
In terms of application diversity, Panasonic leads the pack, followed by Parkland and Aluko. By geographic reach, Alstom is the leading company, followed by Panasonic and General Dynamics.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the shipping industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Shipping.
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Source: Ship Technology
