E-LASS #15 – webinar, November 18th

E-LASS #15 was our first hybrid event, taking place both in Nantes and being streamed through Zoom. The initial plan to organize the event in Genoa was cancelled, but Naval Group generously offered to host E-LASS at Ocean Technocampus in Nantes; the same venue as the RAMSSES Final Conference the day before. Considering the full day RAMSSES conference and the last-minute changes, it was decided to organize E-LASS as only a half day seminar this time.

The hybrid E-LASS event gathered 20 persons on site and about 30 persons through the web, which considering the last-minute organization and the new travel culture since the Covid-19 pandemic is not too bad, as commented during Franz’s welcome speech. E-LASS was also welcomed by Emilien Billaudeau at Naval Group, introducing their engagement in lightweight ship design. The morning was then followed by two presentations from UPC/Cimne. The first presentation, by Rafael Pacheco, addressed the thermo-structural response of FRP ship structures exposed to fire; a continuously critical issue in ship design. The second presentation, by Xavier Martinez, gave an update on the FIbre4Yards project; the large EU project which, after RAMSSES and Fibreship, together with FibreGy is driving lightweight ship design in Europe, with a focus on shipyard processes and demonstration.

After the morning coffee break, Anna Sandinge from RISE shared some interesting and surprising results from the KOMPIS project, considering fire performance of composite surfaces. The positive results will be further investigated in coming projects. Lourdes Blanco Salgado then continued with a presentation, in further detail than at the RAMSSES Final Conference the previous day, on composite repair by overlamination of both steel and composite structures. Aitor Hornés and Bruno Martin, both representatives of the ELCA network, continued with a shared presentation of the European Lightweight Clusters Alliance and their COSME project. The ELCA network represents a great collaboration opportunity for E-LASS, which will likely be explored at one of the coming E-LASS events.

Happy for the opportunity to once again be able to organize a physical event, Franz concluded that hybrid events will likely be the way to go in the future and that much higher incentives for travels will be needed – something that we hope to be able to provide to all E-LASS members!