Classification society ClassNK has announced it will begin a joint research project aimed at improving safety standards for ultra-large container ships.
To ensure the smooth adoption of thicker steel in the industry, ClassNK has embarked on developing technical standards in order to clarify the crack arrest parameter for brittle crack arrest steel plates exceeding 80mm in thickness. It aims to create clear evaluation methods in a proposal it will submit for the unified IACS requirements.
The project will be carried out as part of the ClassNK Joint R&D for Industry Program in collaboration with the Japanese Welding Engineering Society (JWES), steel manufacturers, shipbuilders,

