The European project named RAMSSES – Realisation and Demonstration of Advanced Material Solutions for Sustainable and Efficient Ships aims to foster the application of new materials in maritime and inland waterway applications by developing, demonstrating and validating 13 specific maritime products to prepare for commercial market uptake immediately after the project. The demonstration cases in RAMSSES include innovative components and modular lightweight systems, maritime equipment, the application of high performance steels in load-carrying hull structures, the integration of composite materials in various structures, as well as solutions for global repair.

An important aspect of the work of RAMSSES will be to develop a “fast track to approval” for the application of new materials in the maritime sector. For SOLAS ships, this approach aims to make the ‘proof of equivalent safety’ more efficient and quicker, e.g. by using agreed standard risk scenarios, re-using test results carried out by certified institutions according to approved procedures and developing ‘recommended design alternatives’ with the help of the classification society involved in RAMSSES.

RAMSSES will closely cooperate with the E-LASS network (www.e-lass.eu), the European network for lightweight applications at sea. Both initiatives will organise public events every six months. Companies and individuals interested to participate in the network are encouraged to contact RAMSSES through www.ramsses-project.eu.

The RAMSSES project has a total budget of 13.5 million € with an EU contribution of 10.8 million €. The consortium comprises 36 partners from 12 European countries, dominated by industrial partners. The project started on June 1^st 2017 and will last for four years. RAMSSES is coordinated by CETENA SpA – Centro per gli Studi di Tecnica Navale, Italy who is supported by CMT – Center of Maritime Technologies e.V., Germany – acting as technical manager and contact for the dissemination activities.

The project RAMSSES has received funding under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the grant agreement No 723246.