Apr. 09, 2024

Nippon Steel Corporation

Nippon Steel Corporation (hereinafter referred to as “Nippon Steel”), together with the National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology (hereinafter referred to as “Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology”) and Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Imabari Shipbuilding”) received the 2024 Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology(Development Category), which praises a persons or companies for significant achievements in the field of development and public awareness of science and technology, for its “development of highly-ductile hull steel plate that ensures excellent crashworthiness”.

<Award-winning work>
(1) Award name: 2024 Commendation for Science and Technology by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Development Category)

(2) Award title: Development of highly ductile hull steel plate that ensures excellent collision safety for marine environmental protection

(3) Award winners
Dr Teppei Okawa, Senior Researcher, Materials Reliability Research Lab., Steel Research Laboratories, R & D Laboratories, Nippon Steel Corporation
Dr Yasuhira Yamada, Director, Marine Accident Analysis Center, National Maritime Research Institute, National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology
Mr Kenji Kamita, Director, Imabari Shipbuilding
Dr Kazutoshi Ichikawa, General Manager, R & D Planning Division, R & D Laboratories, Nippon Steel Corporation
Mr Daiki Imajo, Senior Manager, Quality Management Division, Kyushu Works, Nippon Steel Corporation

(4) Outline
Nippon Steel, together with the Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology and Imabari Shipbuilding, has developed high-ductility hull plate that ensures excellent crashworthiness, aiming at further improving collision safety in order to prevent large-scale oil spills from ships and preserve the marine environment (Figure 1). Specifically, it has specifically rationalize the ductility target which has a value of a factor of 1.5 of one the  found in the conventional regulation by applying advanced numerical simulation (nonlinear finite element method) and large-scale structural experiments, and it has then established the metallurgical principle for improving the ductility and commercialized the advanced manufacturing procedure and the mass production of plate.
Adopting the highly-ductile plate on the side hull (Figure 2) enables vessels like ultra large crude oil carriers to reduce the risk of oil spill in case of collision. In addition, since the highly-ductile steel plate has the equivalent properties and workability as that of conventional plates including strength, toughness and weldability, the workload of shipyards does not change.
The ships that have adopted this technology are approved as the “advanced ship” as stipulated in the Announcement 356 of Ordinances of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, with the understanding of related organizations, and adoption of the highly-ductile plate has been added as an evaluation term for benefits such as the reduction or exemption scheme of international harbor charges. As thus described, the economically beneficial highly-ductile plate has been adopted in sixty three vessels (including the ones currently under planning) including eight ultra large crude oil carriers, contributing to the enhancement of competitiveness of the Japanese maritime industry.
Nippon Steel will continue to pursue the world's best technology and manufacturing capabilities and contribute to improving society through activities that conform to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations, with a focus on “7. Affordable and Clean Energy,” “13. Climate Action” and “14. Life Below Water.”

Related international application: : WO 2016/013288 A1,  SHIP BODY STRUCTURE WITH EXCELLENT CRASHWORTHINESS, AND SHIP BODY STRUCTURE DESIGNING METHOD.
Related patent: JP.6007968.B2.

＊Part of this research was conducted by the support of  “Collaborative research based on the industry request” scheme of Nippon Kaiji Kyokai.

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