Application of Unconventional Technologies, Materials and Business Models for an Improved Life Cycle Performance of Ships

European ships yards can only compete with low cost competition from Asia by focusing on building specialised vessels with a high level of innovation. Thus, the EU-funded research project “ThroughLife - Development and proof of new approaches for through-life asset management based on next generation of materials and production technology” (FP 7, grant agreement n° 265831) has developed a number of innovative solutions for ships such as a self-healing coating for ballast water tanks, various composite applications, and a sensor based condition monitoring system for an optimized vessel maintenance management. In addition, the project has developed new business models based on existing business models from the automobile and the aerospace industries aiming to overcome implementation barriers of innovation and improving the cooperation between various stakeholders. In this regard, innovative technologies and new business models complement each other to achieve an overall improved life cycle performance of a vessel. Promising prototype tests have been carried to prove the real-life performance of the developed solutions.