Marine engineering is the technological field of expertise connected to engineering of boats, ships, oil installations and various types of vessels. FiReCo is a natural partner in projects related to this field of expertise and has a broad portfolio on the subject.
The main categories where FiReCo has contributed during the years are described below.
Fuel economy and life cycle cost have created a market for light weight and high speed commercial passenger crafts. Serious participants like Brødrene Aa (Norway) and Thyssen Krupp/SAAB Kockums (Sweden) have proven that CFRP (Carbon fibre reinforced plastic), together with the concept of sandwich technology, are cost effective materials for these type of vessels. The combination of carbon materials and sandwich technology results in a concept with unrivaled strength and stiffness compared to weight. To fully utilize this concept and achieve optimized structures the demand of excellent structural engineering and material know-how are absolutely essential. FiReCo fulfils these requirements, and has the in depth knowledge that is needed in order to create cost efficient and reliable structures for these applications.
Yachts and pleasure crafts is another big market for the application of composite materials and designs. The 116 feet luxury yacht Moonraker, built in 1992, is still a textbook example where luxury, high speed, and a reliable high strength structure are combined in to perfection. With a record breaking top speed of 67 knots, 12000 HP, and a gas turbin installation she is not representative for today’s low fuel burning designs, but she is representative for FiReCo’s long lasting innovative structural design, where even the bed in the master bedroom was integrated in the structure and contributing to the yachts strength. The development and structural design of the Palmer Johnson 49m long 48M SuperSport with a maximum speed of 32 knots and a crew of 9, built by Brødrene Aa in carbon fibre, is another example of a construction only feasible because of the advanced calculations and work done by FiReCo.
Fast emergency boats and work boats produced by e.g. Norsafe (Norway) is also an example of a type of construction/concept where FiReCo’s expertise and knowledge in composite technology and engineering has proven helpful and inevitable.
FiReCo wish to thank the following companies for the kind permission to use their pictures: Brødrene Aa and Sverre Hjørnevik, Hydrolift, Palmer Johnson, Norsafe and Goldfish.