The INCASS project aims to develop innovative solutions to improve ship safety inspections through condition monitoring, real-time information, and robotics. At a recent project meeting, partners presented results from field tests of intelligent monitoring systems on a bulk carrier and tanker. Structural modeling case studies on three ship types were also discussed. The project has completed development of decision support tools and a central stochastic database. Upcoming project activities include an international conference and special journal issue to disseminate results. Field tests continued on a container ship, bulk carrier, and tanker to evaluate the monitoring solutions.

1. Inspection Capabilities for Enhanced Ship Safety
Welcome to the INCASS NEWSLETTER Issue No.9. The periodical
newsletter is part of the informative material published to disseminate
and promote the progress and outcomes of the INCASS project.

2. The main aim of the INCASS project is to assist inspection bodies and ship operators’ daily routine in
order to render ships safer to operate. Key objectives are related to presenting a comprehensive
solution for a faster, more flexible and effective inspection and maintenance regime for ship structures
and machinery based on innovative use of online machinery and structures condition monitoring, real
time information and robotic applications.
The 9th
Newsletter presents the most important developments of our project, which is near the end of
its third and final year, as discussed and presented during the ninth INCASS technical meeting,
organised by Glafcos Marine (GLAFCOS) in Athens, Greece, between 01.06.2016 & 02.06.2016.
Project Deliverables
WP7: Case Studies (Ship Types)
The INCASS project delivers successfully innovative
solutions in condition monitoring related to predictive
inspection and maintenance aspects. Case studies are
necessary in order to validate the INCASS methodology and
tools developed while testing them in realistic ship
operational conditions. This is achieved through WP7 and
specifically deliverables D7.1 “Specifications of individual
case studies for each ship type” and D7.2 “Presentation of
case studies for all three ship types”. The former refers to the
3 case studies which include the tanker, bulk carrier and
container ship. The latter concerns three dedicated tasks for
each ship type, containing information regarding the
validation and testing of the tools developed in WP2, WP3,
WP4 and WP5 and will be used to explore the application of
the overall INCASS framework. The validation of the results
of WP7 will show that the improvements achieved have met
the described project targets and will assist in identifying
those areas where additional updates are needed and further
improvements can be performed.
Project Duration
01.11.2013 - 31.10.2016
Project Partners
UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE
LLOYD'S REGISTER
RINA SERVICES DFKI
UIB
GLAFCOS MARINE
BUREAU VERITAS
ATLANTEC-ES
TSI
SHIPCON LIMASSOL
DANAOS SHIPPING
AP&A LTD
Contact details
Project Coordinator
Dr. Iraklis Lazakis
iraklis.lazakis@strath.ac.uk
Communication Officer
Mrs. Erika Zulkute
ez@shipcon.eu.com
WWW.INCASS.EU

3. Project Progress
The ninth INCASS technical meeting was organised by Glafcos Marine (GLAFCOS) in Athens,
Greece, between the 1st
and the 2nd
of June 2016. A detailed description of the meeting can be
found on the project website.
WP2 (Intelligent Monitoring Systems) partners presented the overall status of the INCASS
intelligent monitoring systems. Results from field tests on a bulk carrier and a tanker ship were
presented. These tests were performed using the full spectrum of solutions developed through
INCASS project, including crawlers, drones and photogrammetry applications. All aspects of the
systems including movement and communications were tested. The performance of the systems
was satisfactory in both cases. Possible future improvements were also proposed.
WP3 (Structural Modelling and Analysis) presentation focused on presenting the results of the case
studies on the Container, Tanker and Bulk Carrier ships performed as all tasks and deliverables
have been completed. Also the ship damaged cases were presented and discussed. Moreover the
SRA tool has been completed and is further developed to allow for integration with data acquired
through robotic applications developed in WP2.
WP4 was briefly mentioned as all tasks and deliverables have already been completed. Some
additional updates to the DSS tool allowed for more dynamic tree structure representation.
Additionally connecting MRA and MRA-DSS with the DANAOS1 platform was demonstrated using
two real-time datasets. A 3 day hourly interval dataset and 29 day hourly interval dataset of real
recordings were used for the prediction tool. Moreover excel files were used for the transfer of data
between the tools and the DANAOS1 online platform.
WP5 (Database Development and Implementation) work was presented related to tasks T 5.5 “Ship
shore communications”, T5.6 “Ship- Shore Communications”, and T5.7 “Central Stochastic
Database”. All tasks and deliverables have been completed and submitted. Data from the robotic
platforms have been successfully integrated. Also results from the onshore and onboard
synchronization tests were demonstrated. Moreover, the connection to DANAOS1 platform was
shown. Finally the INCASS Central Stochastic Database (CSD) was presented alongside SRA and
MRA data classifications. Moreover reference was made to future work and potential use-cases for
the CSD.
WP6 (Testing & Technical Audit) was also extensively discussed. The use of KPIs for the
evaluation of the contribution of INCASS platform was included in D6.2 as previously decided.

4. Moreover protocols have been initiated according to the progress done in the other WPs and
data collected during the performed measurement campaigns have been incorporated.
Additionally the “smart structural measurement methodology” was presented alongside the wave
height measurement system and scenarios for the platform audit were presented.
WP7 (Case Studies) measurement campaigns have been continued as per original schedule for
the three case studies of the INCASS project. Machinery measurements and structural inspection
using the robotic platforms of WP2 were performed on a container ship, a bulk carrier and a
tanker respectively in May 2016. The structural areas examined included the Cargo Hold,
Topside Tank and Fore Peak tank while machinery items examined included the main engine,
turbocharger, diesel generators and a number of key pumps in the ship’s Engine room. The
results from these field tests were utilized in the other work packages as feedback for future
work.
INCASS was extensively disseminated and promoted in the last few months as
part of WP8 (Exploitation & Dissemination). The upcoming INCASS Maritime
Safety and Operations (MSO) international conference in Glasgow, UK on the
13th and 14th of October 2016 was presented and the call for papers
discussed. Furthermore, INCASS will have its own dedicated journal issue
through the Special Issue of the high-impact Journal of Ocean Engineering
including best papers submitted at the INCASS conference. Additionally, ten
conference and journal papers were published and three more are confirmed
for future publications, further promoting the work performed within INCASS.
A well-attended INCASS workshop took place during the Posidonia international maritime
exhibition in June 2016 parallel to the INCASS participation in the event. Additionally, the project
was presented at the DANAOS Users’ group in May 2016 and at the annual EMSA-SEA Europe
meeting in Lisbon in April 2016 further increasing awareness. Significant Advisory Board
members’ feedback has been obtained and relevant future actions are being considered. Finally,
the project website, YouTube channel and LinkedIn groups have been constantly updated and
attracting further attention.
All project publications and conference contributions are now available in the project website.
This project has received research funding from the European Union. It reflects only the author’s
views and European Union is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained
therein.