SMARTAQUA: Early detection of corrosion in maritime industries to reduce costs and protect the environment
Industry structures corrosion in the global industry is an economic and environmental issue.
In fact, regular corrosion checking is crucial to secure safety and expand lifetime in the marine structures. As an example, traditional oil and gas, windmill and offshore solar farms are being affected by corrosion equally which can result in catastrophic environmental impacts. According to NACE International Institute this issue costs the maritime industry between $50 and $80 billion yearly.
To address this problem, in March 2018, the Project Coordinator Dr João Tedim, of the University of Aveiro, Portugal, and partners SINTEF Industry in Norway, and AquaBioTech Group in Malta, have been collaborating on the MarTERA project “SMARTAQUA, Development of Smart Nanostructured Layers for Sensing Corrosion in Aquatic Structures”. The project aimed to develop a sensing nanolayer, incorporating smart additives combining colorimetric with magnetic detection, to be applied directly on steel structures, to provide cost-effective, reliable means of detecting corrosion degradation, hence monitoring the overall integrity of the structure.
The Hon. Owen Bonnici, Minister for Equality, Research and Innovation participating in the online closing event said that: “What is particularly precious about this project is that it was undertaken through a consortium of three partners from three different European countries; Malta, Portugal and Norway, which results in priceless knowledge exchange.
Over 90% of all goods entering or leaving Malta pass through our ports. Hence, the vital importance of the sector is undeniable and investments in this sector are essential to ensure that the sector continues evolving with the needs of today.”
The SMARTAQUA partners ran laboratory assays to test if the coatings produced were effective in detecting corrosion. The University of Aveiro tested the coatings on a lab setting and the AquaBioTech Group tested the same coatings in the field. Both lab and field tests showed very promising results. The coating is serving its purpose and a colour change is observed on the coating when corrosion occurrs on steel substrates.
After three years, the project has now concluded and AquaBioTech Group and Malta Council for Science and Technology organised an online event on Wednesday, November 3rd . The topics discussed at the occasion were the importance of collaborative innovation, outputs from the key researchers during the project life cycle and future innovations in aquaculture structures, offshore wind foundations, oil and gas structures and ship hulls.
During his opening speech, Dr Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando- Executive Chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology – said that: “SMARTAQUA is one of the successful projects that received funding from MCST, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) and the Research Council of Norway, as well as additional funding from the European Commission. Now that it has reached its maturity, MCST acknowledges that is has supported a remarkable project that focuses on developing a corrosion sensing technology that can be applied to various aquatic structures and ship hulls.”
He added that: “Safeguarding our seas is critical to securing the livelihoods of many industries that serve as pillars of the Maltese economy – fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transportation and tourism. MCST will continue to promote international collaboration in blue economy research to help capitalise on the results obtained through programmes, such as MarTERA, and continue developing local capacity in this sector.”
Local and international stakeholders attended the event who followed technical presentations by the project researchers.
Note: This project has received funding from the Research Council of Norway (through the program of Petromaks II, project 284002), Foundation of Science and Technology in Portugal and the Malta Council for Science and Technology via the MarTERA – ERA-NET Co-fund scheme of H2020 of the European Commission.
SMARTAQUA: Sistema li tagħraf il-korrużjoni minn kmieni fl-industrija marittima twassal għal-inqas spejjeż u protezzjoni tal-ambjent
Problema ekonomika u ambjentali fl-industrija marittima globalment hija l-korrużjoni ta’ strutturi industrijali. Fil-fatt, il-monitoraġġ regolari għall-korrużjoni hu meqjus kruċjali għax jiżgura sigurtà u jestendi l-ħajja ta’ strutturi marittimi. Eżempju tajjeb ta’ dan nistgħu nieħdu r-riggijiet taż-żejt u l-gas naturali kif ukoll turbini tar-riħ u solar farms li jinsabu ’il barra minn xtutna li qed jiġu affetwati mill-korrużjoni li tista’ tirriżulta f’impatti ambjentali katastrofiċi. Skont NACE International Institute, l-industrija marittima tonfoq bejn $50 u $80 biljun fis-sena fuq din il-problema.
Sabiex tiġi indirizzata din il-problema, f’Marzu 2018, il-Koordinatur tal-Proġett Dr João Tedim mill-Università ta’ Aveiro fil-Portugal ikollabora ma’ SINTEF Industry fin-Norveġja u AquaBioTech Group f’Malta fuq proġett tal-MarTERA bl-isem ta’ “SMARTAQUA, Development of Smart Nanostructured Layers for Sensing Corrosion in Aquatic Structures”. L-għan ewlieni tal-proġett kien li jiżviluppa sensing nanolayer li jinkorpora addittivi intelliġenti kkombinati ma’ kolorimetrika b’ elementi ta’ ditezjoni manjetika. Dan jiġi applikat direttament fuq strutturi tal-ħadid u b’hekk jimmarka l-korrużjoni li bil-mod tkun qed tiddegrada dawn l-istrutturi. Dan il-metodu ta’ ditezzjoni jista’ jitqies bħala metodu affidabbli u effettiv mil-lat ta’ spejjeż u jgħin ukoll sabiex isir monitoraġġ fuq l-integrità strutturali tal-istruttura kollha.
L-Onor. Owen Bonnici, Ministru għall-Ugwaljanza, l-Innovazzjoni u r- Riċerka waqt li kien qed jindirizza l-avveniment tat-tmiem online qal: “Dak li hu partikolarment kruċjali f’dan il-proġett huwa li sar permezz ta’ konsorzju ta’ tliet imsieħba minn tliet pajjiżi Ewropej differenti; Malta, il-Portugall u n-Norveġja, li jirriżulta fi skambju ta’ għarfien imprezzabbli.
Aktar minn 90% tal-merkanzija kollha li tidħol jew toħroġ minn Malta tgħaddi mill-portijiet tagħna. Għalhekk, l-importanza vitali tas-settur hija innegabbli u l-investimenti f’dan is-settur huwa essenzjali biex jiġi żgurat li dak ikompli jevolvi mal-ħtiġijiet tal-lum.”
Il-kollaboraturi fil-proġett SMARTAQUA għamlu analiżi fil-laboratorji sabiex jittestjaw dan il-kisi li pproduċew. Dawn analizzaw dan il-kisi biex jaraw kemm kien effettiv biex jikxef il-korrużjoni eżistenti. L-Università ta’ Aveiro ttestjat dawn il-kisi ġewwa laboratorju, fil-waqt li l-AquaBioTech Group ittestja dan il-kisi direttament fuq strutturi marittimi. Kemm it-testijiet tal-laboratorji kif ukoll dawk li saru direttament fil-qasam taw riżultati promettenti. Il-kisi laħaq l-għan ewlieni tar-riċerkaturi għax ġiet osservata bidla fil-kulur tal-kisi meta kien hemm il-korrużjoni fuq sottostrati tal-ħadid.
Wara tliet snin, il-proġett issa konkluż u b’hekk AquaBioTech Group u l-Kunsill Malti għax-Xjenza u t-Teknoloġija organizzaw avveniment onlajn nhar l-Erbgħa, 3 ta’ Novembru 2021. Fost is-suġġetti diskussi waqt dan l-avveniment kien hemm l-importanza tal-innovazzjoni kollaborattiva, ir-riżultati li nkisbu matul il-proġett minn riċerkaturi differenti u l-innovazzjoni tal-futur fi strutturi tal-akwakultura bħal turbini tar-riħ fuq il-baħar, strutturi għat-tfittxija taż-żejt u gass naturali u l-oqfsa tal-vapuri.
Fid-diskors tal-ftuħ tal-avveniment, iċ-Ċermen Eżekuttiv tal-Kunsill Malti tax-Xjenza u t-Teknoloġija – Dr Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando qal li, “SMARTAQUA huwa wieħed mill-proġetti ta’ suċċess li ngħata fondi mill-MCST, mill-Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), mill-Kunsill tar-Riċerka tan-Norveġja, kif ukoll top-up finanzjarju mill-Kummissjoni Ewropea. Issa li l-proġett wasal fi tmiemu, il-Kunsill huwa grat li kien ta’ sapport f’dan il-proġett notevoli bl-għan li jiżviluppa teknoloġija ta’ ditezzjoni tal-korrużjoni li tista’ tiġi applikata fuq diversi strutturi akwatiċi u oqsfa tal-vapuri.”
Żied jgħid li, “Is-salvagwadjar tal-ibħra tagħna hu kritiku biex niżguraw l-għajxien ta’ ħafna industriji li jservu bħala pilastri tal-ekonomija Maltija – s-sajd, l-akwakultura, t-trasport marittimu u t-turiżmu. L-MCST se jkompli jippromwovi l-kollaborazzjoni internazzjonali fir-riċerka tal-ekonomija blu biex tgħin fil-kapitalizzazzjoni tar-riżultati miksuba permezz ta’ programmi bħal MarTERA, u tkompli tiżviluppa l-kapaċità lokali f’dan is-settur.”
Diversi korpi interessati kemm lokali kif ukoll internazzjonali, attendew u pparteċipaw f’dan l-avveniment.
Nota: Il-proġett rċieva fondi mill-Kunsill ta’ Riċerka tan-Norveġja (permezz tal-programm Petromaks II, proġett 284002), il-Fondazzjoni tax-Xjenza u t-Teknoloġija fil-Portugall u l-Kunsill tax-Xjenza u t-Teknoloġija f’Malta permezz tal-MarTERA – ERA-NET Co-Fund skema parti mill-H2020 – programm tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea.
This article was last updated on: November 9, 2021