The CarboCAT® family

• Overview
• Facts

Carbon vessels around 20 and 40 metres

Kockums settled into the catamaran market in 2007 and began development of CarboCAT® vessels in the range of 18-23 metres and 38-43 metres. First order was received in July 2009.

 

The CarboCAT®  is flexible

The design of the CarboCAT® catamarans has specialised in the carbon composite technology, which is a technique that has already been used successfully in naval and commercial shipbuilding. This know-how is evident in each new project. Through our direct collaboration with classification societies in the engineering phase, we put your requirements for the new boat into practice.

The CarboCAT® is economical

Today and also in the future, besides the business objective of increasing the profitability by, for example, reducing the costs, the environmental factor has become ever more important. The general economic ideas of maximising profits and the increasing awareness of environmental issues are, unfortunately, often contradictory to one another. However, with our catamarans one helps the other.

By using high-tech materials, such as carbon and aramid, and by the catamaran construction method, the tare weight and also the displacement resistance of our ships are reduced. Compared with conventional aluminium ships, we achieve significantly reduced fuel consumption at the same speed. Together with the longer life and the lower maintenance costs required, you can considerably reduce your operating costs and do something good for the environment.

The CarboCAT® is progressive

Modern ships require competitive properties especially in the commercial area. The solution lies in the elaborate combination of proven experience and innovation. With our expertise in commercial shipbuilding and our specialised partners, we make this futuristic concept possible for you.

Cooperation

Kockums cooperation partners on this market is Fintry Marine Design AG, that is based in Switzerland and is responsible for the world-wide marketing of the CarboCAT® vessels. Fintry is also adding value through their experience in the offshore and fast ferry market.

Kockums Composite Know-how

The history of shipbuilding at the Kockums Karlskrona site (former Karlskronavarvet) dates back more than 300 years and during such a long period of time many things have changed. Very significantly, this applies to the materials used for building ships. Already from the beginning fibres and resin were used in their natural form as oak wood, via steel and further to modern high performance composites of today.

Beginning with small sailing yachts in 1963, Kockums took the first steps into the field of modern composites, and five years later the sandwich technique was introduced. Over the past 45 years more than 50 different composite projects have been undertaken, from small housings for sub-sea sensor applications and medium sized locomotive fronts to large structures such as Naval Corvettes, and approximately 500 composite products have been delivered. Together with the recent development of Naval Corvettes in Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic Sandwich for the Royal Swedish Navy, this has established Kockums firmly at the leading edge of composite know-how.

Kockums composite know-how is covering a wide field. What is unique is the in-house competence covering the complete chain starting with concept studies and ending up in final inspection and health monitoring of in-house manufactured structures. Following competences is covered:

• Conceptual design. Conceptual and feasibility studies for novel composite designs.
• Structural analysis. Material properties, Design loads, Structural analysis, Structural arrangements, Health monitoring.
• Design work. 3D Modelling capabilities, Lamination plans.
• Material testing. Performing of material characterization, compatibility tests, destructive and non-destructive testing.
• Manufacturing. More than 45 years experience in hand lay-up and 13 years experience using infusion for one-of and female moulding. Experience with polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy and phenol resins.
• Quality Assurance. Destructive and Non-destructive testing using state of the art technologies as Laser shearography, X-ray, Void content analysis, automated coin tapping.
• R&D. Continuous R&D within the areas mentioned above. Participating in National and European Research programmes.
• Composite training. Theoretical and practical training of designers, supervisors, manufacturing personnel, quality inspectors and end users.

Care for the environment

Through decades of composite product development, awareness of the global and local environment has always been in the forefront. In the mid-nineties Kockums introduced its own vacuum infusion process called KVASI (Kockums Vacuum Assisted Sandwich Infusion), which has enhanced working conditions and reduced the emission of toxic substances to a minimum. Kockums as well as our composite production facility is certified in accordance with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

Page updated Wednesday, March 03, 2010.