Carnival Maritime, Thome Ship Management, OSM Maritime Group, Berge Bulk, Executive Ship Management and Wilhelmsen Ship Management have all signed up as early adopters for a new on-demand 3D printing programme for spare parts, launched by Wilhelmsen’s Marine Products division.
Wilhelmsen, as part of its ongoing cooperation with Ivaldi Group, will provide spare parts to the selected six customers’ vessels around the globe on demand, utilising a new digitisation and certification process to create parts as required in a range of locations, eliminating the need for storage, shipping, customs and receiving processes.
“The savings from reduced cost, time and environmental footprint provided by 3D printing, digital inventory and on-demand localised manufacturing of maritime spare parts is a tremendous opportunity for our valued subscribers to be ahead of their rivals,” said Hakon Ellekjaer, Head of Venture, 3D Printing, Wilhelmsen.
“We believe on-demand manufacturing technologies are going to completely reshape the maritime supply chain.”
Wilhelmsen Ship Management and Berge Bulk already been trialling the 3D Printing service for more than a year, acting as the beta testers for the system, ahead of the official launch of the early adopter programme (EAP).
“We see great potential with usage of 3D printed spare parts,” said Capt. Patwardhan J, General Manager, Wilhelmsen Ship Management Singapore.
“Wilhelmsen Ships Service and Ivaldi Group are providing cutting edge technology that will greatly benefit our customers – a highly efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly way of providing spare parts. We are excited about this opportunity.”
Wilhelmsen began its partnership with Ivaldi in early 2017, bringing Ivaldi’s virtual warehouse and on-demand manufacturing technologies at local micro-factories into Wilhelmsen’s global supply chain via an ownership stake.
Starting with smaller polymer and metal parts in the comfort critical category, the spare parts will be 3D printed and delivered within hours to the vessels subscribed to the service.
