Ampelmann Operations (Ampelmann, Delft, Netherlands) provides offshore access solutions including motion-compensated gangway systems. The company has demonstrated what it says is industry’s first composite telescopic boom (T-boom) or gangway. Bridging the gap between a marine vessel (e.g., crew boats, service ships) and a fixed maritime offshore structure, a telescoping boom/gangway provides an adjustable, stable and safe pathway for personnel and cargo. While steel has been the industry standard for durability and strength, Ampelmann wanted to enhance the operational window and capabilities of its access systems, including lower energy consumption and greater hoisting capacities.
The solution was to integrate high-performance carbon fiber composites into a heavy-duty maritime environment. To achieve this, Ampelman worked with a Netherlands-based consortium:
One-shot Cure
Ampelmann required a solution that was not only lightweight but also efficient to produce. Solico and Rondal worked together to develop a “one-shot” process consolidating the part in a single cure cycle.
“The primary hurdle was geometry,” explains the lead engineer at Solico. “We moved away from complex sections that often require secondary bonding. Instead, we designed a specific U-shaped profile that allowed Rondal to manufacture the boom in a single operation, eliminating intermediate curing stages and delivering a consistent, high-quality component.”
CFRP sandwich, stainless steel connections
The structural demands of a telescopic boom operating in offshore conditions are immense. Solico designed a carbon fiber-reinforced-epoxy (CFRP) sandwich structure with Gurit (Wattwil, Switzerland) PET foam core that acts like a truss: unidirectional (UD) reinforcements handle the high-tension loads, while the sandwich core prevents buckling under compression.
The interface between the CFRP boom and the stainless steel connection points, however, presented a classic engineering headache: stress concentrations. By varying the foam densities within the cored sandwich construction and adding local recesses and/or reinforcement patches, the steel connections were bonded securely without altering the smooth outer profile. This ensures the load is distributed evenly without the need for bulky external fixtures.
Simulating hybrid CFRP-steel system
Integrating the composite boom into a steel marine vessel required close collaboration with Vuyk Engineering, which managed the steel side of the project. With Solico, it worked to translate the design requirements between the two different materials.
“Steel and composites require different design approaches,” notes Solico. “Standard safety factors for steel don’t always translate directly to carbon fiber and vice versa.” By simulating the exact interaction between the steel components and the composite T-Boom, the team optimized the laminate to be as light as possible while fully satisfying rigorous safety margins.
New Lloyd’s Register certification
Because this was a pioneering application of a composite T-boom in this specific class, the regulatory path required a rigorous definition of safety parameters. Ampelmann had already secured an “Approval in Principle” (AiP) from previous composite developments within the offshore industry. It then worked with Solico to develop the detailed safety factors and failure mechanism analysis and documentation required.
The boom’s final design rigorously addressed impact, fatigue and environmental factors and met the high requirement standards of Lloyd’s Register, validating that such hybrid composite and steel structures can be certified for safety in the offshore sector.
Improved operations, pathway to future composites solutions
The final T-Boom cut mass by 30% compared to the steel equivalent, allowing for increased hoisting capacity. Its reduced inertia enables lower energy consumption during operation, while the composite structure is naturally resistant to corrosion, offering reduced maintenance costs and long service life.
By combining Ampelmann’s operational vision, Rondal’s manufacturing excellence, Vuyk’s system integration, Solico’s composite engineering expertise and Gurit’s composite materials and process expertise, the consortium successfully demonstrated that composites can deliver a powerful, certifiable enhancement to offshore access systems.
