Using design information to create a data framework and tool for life cycle analysis of complex maritime vessels

Maritime vessels are complex products with long service lives and high costs of construction, manning, operating, maintaining and repairing. The definition of a consistent and repeatable life cycle model among vessel types is still an open question, and the development of such a model can be helpful for the implementation of decision-making strategies and design choices. The present paper aims to introduce a life cycle model and a data framework in the early phases of shipbuilding design, supporting the decision-making process of material selection, manufacturing and assembly processes, maintenance and service, use and end-of-life. The model provides a common structure for life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost analysis (LCCA), including an approach to retrieve and collect all data necessary for the analysis starting from the available project documentation and design models. Three luxury yachts with different features were analysed using the proposed model, and a software tool that embeds the developed data framework was developed. The results provided by the tool are in line with the same analyses carried out with dedicated LCA and LCCA tools (maximum deviation of 6.3% for climate change indicators). Other important advantages are (i) the time saved for the inventory phase, (ii) compliance with existing life cycle standards (e.g., ISO 14040), and (iii) the possibility to make comparisons and a benchmarking analysis. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.