La Spezia – Elesia presented at Seafuture two innovations that summarize the direction of technological research in the naval field today: weight reduction, greater structural efficiency, and attention to sustainability. The company, already active in the defense sector with integrated electronic solutions and command systems, unveiled a new carbon fiber bridge and a patented container made of composite material. Both projects aim for a common goal: to lighten onboard infrastructure to improve the performance of military ships and open up prospects in the civilian sector as well.
“The need came from the navies – explains Fabio Saba, vice president of Elesia, to SHIPPING ITALY – who asked us for solutions capable of lightening structures without compromising stability and safety. One of the most delicate components on board a ship is the command bridge, which integrates electronics, control systems, and operational stations. From this came the idea to develop a modular bridge in carbon fiber.”
The project, started in 2022 as an internal investment, led to the creation of a complete bridge section, entirely built from composite material. “We wanted to test its structural resistance – recounts Saba – and for this reason, we submitted our model for 1901B certification to the CSSN in La Spezia, the experimental center of the Italian Navy. It was a key step, which allowed us to dialogue with system integrators and with US shipyards for the construction of the first complete prototype.”
The results are concrete. “The carbon fiber section weighs 100 kilos – explains Saba – and a complete 9-meter bridge, composed of four modules, does not exceed 400 kilos. In comparison, a traditional bridge can weigh more than double. In a project for the Italian Navy, where we were asked for a 30% weight reduction, we actually went down from 1,200 to 646 total kilos, including all the electronics.”
Beyond the structural advantages, the main benefit concerns operational efficiency. “By reducing the weight – emphasizes Saba – you achieve fuel savings and a reduction in emissions. This is a requirement that today is as important for military ships as it is for cruise ships and merchant transport. International directives and the goals of the 2030 Agenda are pushing in this direction, and we are already working on solutions that meet these criteria.”
The company is also looking at the world of yachting, where design and technology blend naturally. “Our future goal – says Saba – is to extend this concept to luxury yachts as well. Our bridge is not only light but also aesthetically refined, so it can integrate perfectly into a high-design context. For the yacht sector, we are thinking of a more futuristic approach: multi-display, multi-touch, fewer servomechanisms and more second-generation electronics.”
Alongside the bridge, Elesia presented a second project that completes the vision of a lighter, more modular naval infrastructure: a carbon fiber container patented in 2025. “This is – explains Saba – an ISO 20 shelter, meaning twenty feet, already CSC certified and therefore suitable for loading onto merchant ships, military ships, and land-based platforms.
The great advantage is once again the weight: a traditional container weighs about 2,200 kilos, ours about 900, but with the same load capacity”.
The container was conceived as a multi-function module. “We use it – continues Saba – for command and control centers, but it can also be used as a mobile operational unit for the Army or for the Air Force, or as a technical module that can be installed on board a ship. The idea is to create a plug and play system, easily integrable into different operational contexts”.
Elesia, an Italian company with long experience in electronics and on-board systems, combines research and industrial application, in line with the new needs for sustainability and energy efficiency. “Our goal – concludes Saba – is to make naval infrastructures lighter, more sustainable and versatile, while maintaining the same levels of safety and reliability. It is a technological challenge, but also a necessary step towards the future of shipbuilding”.
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