Additive Manufacturing of Spare Parts in the Maritime Industry: Knowledge Gaps for Developing a Norwegian AM-Based Business Ecosystem for Maritime Spare Parts

Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as industrial 3D printing, is a high skill technology that can improve the safety level in the maritime industry, reduce costs for the actors and lead to environmental improvement in the shipping sector. Reaping the benefits of AM in the spare part supply chain requires adjustments in the entire business ecosystem. This paper reports findings from semi-structured interviews and conversations with industry stakeholders to assess the knowledge needs. It identifies ten companies that are engaged with AM in either the offshore or maritime sector and provides insights into the main challenges that needs to be overcome. We find that additive manufacturing of spare parts in shipping is looking more and more realistic, and that the first commercial deliveries of non-critical parts have already taken place. But as the adoptation of the technology is still in the initial stages, a lack of knowledge and understanding is a major obstacle, both among suppliers, end users and in the national government. The key contribution of the paper is to recommend ways to expand on existing knowledge to maintain the current momentum.