The South Korean company HMM is carrying out a test for the production of marine spare parts on board its own container ship using an innovative 3D printing system. The maritime company explained that the system, tested in on board the HMM Green vessel, has been specifically designed to operate in different ship operating environments and is capable of immediately producing over 350 spare parts of small and medium-sized sizes, from bolts and nuts to flanges. In addition HMM pointed out that if so far the 3D printing system for ships used plastic materials to produce the parts, the new system can make stainless steel parts using metal powder, ensuring sufficient durability of the parts.

HMM highlighted that the new system, once marketed environment, will reduce the costs and time required maintenance of the ship, carrying out the work during navigation.