M. A. Herreros, J. C. Suárez, I. Diez de Ulzurrun, Xun Meng, R. Zamora.

Naval Architecture and Shipbuilding Department.

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Ocean University of China

Avda. Arco de la Victoria, s/n.

28040 Madrid, Spain.

miguelangel.herreros@upm.es

For the next generation of offshore renewable energy devices and new ships designs, operators are looking to safer technologies, specifically those which create an optimum floating structures for energy devices (waves, wind, tidal) and safer and lighter designs for shipbuilding. Malecon^© is a new materials for offshore structures and new naval design, capable of satisfying all these design and fabrication requirements for lighter structures that are in turn more resistant, permit higher devices and more sustainable technology. Steel has a series of limitations that impede continued improvement in the line of constructing light, resistant and safe structures. Composite materials are light and resistant, but the manufacturing processes are more labor-intensive and costly; in addition they are very sensitive to damage from impact and can present problems of degradation of their mechanical properties through water absorption. Fiber-metal hybrid materials combine the high resistance to impact and durability, and the versatile manufacturing of metals with a specific strength and stiffness in the direction of the fiber, as well as good resistance to fatigue, characteristics of the composites. Malecon^© is a new hybrid multilayered material formed by layers of metal alternating with others of composite and structural adhesives, with improved in-service performance. This material and its manufacturing system is patented internationally.