Pultruded Composite Structures for Cargo Stowage Systems (MSC P5053)

Conventional cargo stowage systems aboard Navy ships employ an inefficient, heavy steel rail diagonal dunnage system that requires costly, time-consuming labor operations for installation and maintenance and extensive use of wood block spacers to properly secure and restrain cargo against the stanchions. The Navy has identified a critical need for improving the efficiency of current cargo stowage systems and structural components for future cargo ships. Under the Phase I SBIR program, design concepts were developed for lightweight, high strength, fiber reinforced composite material formulations and robust composite structural designs for portable stanchions, integrated composite flooring, overhead track/grating, and adjustable wedge block spacers. The proposed Phase II SBIR program involves the further design development and performance evaluation of prototype component designs that offer reduced installation, maintenance, and operating costs compared to legacy cargo stowage systems and enhanced structural integrity compared to current composite deck and overhead components. The composite components developed and demonstrated under this program will be delivered to the Navy for shipboard evaluation.