On June 9th, “Arctic Marine Technology Seminar" was held with a keynote lecture by Professor Pentti Kujala, titled "The Design of Polar Ships: History and Development". The report was hosted by Prof. Zhou Li. The dean Prof. Liao Shijun delivered the welcome speech.

Professor Pentti Kujala currently serves as a visiting professor at the School of Naval Architecture, Ocean, and Civil Engineering at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He previously held positions as the head of Marine Technology research group at Aalto University in Finland, the Vice Dean of the School of Engineering at Aalto University, and the Chair of the Lloyd's Register Center of Excellence in Arctic Marine Technology. Professor Kujala is a renowned expert, senior manager, and academic leader in the field of Arctic Marine Technology. With over 30 years of practical experience in polar and sub-polar ice-covered sea, he has been one of the main organizers of international research collaborations in the field of Arctic Marine Technology over the past two decades. He has led Helsinki University of Technology and Aalto University in the forefront of Arctic marine technology worldwide. He has published over 200 papers with more than 7,000 citations, participated in over 20 international major research projects, and held positions in over 10 international associations such as the International Ship and Offshore Structures Congress, making significant contributions to the development of Arctic Marine Technology.

In his presentation, Professor Pentti Kujala reviewed the development of ship design methods in ice regions and polar ship regulations. He introduced the typical characteristics of modern icebreaking ships and the evolution of propulsion systems. Subsequently, from the perspective of risks associated with polar ships, Professor Kujala introduced the concept of scenario-based design, which considers the structural risks of polar ship navigation as well as potential economic, life, and environmental losses, providing design inputs for polar ships. Regarding the core aspect of ice load calculations, Professor Kujala presented theoretical, numerical, and probabilistic prediction methods, and explained the advantages and limitations of each approach. Based on this, he provided a detailed introduction to ice load measurement and inverse methods for polar ships, and describes the latest ice load measurement and ice condition monitoring technologies on the South African research vessel Agulhas II. He also discussed ice load statistical analysis and probabilistic prediction methods based on these technologies. Finally, Professor Kujala discussed ship structural design methods under ice load effects.

The entire presentation was insightful, engaging, and greatly benefited the faculty and students in attendance. Following the conclusion of the report, in-depth discussions were held on various key issues in polar ship design, further enhancing the understanding of polar ship design among the participants.