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New technology comes with benefits for companies that choose to adopt. Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3d printing as it is commonly known has been already implemented in various sectors (industrial and consumer products, medical, automotive, aerospace, etc.). The shipping industry is characterized as conservative to changes. As AM is starting to consolidate in the industry, can offer lessons guiding changes. Application in industries with similar to shipping characteristics (industries with moving assets), reveals the potential of applying it in the shipping industry. The availability of spare parts is important for the vessel maintenance. Additive manufacturing could shorten the space parts supply chain in the maritime industry, since the part could be made near the place it is needed. http://www.transnav.eu the International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation Volume 12 Number 3

3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) (in the industrial context) is an innovative, as opposed to subtractive, technology, bringing new opportunities and benefits to the spare part supply chain (SPSC). The aim of this work is to capture the views of the stakeholders at the end of the chain, extruding factors that will benefit the end-user and the factors that are likely to be an obstacle, by employing the questionnaire method. Company objectives regarding spares (cost reductions, improvement of services, space reduction) have been prioritized differently by the stakeholders. The most important barriers according to the participants are the quality assurance of the spare parts made by the new technology followed by the know-how and skills of staff. Other views such as suitable parts are suggested. The practical value of this work, in addition to assessing the readiness of the industry, is that it provides guidance for the successful implementation of AM in the maritime industry.

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