Hull form design
Whatever the challenge, we bring a wealth of experience to every naval architecture project along with the resources to create marine designs that are practical, efficient, and effective.
Whatever the challenge, we bring a wealth of experience to every naval architecture project along with the resources to create marine designs that are practical, efficient, and effective.
Our expertise is evident in our broad portfolio of in-service designs covering all hull types, speed regimes, propulsion systems and construction materials. We deliver exceptional naval architecture at any project stage, from early concept and feasibility studies, contract, and class-level design to detailed production engineering, commissioning, and refit. Working across all design, production, commissioning, and refit stages, we can advise on the correct level of scope and project structure necessary to deliver maximum added value and minimise technical risk and engineering cost.
Our Naval Architects have an established reputation as leaders in hull form development. They combine our breadth and depth of experience in the yacht, commercial and naval markets to deliver designs optimised for good seakeeping ability, low resistance, high propulsive efficiency, and exceptional range. Our proven design portfolio extends beyond conventional monohulls and includes specialist hull forms such as catamarans, SWATHs, hydrofoils, and air-cushioned vessels.
With over thirty years of experience developing structural plans for specialised commercial vessels, we deliver practical solutions and specialise in the design of steel, aluminium, and composite structures.
By encompassing the full range of engineering disciplines under one roof, we’ve successfully delivered Class-approved designs for vessels from 9m to 220m. Our customised vessel designs help you meet the speed, performance, range, seakeeping, and efficiency specifications, while our concepts and preliminary strategies meet all functional requirements.
Our front-end design services include:
We develop exceptional vessel designs that meet the exacting speed, performance, range, seakeeping, and efficiency requirements of operators and shipyards worldwide.
We work with you closely to develop concepts and preliminary designs that meet all of your functional requirements. We bring to bear our decades of experience in the entire process of whole-vessel engineering, from concept to detailed production design. We add significant value in the early stages of design development and ensure that the final design is practical and feasible without compromising the original intent.
Thanks to our unrivalled knowledge of the design of steel, aluminium and composite structures and our unique proprietary software, we’ve helped create some of the world’s most advanced marine systems. We can offer designs to meet even the most challenging requirements. Our team of expert mechanical engineers have the tools and experience to design the most appropriate and efficient machinery and systems to operate to exact specifications.
We can collaboratively share ideas and technology and foster innovation in concept designs based on new or novel technology, advanced engineering, or innovative naval architecture solutions.
Whatever your requirements for technical support at the preliminary design stage, we have the expertise to develop practical, feasible engineering solutions for a concept without compromising your original design requirements.
Our outstanding reputation in hull-form design and development is founded on vessels that offer excellent seakeeping ability, low resistance, and high propulsive efficiency. Additionally, our background in configuring conventional and high-tech propulsion systems, together with our experience in integrating active stabilising and dynamic positioning systems, means that we provide the highest levels of capability for even the most demanding owners.
Class-level design is a complex process involving defining all of the significant plans required for approval by the nominated Class Society and Flag State. But by combining every engineering discipline under one roof, we’ve successfully delivered Class-approved designs for vessels from 9m to 220m.
We’ve worked extensively with all the major Class Societies and offer a profound knowledge of achieving total approvals as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Each Class Society is different and subject to its nuances. We have the insight and the expertise to engage the Class in an educated debate at the appropriate points and ensure that designs are free of heavy, redundant, or expensive features. Where designs do not fit within existing regulatory frameworks, we work closely with Class and Flag to agree on compliance based on a pragmatic design solution that meets equivalent levels of safety.
By combining this invaluable capability with our unrivalled experience in pre-contract design, we can offer single-source engineering to develop all naval architecture, structural, mechanical and outfit factors to meet the most demanding rule requirements. Where appropriate, we integrate a high level of detailing into our Class-level designs, thereby making it possible to progress quickly into production engineering and save valuable time and cost.
We produce high-quality Class-level drawing packages and vessel specifications for vessel cost estimation, contract, or further detailed design development by the shipyard.
Our bespoke design engineering services include:
We offer a comprehensive suite of production engineering services that use state-of-the-art production software and qualified, experienced operators to provide a comprehensive service for a wide range of vessels.
We have extensive experience in the design of steel, aluminium and advanced composite vessels, and a proven design pedigree for structures that are lightweight, robust, easy to construct and maintain, and fatigue-resistant thanks to our close attention to detail.
We collaborate closely with shipyards to ensure that the engineering details used are within the accepted practice of the yard and the capability of their equipment and make optimum use of the yard’s production facilities.
By combining this invaluable capability with our experience in pre-contract design, Classification-level design and build support, we can offer single-source engineering responsibility for development of all naval architecture, structural, mechanical and outfit aspects of design, from concept to reality.
We design for a full spectrum of operational requirements, such as ultra-low wash applications, zero or low-carbon emissions, rough weather conditions or high speeds of up to 60 knots.
We design for superior seakeeping and improved comfort, up to 20% saving in fuel consumption for equivalent vessel payloads, novel hull forms for improved docking performance, minimum weather downtime and high payload capacity.
Our range of vessel designs is broad, and we possess vast experience in designing high-speed patrol vessels for government and security organisations. With speeds up to and beyond 50 knots, our proven strategies for patrol vessels and interceptors range from 10 to 80m.
Our knowledge of submarine design, availability and reliability, enables efficient solutions to complex problems.
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