Our story | MARIN

Better ships, blue oceans

SMARTER, SAFER, CLEANER

After more than 85 years of research we continue developing our facilities, knowledge and activities, and the demand for our specialised research keeps increasing and broadening. As one of the world’s leading maritime institutes MARIN provides advanced expertise and independent research. We combine software, model test facilities, simulators, and full-scale monitoring capabilities to help our clients make ships and operations cleaner, safer and smarter during each phase of the lifecycle.

THE STORY OF A CHALLENGE

It’s 1873. Dr Bruno Johannes Tideman, chief engineer of the Royal Navy and adviser to the shipbuilding industry, carries out the first ship model tests in The Netherlands to determine the ship’s resistance and the required engine capacity. It is a professional challenge to make uncontrollable waves, wind and water ultimately manageable. With this very same drive the ‘Netherlands Ship Model Basin’ began its work in 1932.

Today, known as MARIN, we are an internationally operating and recognised leading independent institution based in Wageningen with 450+ specialists who together realise a turnover of approximately €60 million. At present our challenge in essence is the same but we have broadened our view. How do we use our hydrodynamic and nautical research to make ships, platforms, wind turbines, harbours – any construction on or in the water – cleaner, safer and smarter?

BETTER SHIPS, BLUE OCEANS

Our aim is to make ships and operations safer, cleaner and smarter and contribute to a sustainable use of the ocean. We want to accomplish this as an independent, reliable and innovative knowledge partner for the maritime sector, government and society. By combining all of our methods we aim to provide solutions for concept development, design and operation.

This is why we strive to hold a worldwide leading position in developing, applying and passing on our hydrodynamic and nautical knowledge, and linking this to the related fields. As an independent partner we want to work together and stimulate innovations within the maritime sector as well as in the academic world.

THE FUTURE

In the future we will continue to support our mission, focussing on an even stronger base of knowledge, reliable tools and modern facilities. With this strengthened base we will optimise the entire maritime operation, the ship as a system and the human role in this. Our knowledge and ideas will stimulate the development of a safer and cleaner shipping industry, as well as encourage the sustainable use of the ocean for the extraction of energy, food and raw material and the development of cultivated life and autonomous systems at sea. For this purpose we will also look for nature-inspired solutions.

We will make the transition to less – but more complex – model tests and an increase of simulations and digitalisation. In order to accomplish this, MARIN will remain a flexible organisation in which well-trained and motivated experts work together as a streamlined team in a safe and sustainable environment.

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