VESSEL OPERATOR FORUM

Mission & Vision

The Vessel Operator Forum (VOF) supports vessel operators through collaborative research and development and the advancement of maritime technologies, working closely with stakeholders across the industry. The forum serves as a platform where technical challenges can be identified, shared interests assessed, and Joint Industry Projects (JIPs) initiated and supported. By bringing together the relevant experts and organisations, the VOF enables proposed projects and solutions to be discussed efficiently, fostering innovation and collaboration for the benefit of the maritime sector.

Strategy

The Vessel Operator Forum focuses on improving vessel performance, structural integrity and energy efficiency through industry collaboration and knowledge sharing. Regular meetings are held at locations around the world, helping to distribute travel commitments among participants while providing opportunities to explore local areas of technical interest. The programme combines presentations on current maritime challenges with practical field visits and open exchange of experience and expertise. Organisations proposing Joint Industry Projects (JIPs) are invited to present their ideas, enabling members to identify common challenges and opportunities for collaboration. By bringing together designers, vessel owners, fabricators, operators, classification societies, regulatory bodies and other key stakeholders, the forum fosters a broad and balanced perspective while maintaining close links with related technical organisations worldwide.

VOF was officially launched on November 21, 2007 in Gothenburg at the occasion of the progress meetings of the Lashing@Sea JIP and the Service Performance Analysis (SPA) JIP hosted by Stena.