The DNV Nordic Maritime Universities Workshop is organized as a collaboration between DNV and universities in the Nordic region with a maritime related education or research line. The workshop covers all research topics related to naval architecture, maritime engineering and maritime transport, including safety, energy efficiency and environmental performance, environmental pressures, new technologies and digitalization. The 25th Nordic Maritime Universities Workshop was held on 30-31 January 2025 at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Lyngby Campus. The workshop has been organized and hosted by the Maritime Group at the Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering (DTU Construct). In total we received 77 abstracts from 7 countries. This includes 23 abstracts from Denmark, 23 from Sweden, 16 from Norway, 10 from Germany, 3 from Finland, 1 from The Netherlands, and 1 from Poland. The presentation of the abstracts and the talks is carried out over two days of the workshop and in 10 sessions, distributed over 7 topics:
• Maritime Safety & Risk Reduction (17 talks)
• Structures & Ship Design (8 talks)
• Numerical Methods & Marine Hydrodynamics (14 talks)
• Ship Operations & Navigation (14 talks)
• Autonomous Shipping & Digitalization (8 talks)
• Alternative Marine Fuels (8 talks)
• Wind Assisted & Alternative Propulsion (8 talks)
This year a special issue has been initiated in International Shipbuilding Progress to commemorate the 25th Nordic Maritime Universities Workshop. All abstract presenters have been invited to submit a full paper, to be considered for publication in this journal after a peer-review process. This compendium includes the workshop program, the session details and the 77 abstracts arranged in alphabetical order.
This study investigates the complex and still insufficiently understood interactions between ocean currents and offshore wind farms (OWFs), with a focus on local-scale hydrodynamic effects near individual wind turbine foundations. Despite growing interest in the environmental impacts of OWFs, empirical field data on local-scale current dynamics within wind farms remain sparse. This technical report describes the results from a field campaign, which was conducted within the Anholt OWF in the Kattegat over a 9-day period in August 2024.
Our research highlights the current state and trends of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in Denmark’s chartering, particularly in the dry bulk and tanker segments. Companies in the dry bulk sector are leading AI adoption, with the tanker segment closely following and adoption rates in our sample appear higher than national averages reported by consultancies. Most firms are in either the experimental phase or transitioning toward more integrated AI systems, often opting for hybrid models that allow them to maintain internal control over key processes. Factors such as company size and maturity also influence the pace and approach to AI adoption.AI is seen as a tool to enhance rather than replace jobs in the early stages of shipping operations, especially in pre-fixture activities. However, there is greater potential for automation and job substitution in the post-fixture phase, particularly in tasks such as contract (CP) management.
On the supply side, the market for maritime AI and software solutions is highly competitive and fragmented, with many providers offering diverse products. Recent consolidation trends reflect different strategies: some companies, like are specializing in core offerings, while others, like are diversifying into both SaaS and pure software models. These consolidations are not only intensifying competition but also fostering partnerships between rivals—a dynamic known as coopetition. Interestingly, some shipping firms are entering the software market themselves, signaling innovation in business models. Machine learning (ML) technologies are primarily used in pre-fixture tools (like email management and tracking), while generative AI is increasingly applied in post-fixture functions, particularly contract management.
A multidisciplinary and -national team of Ghanaian and Danish researchers engage in a three year research project financed by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to address the question how communication, gender, and sustainability affect the cluster performance of the Port of Tema in Ghana. We approach the question from different angles ranging from quantitative survey datat to longitudinal anthropological observations and qualitative multilayered interviews with port workers, politicians, port officials, domestic and foreign investors, and representatives from the surrounding communities.
This is an informational document that communicates the account of SDU participants of the MISSION project on how to prove whether the system being developed by the consortium improves the safety of ships in the port areas.
The methods suggested in this document are based on an overview of the state-of-practice guidelines and state-of-the-art methods in safety risk analysis. They are compliant with the Guidelines for Formal Safety Assessment (FSA) and The Ship Inspection Report Programme (SIRE).
Other accounts on the same issues may exist that are either complementary or preferred over the methods described in this paper. This document is intended to make discussions constructive by possibly benchmarking other views with those described here and by working out a clear methodology and guidelines for conducting a safety risk analysis of the system being developed; and for informing decisions on the system’s acceptability or improvements needed to achieve the acceptability.
This paper investigates the significance of ports in the energy transition (ET) and decarbonisation. Ports, being vital in energy value chains, play a critical role in curbing energy use and emissions. The paper draws from the MAGPIE project, funded by the Horizon 2020 programme, which showcases energy and digital solutions in a real-world setting. The paper focuses on sustainable initiatives in 12 European sea- and inland- ports, analysed through interviews and secondary data. Findings reveal that while many ports discuss ET, few have transformed their plans into significant actions due to technological, regulatory, and financial challenges. Three core themes emerge from the review: ET infrastructure, seagoing ships and hinterland transport, and governance. Ports need more actionable strategies for ET, with port authorities spearheading the adoption of sustainable technologies through collaboration.
This study proposes a novel tower damping system to enhance the structural performance of the NREL 5 MW semi-submersible wind turbine under operational and extreme load conditions. Environmental load data from the Norwegian MET center was analyzed to characterize the loading conditions for floating offshore wind turbines (FOWT). The probability density spectrum of sea state data was employed to identify operational load conditions. At the same time, the Inverse First-Order Reliability Method (IFORM) was utilized to derive the 50-year extreme sea state. Perform a fully coupled Aero-Hydro-Servo-Elastic simulation of the FOWT dynamic model with a damping system using OrcaFlex software. The results reveal that: Under operational sea states, the turbine tower-top displacement was reduced by 60–70%, and acceleration by 30–40%, enhancing tower-top stability. Under extreme loads, tower-top acceleration was reduced by 5–7%, and displacement by 6–8%. Cumulative damage assessments indicate a reduction in fatigue damage of up to 72%, with the effective fatigue life of the tower base extended by 136%. The proposed damping system significantly reduces vibration under fatigue and extreme load conditions.
The idea for this project originated within the Arctic Council’s Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) Working Group, where a concern was raised about the disposal of tailings from onshore mining operations onto the seafloor. This led to a broader reflection on the impacts of mining operations on the marine environment. Many Arctic governments support the development of a mineral extraction industry, provided it operates in an environmentally responsible manner and considers socio-economic impacts to local communities. However, the environmental impact of existing and future mining operations is often debated. This report summarizes the results of the multi-year Existing Waste Management Practices and Pollution Control for Marine and Coastal Mining project, developed under the auspices of the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) Working Group.
The report focuses on analysing on-deck accidents in offshore environments using data from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which covers the period 1980-2005. It applies the Accident Anatomy (AA) method, which maps accident causes and consequences using fault trees and cause-consequence diagrams (CCDs). Unlike previous analyses, this report aims to extract deeper insights into accident patterns beyond general statistics.
For this report, on-deck operations involve material handling, tool use, and equipment operation in offshore environments.
The study analysed 10,846 records that cover accident events on both fixed and floating offshore units. The report focuses on cases where injuries or fatalities occurred. The analysis described in the report mapped 77 accident-prone operations and provides a detailed causal understanding of offshore accidents.
Despite the exhaustiveness of the analysis, there are limitations related to the used data. The HSE records primarily document physical and operational aspects of the accidents, leaving out design-related or organisational factors. Next, probabilities for the accident events considered in the analysis are not provided. This is due to the incomplete nature of the sources and the lack of information on the number of opportunities for accidents. The computation of probabilities will be feasible if data on the frequency of use of relevant components, machines, personnel, and workplaces has been also collected.