Take a closer look
Here we are putting the offshore renewable design to the test in a typical operating condition
Ship design services
Fulfilling the customers needs and visions for their vessels
Our design teams at VARD feature highly competent specialists who like to push the boundaries of what’s possible in terms of functionality and technology, using the latest digital tools for analysis and conceptual development.
We aspire having the best design and engineering before going into the building process
VARD delivers a broad range of services and solutions from ship design, concept design, R&D, 3D visual engineering, advanced analysis, full scale trials, ship model testing and refit.
The services described in this page are delivered by Vard Design in Ålesund and our daughter-companies Vard Engineering Brevik, Vard Marine in Canada and Vard Liburna in Croatia. Scroll to the bottom of the page to get in touch with us.
Ship design
We deliver designs for standardized – as well as highly advanced – vessels with significant customer-specified adaptations.
The close cooperation with the shipowners is a key factor in the process of designing specialized vessels. Experience and know-how are transferred and incorporated into the designs in close cooperation with the yards, shipowners and representatives in the maritime industry, operators and equipment suppliers.
Concept design
VARD creates vessels with a great variety of purposes and maritime industries. Our designers work to optimize the vessel's performance characteristics as a workplace and residence while respecting the behavior of the sea.
The designs are developed with high focus on safety, cost optimization, fuel economy and environmental considerations.
This concept sketch is our VARD 6 00 which is a sailing luxury cruise vessel designed for zero emission operations around the globe.
Advanced analysis
Through our dedicated teams of subject matter experts, we offer a set of advanced analysis when designing for a customer.
Multi-domain simulations
Advanced multi-domain simulations on complex system architectures taking into account, realistic operational scenarios, typical sailing routes and weather data, to find the best solution for each customers needs.
Finite element analysis
One of VARD’s signature services is finite element analysis (FEA), which is used to calculate and optimize the potential of a vessel’s design.
Computational fluid dynamics
We make extensive use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to accurately simulate the behavior of the flow of air and water around the ship. Our dedicated High-Performance Computing Cluster and suite of highly advanced software allow us to efficiently evaluate large numbers of hull variants in an automated and efficient manner as part of our design process. Our validated methods enable us to optimize a vessel’s performance for actual operating and environmental conditions.
Ship motion analysis
Our ship motion analysis enables us to answer important questions related to the safety and operability of your vessel’s design in the marine environment. Using our expertise, we select the appropriate tools for the task at hand and use advanced calculations as necessary.
3D Visual Engineering
3D Visual Engineering at VARD is all about making the customer envision their vessels in the best possible way at an early stage. The engineers work closely with both customer and designer modelling how the vessels and major deck equipment will look.
This process involves cooperating closely with the customers by meeting their needs and visions for their vessels. VARD is all about tailor-made solutions, and a key factor is having the best design and engineering from the start before going into the building process.
Our 3D visual engineers has a mind for quality and details. We always step up to the challenge, we have a forward mindset and always push for new ideas and development in the field.
Ship model testing enables us to fine tune our design and fulfill customer expectations
Model testing is used as an essential part of the design process as well as for research and development of our future products. We continuously use the insights gained through it to improve our processes.
Model testing can protect shipowners and shipbuilders from costly – and preventable – mistakes. We use model tests to verify our calculations and check details that are either too complex or time consuming to use software simulations, such as propeller cavitation and moonpool fluid motions. It is also used to check systems and specs on a new design, assess midlife upgrades or renovations, determine the outside limits of a vessel’s capabilities, or troubleshoot problems.
Our programs range from single-system assessments, to fully detailed tests of an entire ship design.
We work with each client to build a testing program that will furnish exactly the information needed – no more and no less. The model testing facilities has one or more specialized test basins where we use appropriately scaled models to simulate the marine environment.
Model testing gives us an enhanced level of understanding and enables us to fine tune our design to fulfill customer expectations.
Full-scale trials
Full-scale sea trials demonstrate a ship’s performance under the extremes of real-life operating conditions. They test the limits of a vessel’s equipment and capabilities and confirm whether a ship meets its specifications and fulfills requirements.
Full-scale sea trials are an essential part of vessel’s commissioning. Our full-scale sea trials can be performed at any stage of a vessel’s life, from new ships to mid-life modifications or troubleshooting issues on existing vessels.
In the trials we typically measure speed, maneuvering, seakeeping, equipment performance and ice breaking. We also measure vessel motions, vessel accelerations, engine/propeller rpm, shaft power, and rudder/azimuth angle. Additional specific tests may be performed on specialist vessels, including bollard pull trials and trawling test as well as dynamic positioning thruster tuning. All insights gained during these tests are continuously integrated into our processes.
In addition to sea trials, we offer a wide variety of on-board measurements such as shaft alignment, hull stresses, vibration levels, vibration modal analysis, shaft torques, noise levels and emissions.
Refit
Our refit design and engineering service applies to a vessel’s life-cycle upgrades, such as new equipment installations, facility expansions or safety feature enhancements.
We tailor our solutions to the needs of the client, we partner with them to define requirements, whether it’s cost, timing, operability or safety. With an agile and flexible approach, we ensure a final solution that's both achievable and cost-effective.
Our designers and engineers have a wide range of experience with projects on many types of vessels. We do engineering and design work on vessels previously delivered from VARD and on other vessels. In addition, clients can choose to perform the job through one of VARDs yards or another yard.