From setting the standard for offshore supply vessels in the 1970s, to advanced anchor handlers that transformed the oil and gas industry, and a growing reference list in fishery and merchant ships, Kongsberg Maritime’s range of ship designs has continued to evolve over the past five decades.
The early 1970s, at the dawn of the offshore oil and gas industry, saw the very first vessels, designed specifically for the harsh operating conditions of the North Sea. The UT design range has also developed to include other ship types including oceanographic research, coastal protection and most recently vessels designed specifically for operating in offshore wind farms.
In other markets, covering cargo, passenger and fishing fleets, the company has delivered around 200 ships from its NVC family of designs. Over the years, NVC designs have covered a wide range of vessels. These include cargo ships and high-speed Ro-Pax ferries, explorer cruise ships and an extensive range of vessels for the fisheries and aquaculture market.
“Over the past 50 years, our design teams have created an extensive portfolio of innovative ships for all market segments. As we reach our 50th year, we’re delighted to report that we will also soon be delivering our 1,000th ship design,” Kongsberg Maritime President Lisa Edvardsen Haugan said.
“We are a technology company that delivers a wealth of innovative solutions and technologies, which we incorporate into our ship designs. That combined knowledge across the company, together deep and lasting relationships with ship owners, many of which are based in Norway, gives us a unique capability to offer modern solutions in an efficient way.”
According to Haugan, the most significant driver impacting how Kongsberg designs ships today, is sustainability.
“It’s not only regulators that are demanding ships have lower emissions, owners, faced with higher fuel costs, want vessels that use less energy, so there is a shift towards more electrification and battery-hybrid solutions. The use of alternative fuels is also very relevant for how ships are designed, such as methanol and ammonia-fuelled ships,” she said.
With more than 180 fishing vessels delivered, 2023 saw the most advanced yet, the 100-metre Arctic Fjord, which was delivered to US customer, Arctic Storm Management. This was the first Kongsberg Maritime design to be built with US partners.
The trawler was designed for pelagic operation in the North Pacific waters, drawing on proven designs and technologies used throughout Europe.
Kongsberg Maritime’s ship design team is based in Hjørungavåg and Aalesund on the west coast of Norway and is supported by a Kongsberg-owned Croatian company, Navis Consult, which provides a range of engineering services in support of the company’s products and ship design projects.
