zoomImage Courtesy: DNV GL

UK-based engineering company Rolls-Royce, The Norwegian University of Technology Science (NTNU), research organisation SINTEF Ocean, and classification society DNV GL have joined forces to create an open source digital platform for use in the development of new ships.

Under a memorandum of understanding (MoU), the parties would develop the platform which would allow the creation of the so called “digital twins”, which are digital copies of a real ship, including its systems, that synthesizes the information available about the ship in a digital world.

This allows any aspect of an asset to be explored through a digital interface, creating a virtual test bench to assess the safety and performance of a vessel and its systems, both before its construction and through its lifecycle.

“We are entering a new era with the accelerated uptake of more IT-technology in shipping. Digitalization of information flows will have a positive impact on safety and environmental performance,” Remi Eriksen, Group President and CEO, DNV GL, said.

“By creating ships and ship technology in a virtual environment new ideas and technology can be realized and tested in a shorter time frame. A platform like this could form the basis for future class services,” Eriksen added.

The project partners intend to open the platform for use by other parties, with some core aspects built on an open source framework – enabling designers, equipment and system manufacturers, yards, ship owners, operators, research institutes and academia to work together to co-create and innovate together.

The platform is also designed to serve as a model library for different ship concepts, where concepts can be made generally available or kept part of projects with limited access.

Following the signing of the MoU, the project partners are now working to form a steering group that will define and govern the development of the core platform system and its deployment.