- Maritime Research Institute Netherlands
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MARIN, the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands, is one of the leading institutes in the world for hydrodynamic research and maritime technology. The services incorporate a unique combination of simulation, model testing, full-scale measurements and training programmes. MARIN provides services to the shipbuilding and offshore industry and governments. Customers include commercial ship builders, fleet owners, naval architects, classification societies, oil and LNG companies and navies all over the world.
In the Netherlands MARIN has the status of Great Technological Institute, thus linking science and applied knowledge. Results from fundamental research are directly integrated in applications for clients. Over 85% of the turnover is realised by commercial projects for the international maritime industry. The remaining 15% is derived from scientific research.
MARIN Wageningen
Contents
Offices
MARIN’s head office is in Wageningen with two more offices in Ede and Houston. MARIN has 300 employees, 7 test facilities and 3 simulators.
Facilities
To fulfill its hydrodynamic research services, MARIN offers an exceptional range of computer simulations, model testing, full-scale measurements and training facilities. MARIN was founded in 1929 as the Foundation Netherlands Shipbuilding Test station (NSP). In 1932 the towing tank was built, and from then on ship model tests were carried out. Today MARIN disposes of the following 7 test facilities: Shallow water basin, Deep water basin, High speed basin, Offshore basin, Seakeeping and Manoeuvring basin, Vacuum tank and Cavitation tunnel. For the training of maritime personnel, like pilots, ship’s officers, tug boat captains and offshore crew MARIN makes use of its three simulators: the Big Bridge, Small Bridge and a Vessel Traffic Services simulator.
Services
MARIN offers its clients support in the entire design process - from validating initial ideas to measuring the performance of finished products.
Concept development
In this phase the specifications of the ship, offshore structures or harbour projects are evaluated, the limits are explored and results are verified by means of computer simulations. Main fields of interest are among others: fuel saving, comfort in relation with waves and safety.
Design support
MARIN disposes of the best model test facilities in the world and modern simulators, unique simulation software and advanced measuring equipment for full-scale research. These help to research and improve the dynamic behaviour of ships and platforms. A new ship design, for example, is optimised by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) calculations for minimum fuel consumption, but also for reliable arrival times at port and the lowest possible building costs.
Operational support
Obviously, the ultimate goal is that the ship or platform does what it is designed for, guaranteeing utmost safety and best economic aspects. Essential is MARIN’s part in trainings given to crews and traffic leaders in its simulators. Moreover, on-board measurements are carried out as feedback for the design data. Even if a ship fails to meet the requirements, these on-board measurements serve to detect the cause and support advice for improvements given to the contractor.
Tool development
Based on the knowledge acquired from research and commercial projects, MARIN develops software for design and operational verification. This software varies from advanced CFD programs for currency calculations to programs for compact simulators, supplied to customers world-wide for training programmes.
History
ModellenwerkplaatsHistory goes back as far as 1873, when the first model tests in the Netherlands were carried out. Bruno Tideman, Senior Engineer in the Navy and advisor for the ship building industry, carried out tests with marine cruiser Atjeh, to define the resistance and the required engine power. When in 1922, after the great economic depression, the ship building industry recovered, the first towing tank was built. This project was realised thanks to contributions from several parties. The ‘Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland’ (Steam liners Company), Royal Rotterdam Lloyd, Royal Packet Boat Service and ‘Nederlands-Indische Tankstoomboot-Maatschappij’ (Dutch-Indies Tank steamers) were prepared to pay half the foundation costs. The remaining 350,000 Dutch guilders were paid by the Dutch Government. This was the start of the NSP (Dutch Shipbuilding Testing Facility Foundation), the basis of today’s MARIN.
In April 1932 the NSP was put into operation. After the Towing Tank (today’s Deepwater Tank) was filled with water, the first towing tests were carried out. On 9 May 1932 the NSP was officially opened, disposing of one towing tank, a model production facility. At the time there were no permanent employees. In that first year, 1932, the number of orders booked was far higher than expected, 25.000 Dutch guilders (11.360 Euro); which is a good result seen against the 30,000 guilders’ cost of exploitation! This favourable result was continued in the following years. By 1938 the number of employees had grown to 36, which required an extension of the number of offices. The demand for model tests grew steadily and in 1941 led to the construction of a large cavitation tunnel for the research into propeller cavitation. In 1952 another extension was necessary. The Deepwater Tank was extended by 92 m to 252 m and the Design department was increased considerably.
In the Fifties and Sixties some more extensions were necessary. The great demand for specialist research required the building of more sophisticated test facilities. The first one was the Seakeeping Basin (1956) for research into ship behaviour in waves. Next came the Shallow Water Basin (1958), for tug boats, inland shipping and merchandise shipping in shallow water. In 1965 a High Speed Basin and a Wave & Current Basin were put in operation. In the High Speed Basin tests are carried out with ship models or appendages that are propelled at very high speeds. In the Wave & Current Basin (today’s Offshore Basin) wind, current and waves are simulated for research into the behaviour of structures during complex operations at sea, such as the oil and gas production and dredging operations. In 1970 the Manoeuvring Simulator was built to find solutions for ever more complex manoeuvring operations and because of increased interest in the relation between man & ship. In 1972 the institute was further extended with a Vacuum Tank at Ede for the research into problems caused by propeller cavitation. In 1980 NSP and NMI (Rotterdam) decided to merge, which was the beginning of the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands, MARIN. The latest extension was the Vessel Traffic Service simulator, where VTS operators are trained. In 2000 and 2001 the institute was again thoroughly updated. The former Seakeeping Basin and Wave & Current Basin were replaced by a new Seakeeping and Manoeuvring Basin and a new Offshore Basin. Moreover, the Vacuum Tank was completely renovated.
Today MARIN has developed into an internationally operating maritime knowledge institute with ten testing and training facilities and offices in Wageningen, Ede and Houston.
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