The Smart European Shipbuilding project (SEUS)

Smart European Shipbuilding project – integrated platform for a combined solution incorporating CAE, CAD, CAM, and PDM software

The Smart European Shipbuilding project (SEUS) aims to create a framework for European shipyards by developing an integrated platform for a combined solution that incorporates CAE, CAD, CAM, and PDM software and testing it at shipyards.

The new platform solution will be built with the best EU shipbuilding expertise provided by academic and industrial consortium participants. It will develop novel practices for human-centric knowledge management, data-driven AI design elements, intelligent technology, and an Industry 5.0 concept for shipbuilding.

The consortium partners represent state-of-the-art development in three main areas:

Computational tools development
Industrially applied research
End-users of the new technology – shipyards.

The ambition is to achieve up to a 30% reduction in the time needed for engineering and up to 20% for assembly and construction at European shipyards. The elimination of gaps in digital information flows and the optimisation of work processes present the area for time and cost optimisation, providing significant economic impacts on shipbuilding.

The identified impacts include the following:

Development of computational platform solution
Facilitation of digital transformation of shipbuilding
Traceability and integration of the early design impact of the design process
Competitive advantage for EU shipbuilders through time savings in design and production stages
Expansion of shipyards’ exposure to the ship life cycle: for retrofit, revitalisation, use of data from operation and maintenance, human-centric shipbuilding knowledge management, and EU workforce skills and expertise development.

Objectives

Create workflow activity map and use cases applying smart technology and the Industry 5.0 concept, specific to European shipbuilding
Enhance the human-centric competitiveness of shipbuilding and reflect diverse values of stakeholders, including shipyard workers, shipowners, operators, users/passengers, and shipbuilders in general
Build a shipbuilding-specific PLM platform comprising defined data models and the selected elements of CAE/CAD/CAM and PDM solutions
Develop a flexible platform that supports multiple instances of workflows to facilitate rapid early designs, and is fit to support AI tools and virtual prototyping
Ensure openness and interoperability of the platform while ensuring cyber security
Test and implement in an industrial environment – the digital shipyard.
Quantify added value gains provided by the developed platform, creating a business model of exploitation, and dissemination of project results

Participants

Project SEUS brings together development work for computational tools, the highest research expertise from academic partners, applied to the field of shipbuilding and Industry 5.0, and future users of the platform - shipyards. This ensures that the development process has a product-service design backbone and nurtures a value co-creation process in the development of IT tools.

Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway (NO)

NTNU is the largest university in Norway today, with a history dating back to 1910. NTNU’s vision is to create knowledge for a better world. NTNU aims to provide solutions that can change and improve everyday life. NTNU will coordinate the project based on the experience of numerous other EU projects (e.g., Horizon 2020). NTNU’s Department of Ocean Operations and Civil Engineering, where the project management will be anchored, is the largest department at NTNU in Ålesund with a long tradition in simulation and smart technology in both ocean and land-based infrastructure, teaching ship design and construction at BSc, MSc and PhD level.
CONTACT SOFTWARE (CONTACT), Germany (DE)

Founded in 1990, Contact software

focuses on digital transformation services, providing a software platform for engineers to improve collaboration, accelerate product development, and bring digital twins to life. It is one of the providers driving the PLM market and addressing the industry's current challenges with comprehensive solutions. It offers the open, modular low-code platform Elements and the PLM modules based on it, which companies can combine flexibly and build industry-specific solutions.
NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences (NHL)

Founded in 1875, the Applied University is an internationally orientated institution with strong ties to local communities and businesses. It provides research programs in maritime technology combined with the newest IT technologies, such as AI tools and machine learning applications.
University of Turku (UTU), Finland (FI)

the University of Turku, established in 1920, works in the education, research, and business collaboration areas. It inspires by science and provides high-level services for business networks, including numerous projects in mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, and computational tool domains.
Cadmatic Oy (Cadmatic), Finland (FI)

Cadmatic, founded in the mid-1980s, is rooted in engineering expertise and the earliest 3D modelling applications for shipbuilding design. It is a leading developer of digital and intelligent 3D-based design, engineering, and information management software solutions for the marine industry. It provides an integrated solution for ship design and shipbuilding networks – from initial and basic design to assembly, construction, and beyond. Over 60% of European shipyards currently use Cadmatic's solutions and have expressed the need to expand their use from design to complete life cycle support leading to the development of information management solutions and a need for PLM approach adaptation for shipbuilding.
Ulstein Group (Ulstein), Norway (NO)

Ulstein Group is a family-owned company comprising several marine enterprises in ship design & solutions, shipbuilding, global sales, and shipping. Ulstein’s vision is to create tomorrow’s solutions for sustainable marine operations. The company was founded in 1917 and is famous for innovative designs, including the X-bow. It leads shipbuilding innovation in Europe and supports an innovative approach to PLM in shipbuilding networks. Ulstein Group has vast experience with National and EU projects, with a large number of publications combining theory and practice in ship design and construction.
SARC BV (SARC), Netherlands (NL)

Founded in 1980, SARC was among the first to recognise the potential of computer applications in naval architectural calculations. Starting with simple programs for tables of hydrostatic data, tank-sounding tables, and hydrostatic stability calculations, SARC has been developing new software and investigating and implementing new techniques. Today, SARC employs trained and experienced naval architects involved in software engineering, software support, project management, and project support. SARC is continuously investing in research and development to offer clients state-of-the-art solutions.
Astilleros Gondan SA (Gondan), Spain (ES)

Gondan shipyard was established in 1925, providing complete engineering to order delivery of a wide range of vessels: from tug boats to SOV and fishing vessels. It continuously modernises its processes and strives for efficiency and sustainability. The shipyard continuously integrates technologies to achieve effective, practical results. Combining resources and technological components with various characteristics from different origins is a complex task requiring in-depth analysis and the ability to adapt and coordinate.

The SEUS project has received funding from the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON) EU program under grant agreement No 101096224.

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