Naval and Oceanic Engineering: more than Ships and Offshore

Abstract

Traditionally, Naval and Oceanic Engineering has been focused on research in surface and submarine ships; and fixed and floating offshore structures. More than 90% of world trade is transported by sea, so it is not surprising that most research efforts have been focused on making merchant ships more efficient and safer. Something similar is happening in the offshore industry driven by the demand for energy. Despite the evident need to perform research in the traditional fields of Naval and Oceanic Engineering, new challenges have caused universities and research centers to tackle new fields of research. This paper presents some of the research and innovations developed at the Institute of Naval and Maritime Sciences (ICNM) of the Austral University of Chile (UACH). These new frontiers for research address problems as diverse as the capturing of energy from waves and currents [1], the development of structures and systems for aquaculture [2], the design of autonomous underwater vehicles [3], the use of solar energy for the propulsion of small boats [4] and the design of floating ports for remote areas [5].