Fincantieri’s IPCEI-CIS portfolio is building the digital backbone for the smart shipyard and autonomous ship of the future. By orchestrating data across IoT, edge and cloud environments, the initiative tackles integration, automation and cybersecurity challenges, enabling Industry 4.0 capabilities, lifecycle optimisation and more intelligent maritime operations.

Wind propulsion is emerging as a key enabler of zero-emission coastal cruise operations. Through detailed assessment of sail configurations, weather data and vessel integration, researchers identify practical pathways to enhance energy efficiency, support battery-electric concepts and inform future ship design, while revealing critical operational trade-offs for successful maritime decarbonisation strategies.

Traditional Maltese vessels are disappearing, placing maritime heritage and valuable seafaring knowledge at risk. Through stakeholder perspectives, this analysis uncovers the social, operational and economic pressures behind their decline, while proposing practical preservation strategies to safeguard skills, strengthen cultural identity and secure these iconic craft for future generations to value.

An electric marine cycloidal propeller could redefine vessel manoeuvrability and propulsion efficiency. By replacing shafts, gears and linkages with direct electromagnetic drive technology, the concept promises higher torque, faster response and lower maintenance. Analysis across key manoeuvring scenarios reveals how innovative propulsion architectures may unlock smarter, more agile ships ahead.

Floating offshore wind growth is reshaping the role of shipyards, demanding new infrastructure, capabilities and construction strategies. This analysis evaluates facility requirements for turbine assembly, substructure fabrication and deployment logistics, revealing critical engineering constraints and investment priorities. The findings offer a roadmap for scaling future offshore wind programmes globally efficiently.

Stepped hulls continue to offer exceptional high-speed performance, yet their complex hydrodynamics have challenged designers for decades. Combining mathematical modelling, numerical simulation and experimental testing, new predictive tools provide deeper insight into step design and performance in waves, enabling faster, more reliable development of next-generation high-performance marine craft.

Green shipping corridors alone may not deliver maritime decarbonisation at the required scale. This research proposes regional alliances of ports that aggregate demand for renewable energy and zero-emission fuels, accelerate infrastructure investment, and reduce competitive risks. The findings outline a collaborative pathway for faster, more resilient industry-wide emissions reduction today.

Vessel efficiency extends far beyond maximum speed. By combining detailed route analysis with tailored waterjet selection and design, engineers can optimise performance across an asset’s entire operating profile. The approach reveals new methods for balancing competing demands, unlocking fuel savings, operational efficiency and smarter propulsion decisions in practice today onwards.

Real-world performance data is reshaping understanding of passenger ship efficiency in heavy weather. By analysing full-scale operational measurements, researchers quantify the combined impact of wind and waves through an added-power methodology. New insights into aerodynamic drag on large topside structures could improve voyage planning, energy efficiency and design decisions globally.

Floating offshore wind is moving from demonstration to deployment, creating new demands for naval architecture, marine operations and port infrastructure. This review examines construction, towing and installation challenges, alongside stability, certification and maintenance considerations. The insights highlight practical strategies to reduce project risk, costs and lifecycle uncertainty at scale globally.

Remote drone-based inspection is transforming offshore asset assurance by enabling detailed survey work without confined-space entry. Lessons from a successful FPSO crude oil tank inspection highlight the importance of planning, stakeholder coordination, class-approved procedures and tank preparation, demonstrating how UAV technology can reduce risk, cost and inspection time significantly today.

Reliability-Centred Maintenance is proving vital to maximising fleet availability and operational performance in challenging economic conditions. Using real-world experience from the Maldives’ essential ferry network, this work demonstrates how data-driven maintenance optimisation can reduce downtime, improve reliability and lower costs, offering valuable lessons for diverse maritime fleets worldwide at scale.