Skipsteknisk, a an independent Norwegian naval architecture and marine engineering firm, announce that it has been selected to design a cutting-edge oceanographic research vessel for the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) in Taiwan. This landmark project reinforces the company’s reputation as a leading designer of complex, high-technology marine research ships. The new vessel will be built by Marco Polo Shipyard Ltd. in Singapore/Batam.
The shipbuilding contract carries a value exceeding NOK 1.5 billion, underscoring the scale and significance of the project. The design contract will be the largest assignment Skipsteknisk has carried out to date in the research ship segment.
The ship to be built will be of ST-344 design and equipped for various tasks within oceanographic research. This includes environmental research both in water and air, investigation of bottom sediments, bottom mapping, seismic surveys, ROV handling, etc. The ship will contain the most advanced equipment and solutions available today, this includes dynamic positioning, hybrid propulsion, energy recovery, reduction of environmentally hazardous emissions, etc.
The ship will be designed and built with a strong focus on low underwater noise, a technology Skipsteknisk has built up a high level of expertise in through its work with research ships for several decades.
It is expected that the contract will entail large purchases of advanced marine equipment and solutions from European suppliers, and it is assumed that Norwegian suppliers also will be represented.
For Skipsteknisk AS, the contract is a very important strategic contract. The design of research vessels has been one of our main segments in the company’s almost 50-year history, and the new contract consolidates the company’s leading position internationally in this area. The assignment will contribute to high activity in the company throughout 2026, but will also create activity through follow-up and collaboration with Marco Polo Shipyard and the NAMR institute during the whole construction period.
Mr. Sean Lee, CEO of Marco Polo Marine, said, “We are deeply honoured to be selected by NAMR for this project. This contract represents a landmark achievement for our shipbuilding division as the largest award in our unit’s history. This dual milestone is a strong validation of our shipyard’s versatile capabilities in building complex, high-specification vessels, and demonstrates the confidence clients place in our technical capabilities and execution track record. We are grateful for the support provided by Enterprise Singapore in facilitating this milestone. This project positions us firmly within the marine research and blue economy sectors, adding a valuable dimension to our portfolio alongside our established offshore wind vessel operations.”
Mr. Soh Leng Wan, Assistant Managing Director of Manufacturing at Enterprise Singapore, said, “Congratulations to Marco Polo Marine on securing this milestone contract to design and build the Oceanographic Research Vessel. This demonstrates Singapore’s world-class maritime engineering capabilities and how we contribute to the global maritime and blue economy. We look forward to helping more Singapore firms unlock similar opportunities worldwide.”
