Annual report 2021

Department of Marine Technology | NTNU

Looking back

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In the past year, we have gradually returned to normal after the Corona pandemic. However, we return to a new normal with more online meetings and less travel, and even more important – a new normal when it comes to teaching.

The students now expect that all lectures shall be available online or at least as video recordings, something we find challenging. How do we create the required student active participation in this new scenario? We don’t know, but we are working on it!

I have been working to realize the Ocean Space Centre since 2008. It has been a long journey, with plenty of ups and downs. This year we had both!

Finally, by the very end of the year, the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA), who is overlooking the European Economic Area (which is Norway’s connection with the European Union), approved the state investment in the Ocean Space Centre. It took 10 years, but we made it!

On the less positive side, the financing of the Ocean Space Centre was cut by 1 billion Nkr, which most likely results in the research labs for marine machinery and structures to be reduced by about 50% and located not at Tyholt, but at SINTEF-owned premises at Sandmoen, south of Trondheim.

A great thanks to our tireless staff that makes sure that our teaching and research is doing great, on top of all the hurdles and obstacles!

Ocean Space Centre’s suggested main entrance drawn by Snøhetta. Illustration: Snøhetta
Ocean Space Centre’s suggested main entrance drawn by Snøhetta. Illustration: Snøhetta

Our mission

NTNU’s mission is to educate outstanding graduates with strong analytical and practical abilities. The research goal in the technological areas is to expand knowledge in science and technology for a better world. The Department of Marine Technology shall contribute to environmentally and economically sustainable ocean industries in Norway and worldwide.

The Department of marine technology research and education contributes to develop sustainable solutions, helps solve complex problems and global challenges to assure effective resource utilization. In line with NTNU’s goal to move from mission to action, we address the UN goals for sustainability (SDGs) that are relevant based on the research and educational activity in the department.

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2021 Numbers

SOME OF OUR PHDs

Einar Ueland

Received his PhD with at thesis in marine cybernetics about “Load Control for Real-Time Hybrid Model Testing using Cable-Driven Parallel Robots”.

The PhD was both connected to the Department of Marine Technology, and the Centre of Excellence AMOS (Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems).

Alongside finishing his PhD, he started working in Equinor in R&D Robotics, where the main focus areas are drone and robot implementation in Equinor. He also took his Master of Science (MSc) at our department.

Ali Ebrahimi

Finished his PhD on “Handling Complexity to Improve Ship Design Competitiveness” in the beginning of 2021 alongside with working as a Senior Business Analyst in Ulstein.

After finishing his PhD, he started working in the global company Cavotec as a Senior Project Manager and Program Manager for Ship Shore Connection Retrofit Business.

Here he is managing different industrial projects in ports and the maritime industry, worldwide. Cavotec is into the electrification of ships and ports to make a smarter, greener, and safer maritime industry.

Sadi Tavakoli

Wrote his thesis about “Ship Propulsion Dynamics and Emissions”. This was a joint PhD with NTNU Department of Marine Technology and the Technical University of Denmark.

After finishing his PhD, he started working at Sintef Ocean as a research scientist in the field of energy systems, combustion, fuel, and carbon capture storage (CCS).

He models sustainable power systems, with alternatives like hydrogen, ammonia, and biofuels as well as advancing CCS for ships. His work promotes an environmentally responsible maritime sector.

Mengning Wu

Finished a PhD thesis about “Uncertainty of machine learning-based methods for wave forecast and its effect on installation of offshore wind turbines,” at the Department of Marine Technology and was also connected to the Centre of Excellence AMOS (Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems).

Professor Zhen Gao was her main supervisor. Wu is now at Bohai Oil Field Research Institute, Tianjin Branch of CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Corporation).

She is working in the field of marine technology, as a research engineer.

Farid Khazaeli Moghadam

Completed and defended his thesis on “Vibration-based Condition Monitoring of Large Offshore Wind Turbines in a Digital Twin Perspective” and continued as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Marine Technology.

In 2023 he started to work in Aibel in Trondheim as a Senior Electrical Engineer in Hornsea Offshore Wind project.

Research and Highlights

NTNU tests subsea drones by contract from Equinor

Subsea drones operated from onshore or autonomously is now being tested at NTNU's AUR-Lab (Applied Underwater Robotics-Laboratory) in the Trondheim Fjord. It can be a game changer in Norwegian offshore industry, and lead to less emissions in operations offshore.

Building trust in robots to measure, monitor, and regulate the ocean

A new partnership between the Centre for the 4th Industrial Revolution (Hub Ocean) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has been established to enhance trust in ocean data collected from autonomous underwater vehicles.

The King and Queen of the Netherlands visited NTNU to see technology and ocean research

“This is the stuff that our children's future is made of,” Crown Prince Haakon said, talking about the ocean. He visited Trondheim November 11 with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima from the Netherlands together with Crown Princess Mette-Marit. The royals visited both NTNU and SINTEF Ocean. The topic was the ocean, climate change and circular economy.

A new app: Artificial intelligence can classify sea ice with your help

The app «Ask Knut» will classify sea ice types. It is developed by Associate Professor Ekaterina Kim together with Ph.D. student Ole-Magnus Pedersen at NTNU's Department of Marine Technology and Nabil Panchi from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur.