Naval Architecture
Naval Architecture Services
Navtech provides naval architecture services for ship owners, managers and shipyards across the UAE, the Gulf and India — from general arrangement and capacity plans through intact and damage stability, load line and tonnage to full class submission packages.
Stability booklets and stability analysis
Stability is where most class comments originate, so we treat it as the backbone of every project. We prepare and update trim and stability booklets, run intact and damage stability to the applicable criteria, and rebuild the hull model when the original data is missing or unreliable — a common situation on older vessels and second-hand tonnage.
- Intact stability to IMO IS Code, including grain, timber and offshore criteria where applicable
- Damage stability — deterministic and probabilistic, with progressive flooding checks
- Inclining experiment planning, attendance and lightweight survey reporting
- Updated stability booklets after conversions, retrofits and equipment installation
- Loading condition development for real operating profiles, not just rule minimums
Hydrostatics, load line and tonnage
We generate the full hydrostatic dataset a vessel needs for operation and approval — hydrostatic tables, cross curves (KN), capacity and sounding tables, and freeboard and tonnage calculations. Where drawings do not exist, we rebuild the geometry from 3D scans or measured offsets so the calculations reflect the vessel as it is today rather than as it was designed.
- Hydrostatic tables, KN curves, Bonjean and capacity/sounding tables
- Load line assignment and freeboard calculations
- Gross and net tonnage measurement for flag and canal requirements
- Lines fairing and hull surface modelling from existing or scanned geometry
General arrangement and concept design
For newbuilds, conversions and special craft we develop the general arrangement alongside the weight and stability picture, so that layout decisions are tested against the numbers early rather than discovered late. This applies equally to workboats, barges, crew boats, yachts and houseboats where owner requirements and rule compliance have to be reconciled.
- General arrangement, capacity plan and tank arrangement drawings
- Preliminary weight estimate and centre of gravity tracking
- Resistance and powering estimates to size main machinery
- Feasibility studies comparing conversion options against cost and schedule
Longitudinal strength and loadicator support
Longitudinal strength governs how a vessel can actually be loaded, so we produce still water shear force and bending moment envelopes and check them against the permissible limits for the class in question. Where owners want an operational tool rather than a document, we build and support custom loadicator software tied to the approved hydrostatic data.
- Still water shear force and bending moment calculations with permissible envelopes
- Loading manual preparation and updates
- Custom loadicator development, verification and class approval support
- Operational loading guidance for crews and superintendents
Frequently asked questions
Which class societies do you prepare submissions for?
We regularly prepare and submit naval architecture documentation to Bureau Veritas (BV), DNV, RINA, ABS, Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) and Tasneef, and we work to flag requirements alongside class. We handle the comment cycle through to approval rather than handing over drawings and stopping.
Can you update a stability booklet if the original drawings are missing?
Yes. This is a routine situation on older and second-hand vessels. We rebuild the hull and compartment model from whatever exists — old prints, measured offsets or a 3D laser scan of the vessel — and validate it against an inclining experiment so the resulting booklet is defensible to class.
How long does a stability booklet update take?
For a straightforward equipment installation on a vessel with reliable existing data, typically two to four weeks including class submission. A full rebuild involving 3D scanning, model reconstruction and an inclining experiment is usually six to twelve weeks depending on vessel access and dry-dock windows.
Do you attend the vessel for inclining experiments?
Yes. We plan the experiment, prepare the procedure for class approval, attend on board to supervise, and issue the lightweight survey and inclining report. Attendance across the UAE and the wider Gulf is routine, and we mobilise to other regions where the project requires it.
What information do you need to quote naval architecture work?
Vessel type and principal dimensions, class society and flag, the current stability booklet and general arrangement if available, a description of the modification or scope, and your target submission date. That is normally enough for a firm scope and schedule within 24 to 48 hours.
Have a vessel and a scope in mind?
Share your drawings, class society and target dates — we respond within 24–48 hours.