Navantia Partners with Siemens to Digitalize Shipbuilding

Navantia, a European ship builder, has selected Siemens Digital Industries Software as its technological partner to digitalize the company’s shipbuilding process. Using Siemens’ Xcelerator platform, Navantia will implement a comprehensive digital twin for its new F-110 Frigate program, meeting the Spanish navy requirements.

Siemens, as industrial supplier, has been able to present an end-to-end project that virtually covers the whole lifecycle process of a vessel: form the initial conception and simulation until the final services and maintenance phase. The agreement also includes the creation of a Center of Excellence of the Naval Industry in Galicia that will help drive the digital transformation and encourage collaboration between different agents, the companies say.

Navantia plans to implement various solutions from Siemens’ Xcelerator portfolio, including NX software, the Teamcenter portfolio, Siemens OpCenter software, Simcenter software and the Tecnomatix portfolio for the entire vessel lifecycle management as well as MindSphere, the cloud-based, open IoT operating system from Siemens, for data analysis. Navantia can use these solutions to help define the necessary parameters to build better ships at more competitive prices and with a shorter production cycle.

“Siemens’ solutions will make it easier to connect the entire value chain of the company, reaching digital continuity and data uniqueness. Along with operational efficiencies, it will be possible to access new business models based on more intelligent products and services,” says Donato Martínez, chief technology officer of Navantia. “This alliance sits within the Navantia strategic plan as a key factor in its digital transformation.”

Through the agreement, Siemens and Navantia will found CESENA, a Center of Excellence of the Naval Industry in Galicia, that can help drive digital transformation, develop future solutions for the naval sector and encourage collaboration between shipyards, universities, research centers, organizations, shipowners and public institutions. This alliance will help position Siemens as a solutions provider for Navantia and to the Spanish naval industry and supplier community.

“This alliance is the beginning of a lasting relationship that will see the Siemens digital twin implemented in all new projects from Navantia,” says Pascual Dedios-Pleite, CEO of Siemens Digital Industries Software in Spain. “This will help drive considerable savings in costs, in the start-up time of projects and a higher flexibility and efficiency in production.”

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.