Networking

Networking and cooperation are a very important aspect of R&D activities. Researchers and specialists get momentum and encouragement from liaising with other reserchers and specialists, and feedback and focus from interaction with end users of their studies and tools, such as designers and operators.

At national level CETENA is a reference institution in the maritime area, as the only Italian ship research centre, covering the most relevant aspects of ship design and operations.

CETENA has well consolidated relations with the University, other research institutes, such as INSEAN, CRF, ELASIS and CIRA, and organisations of shipbuilders, shipowners, maritime operators.

The research activities of CETENA have the supporty of the Italian Ministry of Transport, the Italian Ministry of Industry and the Italian Ministry of Research and Education.

CETENA cooperates regularly with the Italian Ministry of Defence and with the Italian Navy. Current research activities are focused on Virtual Reality simulations of naval operations such as underway replenishment and manoeuvring prediction for naval vessels.

Memberships and partnerships:

AIRI – the Italian Association for Industrial Research (www.airi.it) – where regular contacts are entertained with other institutes dedicated to applied research.

IMAST – an Italian ‘technological district' dedicated to R&D in the fields of polymeric and composite materials. IMAST (www.imast.it) is based in Campania , in the south of Italy , and is supported by the Italian Ministry for Research and Education and the government of the Campania region.
CETENA is the only partner of IMAST from the maritime area. Current research activities regard the fire and balistic resistance of composite materials and the properties of composite adhesives.

SIIT – the Ligurian technological district dedicated to R&D on ‘Intelligent Integrated Systems' (see http://www.unige.it/consorzi/docs/siit.shtml). Involvement will develop CETENA's know how on advanced automation and control systems.

MIMOS – National Association on Modelling and Simulation ( http://www.mimos.it/nuovo/contenuto_view.asp?check=3 ).

At international level, CETENA is involved in EU funded research, with the following ongoing projects:

MC-WAP - Molten-carbonate Fuel cells for Waterborne Applications
an integrated EU funded project coordinated by CETENA
(see www.mac-wap.cetena.it)

VISIONS - Visionary Concepts for Vessels and Floating Structures
a Network of Excellence
(see www.maritime-visions.net)

MARSTRUCT
a network of excellence on Marine Structures
(see http://mar.ist.utl.pt/marstruct/index.aspx)

SAFEDOR - Design, Operation and Regulation for Safety
an integrated project for the increase of safety in navigation
(www.safedor.org)

PROMIT
a European Coordination Action (CA) focused on intermodal freight transport
(see http://www.promit-project.net/ )

CETENA is member of a number of important international organisations:

ITTC – International Towing Tank Conference

ISSC – International Ship and Offshore Structures Congress
CETENA is member of the ‘STANDING COMMITTEE' and of the technical committees ‘LOADS', ‘ULTIMATE STRENGTH' and ‘DYNAMIC RESPONSE'.

CRS – Cooperative Research Ship
A group of companies who join efforts to carry out applied research in the field of hydrodynamics. See www.crship.org.

ECMAR Association – European Cooperation in Maritime Research.
CETENA is one of the founding members of the Association. See http://www.ecmar.eu/ .