Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

The pace of technological change and the wear-and-tear of operating in a marine environment mean that owners must periodically repair and modernize vessels. The core of our marine practice involves preparing bid-ready plans, specifications and cost estimates for repair, modification or replacement of all types of shipboard systems. New deck machinery, main engine or auxiliary repowering, trim & stability tasks, mission space modifications, HVAC or piping upgrades or new electronic or computer system installations are just some of the types of projects with which we have experience.

While environmental topics continue to rise in the public consciousness, vessel owners and operators know it as a perennial issue. After all, reducing fuel consumption, waste and life-cycle costs are hardly new ideas in the marine industry. What is new are regulatory requirements and technologies that address environmental concerns and compel owners and operators to find ways to improve the efficiency and environmental performance of their vessels. Art Anderson Associates is an industry leader helping fleet owners like NOAA, Washington State Ferries and others identify, evaluate and implement strategies that reduce emissions and waste, minimize a fleet’s carbon footprint and improve the sustainability and life cycle of their investment.

As a company that employs a diverse mix of marine and facilities architects, engineers and designers who live and work in a region that depends on marine transportation, we specialize in providing services for ferry systems. Our naval architects and marine engineers understand the unique requirements of ferries and have a successful history of working with ferry systems like the Alaska Marine Highway System, Bay Area WETA, county-owned systems in Washington and Oregon, and more than 25 consecutive years providing services for the largest ferry system in the United States, Washington State Ferries.

Providing naval architecture and marine engineering support to shipyards was the reason for our founding more than fifty years ago. We continue to offer an array of services that help shipyards and boatbuilders deliver quality projects on time and under budget. Whether it is working on behalf of an owner to represent their interests and monitor construction, or working on behalf of a yard to develop designs and provide technical assistance to complete a project, we are well-equipped to provide expert support. Many of our personnel have prior experience in shipyards and understand how to work with shipyards and boatbuilders to deliver a successful project.

Our efforts don’t just center on repair and modernization of existing vessels. Art Anderson Associates has a diverse portfolio of new vessel designs that includes passenger and vehicle ferries, landing craft, military and police vessels, barges and other floating structures developed for clients like the Illinois Department of Transportation, Kitsap Transit, Clackamas County and others. For clients looking to build new, we can customize one of our existing designs, or start from scratch and develop an entirely new one that effectively meets the vessel’s intended mission.

The naval architecture and marine engineering professions aren’t just for powered vessels. We are an industry leader in applying the lessons of the profession to floating facilities and structures. Working for clients like SEAFAC, the City of Vallejo, Port of Bremerton and Pacificorp, we’ve designed marinas, floating breakwaters, ferry terminals, maintenance barges and floating surface collector fish passage facilities. As a firm that successfully combines marine and shoreside expertise in-house, we offer unique value that is unmatched by competitors.

Our firm’s spirit of innovation and commitment to deliver Value Beyond Engineering® is embodied by our cutting-edge marine research group. We’ve leveraged our unique capabilities in the design of marine vessels and floating structures to examine new technologies and approaches to high-speed transportation, amphibious craft, seabasing and floating structures. Most of our R&D work is funded by the US Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, which enables small companies like ours to offer compelling solutions to federal clients. Through our unique, multidisciplinary capabilities, we offer a lot to federal and other clients interested in a capable research partner.