EVIMAR
The European Virtual
Maritime Institute
Bruxelles, 2000.09.28
Erik Styhr Petersen, R&D Manager, DMI
Presentation Overview
Virtual Institute – Q & A;
 The Why, Who, What, How of EVIMAR:

– Why – The need for a virtual maritime institute;
– Who – The project partners;
– What – The project objectives;
– How – The project contents;

Rounding off...
DMI 2000
What is a Virtual
Institute?

Oxford Concise Dictionary - Virtual:
– that is such for practical purposes though not in name or
according to strict definition (example: NN is the virtual
manager of the business; take this as a virtual promise);
– [Computing] not physically existing as such but made [by
software] to appear to do so (example: virtual memory);
– effective, essential; practical, understood, accepted;

Oxford Concise Dictionary - Institute: a society or
organization for the promotion of science, education,
etc.
DMI 2000
This may be a Virtual
Institute...!

Given the definitions of ’Virtual’ and ’Institute’,
a probable definition of a Virtual Maritime
Institute may be a ’non-physical, but
nevertheless fully functioning and capable
organism promoting the development and
use of maritime science & technology’
DMI 2000
Why – The Need for a
Virtual Maritime Institute

EVIMAR ’Description of Work’: ’Only through
the creation of a technology forum, looking at
industry needs over a longer time horizon,
can the opportunity to forge long-term
solutions and subsequently transfer that
know-how to the relevant consumers be
manifested. Such possibilities do not
presently exist. Furthermore, future
technological development must also be
harnessed to accommodate social and
political requirements’
DMI 2000
What – The Project
Objectives

Since EVIMAR is to become a Virtual
Maritime Institute, the purpose of the project
is to prepare the ground for that, including (in
business terms):
– Organisation: Define and establish the VI
organisation;
– Communications: Define and establish the VI
infrastructure and knowledge management
procedures;
– ’Product’: Define and establish ways and means of
maintaining and improving the VI competance;
– ’Sales’: Define and establish the dissemination of
VI services
DMI 2000
Who – The project
Partners








Danish Maritime Institute,
DK
British Maritime Technology
Ltd, UK
CETENA SpA, IT
Forschungszentrum des
Deutschen Schiffbaus; DE
Institut de Recherches de la
Construction Navale, FR
Landwell, DK
Marintek, NO
Marin, NL








DMI 2000
Maritime Development
Center of Europe, DK
Sjöfartens Analys Institut, SE
Scenario Management
International AG, DE
SIREHNA, FR
SSPA Sweden AB, SE
VTT Manufacturing
Technology, FI
WEGEMT, UK
National Technical University
of Athens, GR
Who – The Project
Partners

Consortium composition:
– One major trans-european legal advisor (commercial);
– One maritime development organisation (membership);
– Two futurist analysis companies (commercial);
– Two universities (actually, one university and one association
of universities);
– Ten maritime advisors (towing tanks, marine consultants,
simulation centers; Almost all commercial)
DMI 2000
How – The Project Plan Overview

All told, EVIMAR consists of 6 work packages:
– Work package 0 – coordination of project;
– Work package 1 – establishment and management;
– Work package 2 – infrastructure;
– Work package 3 – knowledge management & sharing;
– Work package 4 – facilitation of technology transfer;
– Work package 5 – dissemination.
DMI 2000
How – The Project Plan
WP0 - Coordination
Work package 0 – EVIMAR Coordination,
consisting of only one task;
 Main objective: To ensure that the project is
performing in accordance with the EC
Contract, and hereunder, the ’Description of
Work’ – schedule-wise, scope/performancewise and quality-wise.

DMI 2000
How – The Project Plan
WP1 Organisation

Work package 1 – EVIMAR establishment
and management, consisting of:
– Task 1.1 – EVIMAR legal establishment
– Task 1.2 – EVIMAR management & administration

Main Objective: Define and establish the VI
organisation and management routines – and
especially overcoming the legal challenges.
DMI 2000
How – The Project Plan
WP2 - Communications

Work package 2 – EVIMAR infrastructure, consisting
of:
– Task 2.1 – concept and specifications of the infrastructure;
– Task 2.2 – technical solutions and associated costs;
– Task 2.3 – development of the infrastructure;
– Task 2.4 – deployment and validation;
– Task 2.5 – training and operation;
– Task 2.6 – external users portal.

Main objective: to establish an effective infrastructure
supporting both internal and external cooperation.
DMI 2000
How – The Project Plan
WP3 – Data-bank

Work package 3 – management and sharing
of knowledge, consisting of:
– Task 3.1 – web-based research result and project
database;
– Task 3.2 – identification of profiles and experts;
– Task 3.3 – design of knowledge centre;
– Task 3.4 – development of methods and routines.

Main objective: to secure corporate
knowledge – and especially ensure corporate
memory!
DMI 2000
How – The Project Plan
WP4 - Competence

Work package 4 – facilitation of knowledge
transfer, consisting of:
– Work package 4.1 – forecast of operational
environment for maritime technology;
– Work package 4.2 – tactical and strategic
requirements to technology;
– Work package 4.3 – initiatives required to
implement technologies.

Overall main objective: to gather and process
VI core knowledge; To aid the rapid transfer
and implementation of technology.
DMI 2000
How – The Project Plan
WP5 - Dissemination
Work package 5 – EVIMAR dissemination,
consisting of only one combined task.
 Main objective: to ensure that end-users in
general are made aware of the potential of
maritime technology,and in particular, how the
virtual institute may help and support in
achieving end-user business goals.

DMI 2000
Rounding off...

Main EVIMAR challenges – at least one in
each work package:
– WP0 – Getting 16 partners to perform as they are
supposed to – on time;
– WP1 – Especially legal & formal aspects – finding
a proper setup that will allow effective VI
management and no-quarrel operations within a
suitable legal framework;
– WP2 – Creating an infrastructure that properly will
both alleviate the drawbacks of working physically
apart and support efficient internal and external
communications;
DMI 2000
Rounding off....finally!

Main EVIMAR challenges – at least one in
each work package:
– WP3 – Providing smooth overview and easy
access to rapidly growing masses of unstructured
or not directly related data;
– WP4 – Gaining the tools required to provide the
right advice and support to the industry – taking
the gestation period of technology properly into
account;
– WP5 – Disseminating the potential of the virtual
institute in such a manner that even the more
conservative clients will realize the benefits!
DMI 2000