TNO
TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) is one of Europe’s leading non-profit research organisations. With over 4,000 employees and an annual turnover exceeding 700 million euros, TNO drives impactful research across four key areas: Safety & Security, Sustainability, Digitalisation, and Health. Acting as an intermediary between fundamental research institutions and industry, TNO translates scientific knowledge into practical applications, enhancing the innovation capabilities of businesses and governments, ranging from small enterprises to large corporations.
In the maritime sector, TNO's ambition is to enable safe, sustainable, and reliable ship structures, both for new designs and existing vessels. We aim to push the boundaries of current technologies while adapting to evolving challenges and extreme environments. TNO actively supports the maritime energy transition through the development and validation of sustainable technologies for internal combustion engines, fuel cells, and batteries. Our work also encompasses analysing energy demands and operational profiles across various ship segments, alongside the development of biofuels and e-fuels.
Our distinctive contribution lies in our integrated approach, combining advanced numerical modeling with laboratory and field validation. This is achieved in close collaboration with research teams from TNO’s Units for Mobility & Built Environment, Energy Materials Transition, and Defence, Safety & Security. Knowledge development at TNO focuses on the following areas:
- Lifetime assessment of steel structures – Reduce, Re-use and Recycle
- Material behavior in extreme environments
- Safe and reliable use of alternative fuels
- Scenario setting and emission monitoring
- Development of sustainable powertrains
- Ship-based carbon capture and aftertreatment