Advanced Master in Marine Engineering

Naval architecture: a tradition at ENSTA

ENSTA was created in 1970 through the merger of the École Nationale Supérieure du Génie Maritime (founded in 1741) with three other application schools of the École Polytechnique, including the Navy's hydrographic engineering college, and has therefore inherited a long tradition of naval architecture.

The training goals

Sustained by the constant development of world maritime transport and undersea operations, the maritime engineering world is characterised by the creation of high-tech products. With its subsystems and interfaces, a fixed or mobile maritime structure such as a liner, frigate, aircraft-carrier, submarine, platform or yacht is a prime example of a complex technical system.
Defined in close collaboration with players in the French maritime industry, the one-year ENSTA Naval Architecture specialist Mastère offers operational knowledge of naval and offshore construction.

Professional prospects

The maritime economy comprises a wide variety of sectors, generating an average annual turnover of 35 billion euros in France. Several branches are specifically targeted at export markets: offshore, naval construction and repairs, the leisure industries and merchant navy are examples.
To remain competitive in a highly competitive context and to meet rising energy demand, the businesses working in the sector have to develop innovative products.
These requirements explain why the naval industry has become a high-tech sector requiring cutting-edge and specific skills in all fields: technical, legal, economic, regulatory, etc.
The ENSTA Naval Architecture specialist Mastère offers high-level engineers and university graduates the additional training that is essential to a career in companies involved in the maritime industry, whether in R&D, design offices, operations, sales, and so on.

The strong points of the training programme

• Acquisition of the basics: teaching in hydrodynamics and structures associated with experimental and numerical activities leading to acquisition of the basic knowledge essential to maritime engineering.
• Complete training: the design and construction of naval products are studied, taking account of all components of the system approach: maritime politics and economics, design tools; running of major projects incorporating cost, profitability and reliability assessment aspects.
• Experience in the field: a week in a shipyard plus visits are scheduled as part of the training cycle.
• Professional support: virtually all the teaching is provided by persons who work in the industry.

Examples of positions occupied by Naval Architecture Mastère graduates

• R&D engineer - Chantiers de l'Atlantique
• Naval architect - D2M Consultants
• New constructions inspector - Bureau Veritas
• Project manager - Technip offshore international
• Consultant - Houlder offshore engineering
• Design office manager - Omya
• Costs and deliveries manager - DCNS
• Project design office manager - Chantier naval Ocea
• Project engineer - Stolt offshore
• Estimations engineer - SAIPEM SA
• Naval architect - Cabinet Ribadeau-Dumas
• Head of transfers unit - Chantiers de l'Atlantique