Labsen

What Labsen does

Labsen — formally the Simulation Laboratory of Shipbuilding Processes (Laboratório de Simulação de Processos de Construção Naval) — is an academic research laboratory housed within the Technology Center of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Founded in 2006, the lab applies discrete-event simulation (DES), finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), machine learning, and heuristic optimization to ship design, shipyard production planning, offshore operations, port logistics, marine propulsion, and maritime policy. Its proprietary toolkit spans genetic-algorithm ship dimension optimization, heuristic-guided shipyard block erection scheduling, Risk-Based Inspection coupled with offshore logistics simulation, CART-based FPSO corrosion prediction, YOLOv8 UAV-based corrosion detection, weather routing algorithms on Dijkstra/Kwon added resistance models, stochastic MCDA for subsea decommissioning, a Virtual Prismatic Hulls method, and a feature-based ship design costing system.

The lab is led by four UFRJ professors and supported by researchers plus approximately 14 graduate and undergraduate students, totaling roughly 20 team members. It serves Brazilian shipyards, offshore oil and gas operators (notably pre-salt FPSO and subsea inspection contexts), port authorities including Port of Santos and Port of Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian maritime policy makers, and PSV fleet operators. Engagement is delivered through applied research projects, peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Marine Structures, Ocean Engineering, Marine Policy, and Applied Energy, and conference dissemination (OMAE, SOBENA, PIANC, IMAM, COPINAVAL, ISOPE).

Labsen does not operate as a commercial enterprise. It is funded through Brazilian federal research grants from CNPq and Finep, institutional support from UFRJ and its constituent institutes (COPPE, Poli, Oceanica), collaborative research contracts with industry and government, and a technology integration with GeonX simulation software. Its distribution is purely academic and project-based — peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, an institutional website (labsen.oceanica.ufrj.br), and academic social profiles — with no SaaS, paid product, or commercial pricing model.

Name

Labsen

Legal name

Labsen - Simulation Laboratory of Shipbuilding Processes

Website

https://labsen.oceanica.ufrj.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Labsen is a UFRJ academic research laboratory in Rio de Janeiro that applies simulation, optimization, and machine learning to shipbuilding, offshore operations, port logistics, and maritime policy for Brazilian industry and government clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Engineering Simulation Research

NAICS

Engineering Services (541330), Ship and Boat Building (3366)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Yard Infrastructure & Asset Monitoring (IoT, CMMS, Crane/Dock Monitoring) (IMAJALAM)

Keywords

• Shipbuilding process simulation
• Offshore logistics optimization
• Port operations simulation
• Naval architecture research
• Maritime computational analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Rio De Janeiro

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Research grants and institutional funding: As a university research laboratory (Laboratório de Simulação de Processos de Construção Naval) at UFRJ, Labsen does not operate as a commercial enterprise. Revenue is generated through government research grants, institutional funding from CNPq, Finep, and collaborative research contracts with industry, government, and international academic partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Labsen is a university research laboratory that delivers simulation and optimization services for the shipbuilding, offshore, and maritime transportation sectors. Its work covers shipyard process simulation, FPSO corrosion prediction, subsea inspection logistics, container terminal operations, ship design optimization, and marine propulsion matching using discrete-event simulation, machine learning, finite element analysis, and CFD techniques. The lab's outputs are research publications, decision-support tools, and collaborative applied research projects with shipyards, port authorities, oil and gas operators, and government agencies.

Product overview

Labsen is a university research laboratory (Simulation Laboratory of Shipbuilding Processes) affiliated with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Rather than a commercial product company, Labsen provides simulation and optimization services for the shipbuilding and offshore industries. Their offerings include shipbuilding process simulation (container ship terminals, production yards, welding), discrete-event simulation for logistics, and research-driven optimization consulting. The laboratory also produces academic publications on maritime engineering optimization, AI/ML applications for corrosion monitoring, and computational vision for ship detection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shipbuilding Process Simulation Simulation services for shipbuilding processes including container ship terminal operations, loading/unloading operations, shipyard production simulation, and welding simulation using discrete-event simulation and other computational tools, delivered to shipbuilders, port operators, and offshore industry clients.
• Optimization Consulting Optimization of surface utilization, time, and consumption of resources and manpower in the construction and operation of ships and offshore structures, providing a basis for strategic and management decisions for shipyards, offshore operators, port authorities, and government agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fuel expenditure reduction of up to 28% achieved through engine-propeller matching optimization for LNGCs under rough weather conditions
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• UFRJ - Federal University of Rio de JaneirocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• COPPE - Instituto Alberto Luiz Coimbra de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa de EngenhariacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Poli - Escola Politécnica da UFRJcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• Oceanica - Instituto de Oceanografia da UFRJcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner
• GeonXsupportingTechnology or Integration
• EMSHIP - Erasmus Mundus Joint Master DegreesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• IFREMER: IFREMER is the French national institute for ocean science and technology, conducting marine engineering research, underwater robotics (AUVs), and offshore systems work. Its multidisciplinary applied research model combining marine engineering, subsea inspection, and ocean technology mirrors Labsen's setup at UFRJ.
• GeonX: GeonX is a Belgian software company providing shipbuilding process simulation software (welding, cutting, production planning). It is explicitly listed as a Labsen partner, and both organizations serve the same shipyard productivity optimization market - GeonX on the commercial software side, Labsen on the research and applied consulting side.
• SINTEF Ocean: Norway's SINTEF Ocean is an applied research institute covering maritime transport, offshore structures, and ocean engineering. Like Labsen, it produces peer-reviewed research while serving shipbuilders, offshore operators, and government agencies with simulation and optimization services.
• HSVA (Hamburg Ship Model Basin): HSVA provides ship model testing, hydrodynamic simulation, and ice-class research for shipbuilders and operators. It is structurally similar to Labsen as a specialized maritime research facility combining experimental testing, CFD, and applied industrial projects for the shipbuilding and offshore sectors.
• Force Technology: Force Technology is a Danish applied research and consulting firm providing testing, inspection, and simulation services across maritime, oil and gas, and energy industries. Its marine division mirrors Labsen's combined R&D + industry project structure, particularly around offshore integrity, structural testing, and ship design.
• MARIN (Maritime Research Institute Netherlands): MARIN is a leading maritime applied research institute running hydrodynamic simulations, ship design studies, and offshore logistics research. Like Labsen, it combines simulation, model testing, and industry-facing research for shipbuilders, ports, and offshore operators, making it the most direct comparable institution in the global maritime research landscape.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: VTT is a Finnish state-owned applied research organization running programs in maritime, industrial AI, and digital shipbuilding. Its research-driven model, combined with industry projects in shipyard digitalization and offshore engineering, makes it a strong structural analogue to Labsen as a publicly-funded applied research lab.

Broad incumbents

• Lloyd's Register: Lloyd's Register is a global maritime classification and research organization that conducts ship design rules development, offshore integrity research, and maritime decarbonization studies. Its applied research arm addresses the same ship design, offshore safety, and regulatory science questions as Labsen, albeit at an international scale.
• DNV (Maritime): DNV is a global maritime classification society and advisory firm that runs extensive research programs covering ship design verification, offshore structural integrity, and maritime digitalization. Its broad advisory and R&D portfolio overlaps with Labsen's structural integrity, propulsion optimization, and digital yard work, though DNV operates at vastly greater scale and scope.

Emerging players

• NAPA: NAPA provides ship design software and operational simulation tools for shipyards and naval architects. It overlaps with Labsen's ship design optimization and weather routing research, though NAPA operates as a commercial software vendor while Labsen is a research lab.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Labsen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/labsen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Labsen