Osk Design A/s
OSK Design A/s is a Danish privately held maritime consultancy providing end-to-end ship design, naval architecture, interior design, and project management across ferries, cruise vessels, defence ships, and offshore wind support vessels for global enterprise and government clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1966
- HeadquartersAarhus, Denmark
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Osk Design A/s does
OSK Design A/s is a privately held Danish maritime consultancy headquartered in Aarhus, Denmark, with additional offices in Copenhagen and Lisbon (OSK Design Iberia) and a regional subsidiary in China/Hong Kong. Founded in 1966 by naval architect Ole Steen Knudsen and rebranded under the unified OSK Design name in June 2023, the firm provides end-to-end ship design services spanning concept design, basic design, detail design, naval architecture, structural engineering, interior design, project management, tendering, yard negotiation, and construction supervision across passenger ferries, cruise vessels, defence ships, offshore wind support vessels, and special-purpose tonnage (research, patrol, hospital, and inspection vessels). Revenue is generated through negotiated, project-based professional services fees for engagements that typically run from initial concept through to vessel delivery and beyond, with the firm often serving as owner's representative during construction at yards including Guangzhou Shipyard International, Karstensens, and Hvide Sande.
The firm combines naval architecture, marine engineering, and interior design under a single roof, supported by proprietary technical assets including a patented load transfer system co-developed with Maersk Supply Service for offshore wind installation vessels (claimed up to 30% efficiency improvement), shallow-water CFD modelling for high-speed catamaran ferries, multidirectional structural strength verification methods, the OSK Energy Insight Calculator for fuel and EU ETS/FuelEU Maritime compliance, and the OSK Design Lab for concept innovation. The firm holds dual ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 certifications and is owned by Chairman and majority shareholder Anders Ørgård, with CEO Jacob Høgh Thygesen (ex-Wärtsilä Denmark and AP Moller-Maersk) leading operations since November 2016.
OSK Design serves enterprise and government clients globally — including P&O Ferries, TT-Line, Irish Ferries, Molslinjen, Moby, Samsø Rederi, Havila Voyages, SunStone Marine, Mercy Ships, Maersk Supply Service, Esvagt, the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization, the Lithuanian Navy, the Danish Naval Home Guard, the Government of Greenland, and the Danish Fisheries Agency — operating through direct, long-term enterprise consultancy engagements rather than any self-serve or channel-based distribution. Distribution is supported by a senior leadership team including Chief Design Officer Kristian Carøe Lind, Chief Commercial Officer Henrique Pestana (also CEO OSK Design Iberia), Chief Project Officer Andreas Sorth, CFO Kit Bank Boldsen, and CHRO Dorrit Rée Akselbo.
Osk Design A/s firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Osk Design A/s
- Legal name
- OSK Design A/s
- Website
- https://oskdesign.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1966
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- OSK Design A/s is a Danish privately held maritime consultancy providing end-to-end ship design, naval architecture, interior design, and project management across ferries, cruise vessels, defence ships, and offshore wind support vessels for global enterprise and government clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Osk Design A/s industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Maritime Consultancy and Ship Design Services
- NAICS
- Other Specialized Design Services (54149), Industrial Design Services (54142)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering Services (8711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Project Management & Owner’s Engineering / Technical Consultancy (Spec Writing, Bid Support, Site Support) (IMAJAGAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Production Design & Detailed Engineering (3D CAD, Drawings, BOM, Nesting) (IMAJAGAK), Marine Systems Engineering (Piping, HVAC, Fuel, Ballast, Firefighting) (IMAJAGAD), Safety, Risk & Compliance Engineering (SOLAS, Class Rules, HAZID/HAZOP, FMEA) (IMAJAGAJ)
Keywords
Where Osk Design A/s is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aarhus
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Osk Design A/s business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Maritime Consultancy and Ship Design Services: OSK Design provides end-to-end maritime consultancy spanning concept development, ship design (exterior, interior, naval architecture), engineering, project management, tendering, contract negotiation, building supervision, and owner's representation. Revenue is generated through professional service fees for these engagements, which can span from early concept through to vessel delivery and beyond.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels9 records
Osk Design A/s product offering
Product offeringCore offering
OSK Design is an independent maritime consultancy delivering end-to-end ship design services spanning naval architecture, marine engineering, exterior and interior design, project management, tendering, contract negotiation, building supervision and owner's representation. Its practice covers passenger ferries (RoPax, electric, LNG, hybrid), cruise vessels, naval and defence vessels, offshore wind support vessels, and special-purpose vessels such as research and inspection ships, supported by a patented load transfer system for offshore wind installation and the OSK Energy Insight compliance calculator.
Product overview
OSK Design is a maritime consultancy offering comprehensive ship design services through a unified platform approach. The core offering encompasses six specialized design areas: Interior Design, Cruise Vessels, Passenger Ferries, Defence Vessels, Special Vessels, and Offshore Wind solutions. Supporting these core services are the OSK Design Lab (creative innovation hub) and the OSK Energy Insight Calculator (energy analysis tool). The company delivers projects across multiple vessel types including cruise ships, ferries (RoPax, electric, LNG), research vessels, naval vessels, and offshore wind vessels. Notable project brands include Boundless expedition cruise vessels, Havila Capella, P&O Pioneer, Moby Fantasy & Moby Legacy, W.B. Yeats, Global Mercy hospital ship, and various naval defence concepts. The portfolio is unified by the company's holistic design philosophy combining commercial understanding with technical expertise for sustainable maritime solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- OSK Design Maritime Consultancy Independent maritime consultancy offering end-to-end ship design solutions combining technical naval architecture, commercial understanding, and environmental considerations for vessel operators worldwide.
- Interior Design Services International team of ship interior designers and architects specialising in designing for maritime environments, rooted in Danish and Scandinavian design tradition with focus on sustainability and passenger experience.
- Cruise Vessel Design Modern and exclusive cruise ship design services creating memorable passenger experiences, including conversions, upgrades and refurbishments, designed to push design boundaries with profitable concepts.
- Passenger Ferry Design Award-winning ferry designs including RoPax, fully electric ferries, and hybrid solutions tailored to client business models and operational requirements across shortsea, inter-island and international routes.
- Defence Vessel Design Specialised naval advisory covering design, build, tendering, build management, and lifetime support for navy assets and strategic fleet development, including Arctic operations expertise.
- Special Vessel Design Innovative designs for research vessels, inspection vessels, patrol vessels, crew transfer vessels, and specialised tonnage for offshore wind and other demanding operations.
- Offshore Wind Marine Design Marine design solutions for wind farms including wind installation vessels (WIV), crew transfer vessels (CTV), and service operations vessels, incorporating patented load transfer technology for offshore installation.
- OSK Energy Insight Calculator Calculator tool analysing ship energy data to provide detailed reports on alternative energy sources with different cost impacts, supporting fuel strategy decisions and FuelEU Maritime / EU ETS compliance assessment.
Quantifiable outcome
- Patented load transfer system expected to improve offshore wind installation efficiency by up to 30%
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Osk Design A/s
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Osk Design A/s technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Osk Design A/s partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Orlogsskibe Danmark Consortium (Karstensens Skibsværft, Hvide Sande Shipyard)coreOSK Design is a founding member of the Orlogsskibe Danmark consortium alongside Karstensens Skibsværft and Hvide Sande Shipyard. The consortium was awarded a contract (~1.9 billion DKK) by the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) to design and build four sea environment and minelaying vessels for the Danish Navy, expected delivered 2028-2030. OSK Design is responsible for the vessel design while shipbuilding is shared between the two Danish shipyards. The consortium's strategy involves producing large hulls at Karstensens' Polish subsidiary and completing finishing work in Denmark, with design, supervision, and maintenance anchored in Denmark.
- MolslinjenmajorOSK Design served as the lead designer for Molslinjen's fully electric RoPax ferries M.V. Nerthus and M.V. Tyrfing for the Alslinjen service. The project involved route analysis, concept design, tender design, contract design, basic design, exterior design, livery design, and owner's support. M.V. Nerthus received the Shortsea Ferry of the Year 2025 award.
- OS Energy GmbH and MPC CapitalmajorOSK Design was selected by OS Energy GmbH and MPC Capital to complete tender design and basic design for a hybrid survey vessel project, announced January 2024. The project represents OSK Design's entry into the hybrid survey vessel segment.
- HafniamajorOSK Design partnered with Hafnia to create the Hafnia Crew Living Concept — interior design supporting Hafnia's diversity and inclusion initiative to achieve an equal gender split among crew on tanker vessels. The project translates Hafnia's 'Hafnia is all about people' value statement into tangible interior design across the Hafnia fleet through the Culture Lab initiative.
- Maersk Supply ServicecoreOSK Design jointly developed a patented load transfer system with Maersk Supply Service for their pioneering wind installation vessel (WIV) project entering the US offshore wind market. The collaboration involved concept development, structural calculations, motion studies, main hull design, and general arrangement, resulting in a patented solution expected to improve offshore installation efficiency by up to 30%.
- Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI)majorOSK Design has an established working relationship with GSI for ship construction, having delivered designs for Moby Fantasy/Legacy (Italy), Algerian Ferries' M.V. Badji Mokhtar III, KiwiRail's New Zealand inter-island ferries, and other projects. OSK provides design and building supervision while GSI handles construction at their Chinese shipyard.
- Moby (Onorato Armatori)majorOSK Design is the naval architect and interior designer for MOBY FANTASY and MOBY LEGACY — among the world's largest RoPax ferries for the Mediterranean route between mainland Italy and Sardinia. Services include concept development, naval architecture, interior design, tender design, stability calculations, statutory design, yard negotiation, building supervision, and sea trials. The vessels are LNG-ready with energy optimisation technologies.
- TT-LinemajorOSK Design provided the complete ship design package for TT-Line's NILS HOLGERSSON and PETER PAN — the world's largest LNG-powered RoPax ferries for Baltic Sea operations, reducing emissions by over 50% per trailer compared to existing fleet. Services included concept design, basic design, tender design, naval architecture, interior design, stability calculation, mechanical design, yard negotiation, and project management.
- Skipsteknisk ASmajorOSK Design served as owner's representative and provided project management, site supervision, structural and workshop drawings, machinery and piping design, engine room arrangement, and fire safety plans for TARAJOQ — Greenland's new 61-metre ice-reinforced research vessel designed by Skipsteknisk AS for the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources. OSK was on site at the Spanish yard throughout construction.
- Steen Friis Design A/ScoreOSK Design acquired Steen Friis Design — Architects and Interior Designers — as of 1 April 2016, expanding OSK's interior design capacities for passenger and cruise vessels. Steen Friis Design continues as an independent company and was subsequently integrated into OSK's Copenhagen office. The acquisition brought over 18 years of maritime interior design expertise and a strong portfolio within RoPax and cruise markets.
- Irish FerriesmajorOSK Design (with Steen Friis Design) was awarded the full interior and naval architecture design package for Irish Ferries' newbuilding cruise ferry W.B. YEATS — including 435 cabins, suites with private balconies, recreational facilities, and stability calculations. The vessel was delivered in 2018 and won the Shippax Ferry Concept Award 2018 and Ferry of the Year 2019.
- Mercy ShipscoreOSK Design (via Steen Friis Design, acquired in 2016) has an ongoing partnership with Mercy Ships for the interior design of hospital ships. Designed GLOBAL MERCY (world's largest purpose-built hospital ship, awarded Shippax Special Award 2022) and is designing interiors for Africa Mercy II (sister ship to Global Mercy, expected 2028). The partnership focuses on combining hospital-grade functionality with long-term living comfort for volunteer crew.
- EsvagtmajorOSK Design collaborated with Esvagt to design the STB 12 and STB 15 crew transfer vessels for the offshore wind sector. The STB 15 (2024) features Volvo Penta Tier III engines, Volvo IPS maneuvering system, Seakeeper Gyro stabiliser, and GUS system by Pict Offshore for safe technician transfers. Both vessels are designed to Bureau Veritas comfort class notation.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Osk Design A/s competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Wärtsilä Ship Design: A division of Wärtsilä, one of the world's largest maritime technology groups, providing ship design and engineering services across vessel types including ferries, offshore, and naval. Broader incumbent with significantly larger resources; OSK CEO Jacob Høgh Thygesen was previously Global Sales Director of Wärtsilä Ship Design, making it a directly comparable competitor.
- BMT Group: Global maritime engineering, design, and risk management consultancy offering naval architecture, ship design, and offshore engineering services. Broader incumbent operating across defence, offshore, and commercial shipping with a wider service portfolio and deeper international footprint than OSK.
- Kongsberg Maritime: Global maritime technology company providing ship design, automation, propulsion, and offshore engineering solutions. Broader incumbent with broader scope including systems integration, where OSK competes for naval architecture and integrated vessel design engagements.
- Meyer Werft: One of the world's largest cruise ship builders (Meyer Werft, Meyer Turku, Neptun Werft) with significant in-house naval architecture and design capability. Broader incumbent that competes for cruise and ferry design work, often bundled with construction contracts, including projects OSK might otherwise bid on.
Direct peers
- Knud E. Hansen: Danish ship design consultancy founded in 1937, providing naval architecture and engineering services for ferries, cruise ships, offshore vessels, and naval craft. Direct peer with similar Danish heritage, comparable service portfolio, and overlapping customer base in ferries and cruise; OSK's Chief Design Officer Kristian Carøe Lind previously worked at Knud E. Hansen.
- Deltamarin: Finnish ship design and offshore engineering consultancy providing concept, basic, and detail design for cruise ships, ferries, offshore vessels, and special vessels. Directly comparable Nordic peer with similar vessel categories (RoPax, cruise, offshore) and consulting-led business model.
Emerging players
- Läckö Varv (and other Nordic shipyards): Nordic shipyards with in-house design capabilities or partnerships for ferry and special vessel construction. Comparable as a regional player in the Nordic/Baltic vessel design and construction ecosystem where OSK operates.
Others
- Havila Voyages: Norwegian coastal cruise operator for whom OSK designed the Havila Capella. Listed as a peer because Havila Voyages has its own in-house vessel concept capabilities and acts as a client/partner with OSK; comparable in the sense of operating in the coastal cruise/ferry segment that OSK serves.
- Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore: Major classification society providing ship classification, certification, and statutory design services adjacent to OSK's design offering. Adjacent to OSK's work in that OSK designs vessels to Bureau Veritas class (e.g., Esvagt STB 12/15); an enabling ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.
Regional players
- Skaugen (formerly I.M. Skaugen / Morstensborg): Norwegian maritime group with ship design and offshore engineering capabilities serving Nordic and North Sea operators. Regional player comparable to OSK in vessel categories (offshore support, ferries) and geography (Nordic/Baltic).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Osk Design A/s social profiles
Digital presenceOsk Design A/s compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Osk Design A/s financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Osk Design A/s leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Osk Design A/s subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Osk Design A/s funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Osk Design A/s M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Osk Design A/s
What does Osk Design A/s do?
OSK Design is an independent maritime consultancy delivering end-to-end ship design services spanning naval architecture, marine engineering, exterior and interior design, project management, tendering, contract negotiation, building supervision and owner's representation. Its practice covers passenger ferries (RoPax, electric, LNG, hybrid), cruise vessels, naval and defence vessels, offshore wind support vessels, and special-purpose vessels such as research and inspection ships, supported by a patented load transfer system for offshore wind installation and the OSK Energy Insight compliance calculator.
Is Osk Design A/s a public or private company?
Osk Design A/s is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Osk Design A/s founded?
Osk Design A/s was founded in 1966.
Where is Osk Design A/s based?
Osk Design A/s is headquartered in Aarhus, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does Osk Design A/s make money?
One revenue line is on record: maritime Consultancy and Ship Design Services.
Who are Osk Design A/s's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Wärtsilä Ship Design, BMT Group, Kongsberg Maritime and Meyer Werft. Direct peers are Knud E. Hansen and Deltamarin. Läckö Varv (and other Nordic shipyards) is listed as an emerging player. Others are Havila Voyages and Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore. Skaugen (formerly I.M. Skaugen / Morstensborg) is listed as a regional player.
Does Osk Design A/s have an API?
No public API is recorded for Osk Design A/s.
What industry is Osk Design A/s in?
Osk Design A/s's product category is Maritime Consultancy and Ship Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAGAO, Project Management & Owner’s Engineering / Technical Consultancy (Spec Writing, Bid Support, Site Support), with a secondary code of IMAJAGAK, Production Design & Detailed Engineering (3D CAD, Drawings, BOM, Nesting). Its NAICS code is 54149 and its SIC code is 8711.