From aerospace to offshore innovation

After completing a degree in Aerospace Engineering at TU Delft, Marloes Nanninga was looking for a career that combined technical depth with variety and fast results. “The Dutch aircraft industry is compact and requires long-term perseverance”, Marloes explains. “After my studies I was eager to take on complex engineering challenges and witness their real-world impact.

She found that opportunity at Damen, where she joined the Offshore & Specials team as a Development Engineer and Parametric Designer. “Having grown up in Gorinchem, Damen was always on my radar. The role stood out for its dynamic, hands-on nature, a perfect match for my ambitions.”

Engineering that moves

Marloes’s work spans the full lifecycle of vessel development, from initial calculations to sea trials. “We’re involved from the first sketch to the moment the ship hits the water,” she says. Her tasks range from power-speed predictions and hull optimization to dynamic positioning simulations. With this she supports the Design & Proposal department with technical advice.

Her role takes her across the globe. “Last week I was at a systems engineering conference in Berlin. Next week I’ll be in Vietnam for speed trials. Earlier this year I was in Gdansk for model testing. Every week is different.”

Designing for sustainability

One project that stands out is the green version of the Combi Freighter 3850, which features mechanical sails on the bow. Marloes helped design the propeller and advised on integrating the sails into the propulsion system. “It’s motivating to work on greener shipping solutions,” she says. “Seeing your advice come to life on the water will be incredibly rewarding.”

Freedom to innovate

Coming from aerospace, Marloes was struck by the creative freedom in shipbuilding. “In aviation, everything is tightly regulated. Here, there’s room to innovate, explore new solutions and you even get to join the sea trials. That kind of hands-on involvement is rare in aerospace, or simply doesn’t exist in aerospace.”

She’s also working on long-term research to automate and optimize the design process using model-based systems engineering and parametric design. “It connects directly to my studies and pushes the boundaries of how we design ships.”

Why Damen?

“Working at Damen means variety, challenge, and impact,” Marloes says. “You’re not just running simulations, you’re shaping the future of maritime innovation.”