Custom shipbuilding software development
Appfront builds custom software for shipyards in the marine and yacht-building sector: from contract and basic design through detail engineering to hull construction, block construction, outfitting, finishing and handover. Yard project structure and bills of materials per block, planning by slipway and dock, costing and post-calculation, additional and reduced work, and support for classification societies such as Lloyd's Register, DNV and Bureau Veritas. Integrated with your CAD/CAM, PLM and ERP, and tailored to how your yard builds.
What is shipbuilding software?
Shipbuilding software supports the full engineer-to-order process of a shipyard. Every ship or yacht is effectively a unique project: it runs from contract design and basic design, through detail engineering, to building the hull in sections and blocks, outfitting and fit-out, and delivery after sea trials. The software maintains that yard project structure, hangs bills of materials per section, monitors scheduling on the slipway or in the dock, and handles costing and post-calculation per project. It all comes down to keeping control over a build that runs for months or years, in which every change flows through to materials, hours and lead times.
The scope matters. This page is about building a vessel at the yard, not the commercial operation afterwards. For port processes, cargo and container flows and a shipowner's compliance, there is maritime software. If your question is mainly about general machining, sheet metal and structural work, look at metalworking software. A yard touches both worlds, but the core of this work is the engineer-to-order production of a complete vessel.
Standard shipyard ERP packages exist, but no two shipyards build in the same way. A superyacht builder works differently from a dredger builder or a subcontracted section fabricator. Custom software fits your project structure, rather than the other way round. Also read about our broader approach to machine builder software for engineer-to-order production, and custom software development in general.
One project structure per vessel
Engineering, sections, bills of materials, procurement, hours and fit-out all hang off one work structure per yard number. Everyone works in one place with the current revision, without re-keying data between drawing, procurement and the shop floor.
Engineering that flows through
A revision to a drawing flows through to the bill of materials, procurement and the work package on the shop floor. This way the yard builds to the latest state, and margin doesn't leak away between basic design and production.
Demonstrably aligned with classification
Link drawing status, class inspection points and surveys to construction progress. This keeps you in control of plan approval and certification, and shows that the build stays in line with class rules.
How we build your shipbuilding software
We work step by step, involving your engineering, production planning, scheduling and procurement early in the process. From a thorough review of your build process and project structure through to go-live and ongoing management, every step is aimed at software your yard understands, trusts and can use every day on the shop floor.
We map out your build process: engineering phases, section breakdown, bill of materials structure, costing method, procurement with long lead times, and the integrations with CAD/CAM and ERP. Together we identify where most of the time and margin is being lost.
We design the shipyard project structure, the bill of materials model and the interfaces to design, procurement and the shop floor, with revision management and support for class societies as the starting point.
We build in short design and development sprints with automated testing. You see working versions along the way and help steer priorities and how well it fits practice on the yard.
Controlled go-live with data validation, followed by ongoing management, monitoring and further development as your order book or way of working changes.
What shipbuilding software actually does
We tailor every application specifically to your build process, your section breakdown and your supply chain partners. Below are the functions we most often deliver for yards building engineer-to-order.
Yard project structure & bills of materials
Model the vessel as sections and blocks that together form the hull, and attach the bill of materials to each section. Plate steel, profiles, piping and outfitting items sit on the correct building block, with revision management so the shop floor never builds to an outdated drawing.
Costing & post-calculation
Estimate per hull number based on steel weight, hours, equipment and subcontracting, and later compare the budget with actual costs. That way you see per section and per discipline where margin is leaking, and you can support your next quote with real figures.
CAD/CAM and nesting integration
Take bills of materials and production data from CADMATIC, AVEVA Marine or FORAN, and link them to sheet metal nesting for CNC plasma cutting. Design, material requirements and the shop floor flow into one another, with no manual re-keying between engineering and production.
Procurement & long lead times
Items with long lead times, such as propulsion systems, gearboxes and generators, often dictate the build sequence. We link procurement to the bill of materials and the schedule, track order dates and spot early when a piece of equipment could hold up the outfitting of a section.
Progress & variations
Track the build from hull to outfitting and fit-out, with progress by section and work package. Record change orders and additional and omitted work against the contract, so that every client-requested change is traceable through costing and invoicing.
Weight control & certification
Track weight and centre of gravity from the very first costing, which is crucial in yacht building where every kilogram counts. At the same time, manage the status of drawings, approval points and classification society surveys, so the weight budget and class certification keep pace with the build.
Who we build shipbuilding software for
The shipbuilding and yacht sector includes a wide range of yards, each with its own build process and order book. The Netherlands, with yards affiliated to Netherlands Maritime Technology, is strong in the newbuilding of special vessels and superyachts. For each type we build software that suits the way they work.
Newbuild yards
Yards that build seagoing and inland vessels, from dredgers and workboats to special-purpose craft. The software supports hull section construction, outfitting, slipway and dock scheduling, and classification society coordination through to delivery.
Yacht and superyacht construction
Builders of custom and semi-custom yachts where finishing quality, frequent owner changes and tight weight control come together. The software keeps weight budgets, additional work and the many outfitting details per cabin and deck under control.
Refit and repair yards
Yards that convert, refit and repair vessels and rarely know exactly what they will find beforehand. The software supports work orders, additional work on discovered defects and post-calculation, so you stay in control of scope and margin despite a lot of unforeseen work.
Hull section builders & suppliers
Companies that supply hulls, sections or complete outfitting packages to larger shipyards as subcontractors. They need a clear link between the client's bill of materials, their own production planning and their actual costing.
Test your idea first: a working prototype in 1 day
With OneDayBuild, we turn your idea into something tangible in one day for €1,150, so you can see whether further development is worth the investment. Decide to go ahead with the full build? Then we credit the full cost.
Explore OneDayBuild →Technology and integrations
We build on a modern, maintainable web stack and integrate with the systems already running at the shipyard. For shipbuilding, the most relevant are: CAD/CAM such as CADMATIC, AVEVA Marine and FORAN for hull and outfitting design, PLM for revision and document control, and ERP for procurement and finance. If your question is mainly about planning capacity and sequencing on the shop floor, also look at production planning software. For every integration we set things up so that bills of materials, revisions and progress are recorded once and are consistent everywhere.
For repair yards planning docks, slipways and quays, there is our dock planning app for the yard.
If you repair vessels in dock and work with owners' repair lists, there is our repair list app for ship repair.
For shipping companies planning voyages around locks and bridges, with an arrival time that holds, there is our voyage and lock planning software.
Why choose Appfront for your shipbuilding software?
Appfront builds custom software and always begins with a thorough analysis of your build process, project structure and supply chain partners. Yard software must not only work technically, but also suit a build that runs for a long time, in which engineering, purchasing and production continually affect one another.
We write clear documentation and transparent code, so your own team or a future supplier can understand and manage the software. No black box, but clear agreements on integrations, revision management, access control and monitoring. This way you remain in charge of your own process.
We work in design and development sprints and show you working versions along the way, so you steer by what genuinely helps on the shop floor. This keeps lines short and speeds up decisions when choices must be made during the build.
Also see our related services: machine builder software for engineer-to-order production, maritime software for operations and port, and custom software development in general. Questions? Get in touch with us.
- Custom software tailored to your yard project structure
- Experience with engineer-to-order production processes
- Integrations with CAD/CAM, PLM and ERP
- Bill of materials and revision management per section
- Estimating and post-calculation per build number
- Classification society coordination built into the software
- Clear documentation your team can read and manage
- Working in design and development sprints
- Ongoing maintenance and further development
- A way of working aligned with your existing IT landscape
Security and continuity for shipbuilding software
On a shipyard, a great deal of value and sensitive knowledge sits in the software: designs, bills of materials, cost estimates and agreements with clients and suppliers. That is why we build security in from the architecture up. We set up role-based authorisation, so that a subcontractor or external engineer only sees what they need, and record access and changes in audit logging. This keeps it traceable who amended which revision or cost estimate.
We work in line with the OWASP security standards, with encryption in transit and at rest, role-based access and monitoring. Because a build project runs for a long time, we focus on continuity: maintainable code, automated tests and clear documentation, so the software can keep pace with your order book and does not stall on the knowledge of a single person.
Read more about our security approach: information security policy and vulnerability disclosure policy. Discuss your situation without obligation via our contact form.
- Role-based access and least-privilege principles
- Separate access for external engineers and subcontractors
- Encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest
- Complete audit logging of access and changes
- Revision management with a traceable change history
- Built to the OWASP security standards
- Automated testing and monitoring
- Maintainable code and clear documentation
Frequently asked questions about shipbuilding software
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about custom software for shipbuilding and yacht building.
Shipbuilding software supports the engineer-to-order process of a shipyard: from contract and basic design through detail engineering to the construction of the hull and sections, outfitting and fit-out, and delivery after sea trials. The software keeps the yard project structure up to date, links bills of materials to sections, monitors scheduling on the slipway or in the dock, and handles costing and post-calculation per project. Custom software lets you set this up the way your yard works, rather than forcing your way of working into a standard package. This concerns building at the yard, not the commercial operation of a shipowner or a port.
Shipbuilding software is about building a ship or yacht at the yard: engineer-to-order production, hull construction, outfitting, bills of materials and yard scheduling. Maritime software focuses on operations after delivery, such as port processes, container and cargo flows, and compliance for the shipowner. Metalworking software revolves around general machining, sheet metal and fabrication on the shop floor. A shipyard touches on all three, but the core differs. We define the software around your actual process and integrate with adjacent systems where needed.
A ship is built in sections and blocks that together form the hull, after which outfitting and fit-out follow. The software models that build-up as a yard project structure and attaches the bill of materials to each section, so that steel plate, profiles, pipework and outfitting components sit against the correct building unit. Changes in engineering flow through to the bill of materials and to procurement, so the shop floor works with the current revision rather than an outdated drawing.
Yes. Shipyards work with CAD/CAM such as CADMATIC, AVEVA Marine or FORAN for hull and outfitting design. The software takes bills of materials and production information from those packages and links to sheet metal nesting for CNC flame cutting. This way design, material requirements and the shop floor flow into one another, and nobody has to re-key data between engineering and production.
Yes. A newbuild goes through plan approval of drawings and yard surveys by a classification society such as Lloyd's Register, DNV or Bureau Veritas, resulting in a class certificate. For inland vessels, inspections run through recognised classification societies under the supervision of the Dutch Inspectorate for the Environment and Transport (ILT). The software tracks the status of drawings, hold points and surveys and links them to construction progress, so you can demonstrably stay in control with the classification society.
We build custom software. Shipyard ERP packages exist, but no two yards build the same way: a superyacht builder works differently from a builder of dredgers or a section builder who delivers as a subcontractor. Custom software fits your own project structure, estimating method and supply chain partners, and can grow with you if your order portfolio or way of working changes. After an introductory meeting, we decide together which functionality matters most and in what order to develop it.
Yes. We regularly take over existing applications, even when another party built them. We review the architecture, the integrations with CAD/CAM and ERP, the bill of materials model and security, document the setup and propose improvements. From that point we can handle changes, integrations and monitoring, or modernise step by step towards a maintainable situation.
Ready to build your shipbuilding software?
Tell us how your yard builds and where you run into trouble, from engineering and bills of materials to scheduling, procurement and post-calculation. We are happy to think along about project structure, integrations with CAD/CAM and ERP, and support with classification societies. In a no-obligation first conversation, you will get a clear picture of the custom software options that suit your yard.