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Master'sNaval, Offshore & Sports Nautical Applications open

Master’s in RIBs and Rescue Boats Engineering

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in RIB and rescue boat engineering. 12 modules covering RIB and rescue boat types, planing hull design, tubes and materials, hydrodynamics, structure and impact loads, propulsion and systems, ergonomics, rescue equipment, regulations and certification, operation and maintenance, and innovation, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration1900 h
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Distinguish the types of RIBs and rescue boats.

02

Design planing hulls.

03

Select tube materials.

04

Analyse hydrodynamic behaviour.

05

Size structures to withstand impact loads.

06

Select propulsion and equipment.

07

Apply certification regulations.

Profile

Who it's for

  • RIB designers.
  • Rescue boat engineers.
  • Maritime rescue technicians.
  • Fleet managers.
  • Marine equipment inspectors.
  • Maintenance technicians.
  • Engineering and science graduates seeking to join RIB boatyards.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • LSA Code (International Life-Saving Appliance Code)
  • Resolution MSC.81(70) (testing of life-saving appliances)
  • ISO 6185 (inflatable boats)
  • ISO 12215-5 (small craft hull construction: design pressures, design stresses and scantlings)
  • Directive 2014/90/EU (marine equipment)
  • Directive 2013/53/EU (recreational craft and personal watercraft)
  • DNV-RU-HSLC (DNV rules for high-speed and light craft)
  • Maxsurf
  • Rhinoceros 3D
  • ANSYS
  • Orca3D
  • SolidWorks
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1History and evolution of the RIB
  2. 1.2SOLAS rescue boats
  3. 1.3Fast rescue boats
  4. 1.4Coastal lifeboats
  5. 1.5RNLI and SASEMAR lifeboats
  6. 1.6Surveillance and patrol boats
  7. 1.7Offshore support boats
  8. 1.8Pilot and service boats
  9. 1.9Operational requirements of rescue services
  10. 1.10Case study: requirements for a coastal rescue boat
  1. 2.1Deep-V hull shapes
  2. 2.2Deadrise angles
  3. 2.3Stepped hulls in fast RIBs
  4. 2.4Behaviour in waves
  5. 2.5Vertical accelerations under way
  6. 2.6Bow design
  7. 2.7The tube and its function
  8. 2.8Tube geometry
  9. 2.9Console and deck design
  10. 2.10Workshop: hull shape design of a 9 m RIB
  1. 3.1Hypalon and CSM fabrics
  2. 3.2PVC fabrics
  3. 3.3Thermo-weldable polyurethane fabrics
  4. 3.4Foam-filled tubes
  5. 3.5Tube compartmentalisation
  6. 3.6Tube-to-hull attachment
  7. 3.7Valves and pressures
  8. 3.8Tube testing
  9. 3.9Tube repair
  10. 3.10Laboratory: fabric adhesion test
  1. 4.1Resistance of planing hulls
  2. 4.2The Savitsky method for RIBs
  3. 4.3Porpoising and dynamic stability
  4. 4.4Lateral instability or chine walking
  5. 4.5High-speed manoeuvrability
  6. 4.6Behaviour in rough seas
  7. 4.7Towing tank testing
  8. 4.8CFD of planing hulls
  9. 4.9Sea trials
  10. 4.10Practical exercise: dynamic stability analysis
  1. 5.1Bottom impact loads
  2. 5.2Slamming and pressures
  3. 5.3ISO 12215 scantlings
  4. 5.4Scantlings according to DNV HSLC
  5. 5.5Composite construction
  6. 5.6Aluminium construction
  7. 5.7Joints and reinforcements
  8. 5.8Structural fatigue from repeated impacts
  9. 5.9Structural testing of prototypes
  10. 5.10Case study: bottom scantlings of a RIB
  1. 6.1High-power outboard engines
  2. 6.2Inboard engines with sterndrives
  3. 6.3Waterjet propulsion in rescue
  4. 6.4Electric propulsion in service boats
  5. 6.5High-speed propellers
  6. 6.6Fuel systems
  7. 6.7Watertight electrical systems
  8. 6.8Steering systems
  9. 6.9Propulsion reliability
  10. 6.10Practical exercise: propulsion selection for a rescue boat
  1. 7.1Accelerations and crew health
  2. 7.2Suspension seats
  3. 7.3Vibration exposure
  4. 7.4Console design
  5. 7.5Visibility and control
  6. 7.6Crew fatigue
  7. 7.7Crew protection
  8. 7.8Rescue ergonomics
  9. 7.9Crew training
  10. 7.10Workshop: measuring accelerations on a RIB
  1. 8.1Casualty recovery equipment
  2. 8.2Stretchers and medical equipment
  3. 8.3Towing equipment
  4. 8.4Communications equipment
  5. 8.5Radars and thermal cameras
  6. 8.6Lighting equipment
  7. 8.7Self-righting equipment
  8. 8.8Safety equipment
  9. 8.9Equipment integration
  10. 8.10Case study: equipment fit-out of a lifeboat
  1. 9.1LSA Code and SOLAS
  2. 9.2Resolution MSC.81(70) testing
  3. 9.3Marine Equipment Directive 2014/90/EU
  4. 9.4Directive 2013/53/EU for recreational RIBs
  5. 9.5ISO 6185 standard for inflatable boats
  6. 9.6Classification society rules
  7. 9.7Rescue boat certification
  8. 9.8Administration requirements
  9. 9.9Certification testing
  10. 9.10Practical exercise: certification requirements for a SOLAS rescue boat
  1. 10.1Search and rescue operations
  2. 10.2Night operations and reduced visibility
  3. 10.3Launch and recovery
  4. 10.4Davits and lowering systems
  5. 10.5Tube maintenance
  6. 10.6Engine maintenance
  7. 10.7Periodic safety inspections
  8. 10.8Fleet management
  9. 10.9Availability indicators
  10. 10.10Laboratory: maintenance plan for a RIB fleet
  1. 11.1Autonomous rescue boats
  2. 11.2Support drones
  3. 11.3Hybrid propulsion for patrol boats
  4. 11.4Advanced tube materials
  5. 11.5Sensors and connectivity
  6. 11.6Boat digital twins
  7. 11.7Design for sustainability
  8. 11.8New hull shapes
  9. 11.9Market trends
  10. 11.10Case study: autonomous RIB concept
  1. 12.1Definition of the mission
  2. 12.2Analysis of the mission's operational requirements
  3. 12.3Hull design
  4. 12.4Hull structural design
  5. 12.5Propulsion selection
  6. 12.6Rescue equipment selection
  7. 12.7Certification plan
  8. 12.8Design conclusions
  9. 12.9Master's Thesis report
  10. 12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so the programme can be combined with full-time work.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Maxsurf, Rhinoceros 3D, ANSYS, Orca3D, SolidWorks, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is studied on real procedures for planing hull design, tube testing and rescue boat certification. Assessment is continuous for each module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: LSA Code, Resolution MSC.81(70), ISO 6185, ISO 12215-5, Directive 2014/90/EU, Directive 2013/53/EU, DNV-RU-HSLC.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of the LSA Code, Resolution MSC.81(70) and ISO 6185 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:Maxsurf, Rhinoceros 3D, ANSYS, Orca3D, SolidWorks, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:A complete design of a RIB or rescue boat for a defined mission, from hull and structure to propulsion, equipment and certification, defended before a panel.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

RIB hull design
Design the hull shape of a 9 m RIB.
Bottom scantlings
Determine the bottom scantlings of a RIB against impact loads.
Propulsion selection
Select the propulsion system for a rescue boat.
Fleet maintenance plan
Draw up a maintenance plan for a RIB fleet.
Master's Thesis
A complete design of a RIB or rescue boat for a defined mission, from hull and structure to propulsion, equipment and certification, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

RIB designerRescue boat engineerMaritime rescue technicianFleet managerMarine equipment inspectorMaintenance technician
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
  • An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with Maxsurf, Rhinoceros 3D, ANSYS, Orca3D, SolidWorks, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the programme's software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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