Norwegian naval architecture firm NSK Ship Design has acquired compatriot ship designer Multi Maritime from Fiskerstrand Holding.
The deal combines NSK Ship Design's expertise in aquaculture, fishing and offshore vessels with Multi Maritime's design work on passenger vessels and cargo ships.
Multi Maritime will initially remain a separate company and keep its office in Førde. NSK Ship Design said the two companies will work closely together, with their collaboration developing gradually.
"Customers are becoming larger and more international, and demands for capacity and efficient delivery are increasing,” said NSK Ship Design CEO Mats Nygaard Johnsen. “The design industry is also undergoing consolidation, and there are fewer players.”
Johnsen added that the company's support services for vessels in operation would become more readily available to Multi Maritime's customers.
"We are seeing growing demand for such services, partly as a result of higher newbuilding costs," he said.
Fiskerstrand Holding CEO Rolf Fiskerstrand, who has owned Multi Maritime since 2010, said the sale will allow Fiskerstrand to concentrate its resources on its shipyard business in Sula.
Established in 1983, Multi Maritime has provided designs for more than 100 vessels. Since 2010, it has designed 45 ferries, five cargo ships, and a research vessel.
Twenty-nine designs have been for all-electric ferries or passenger vessels. These include the double-ended Ro-Pax ferry Vestrefjord, built by Sedef Shipyard for Boreal.
In March 2026, Multi Maritime was contracted to provide design and engineering for the conversion of four Fjord1 ferries to hybrid-electric operation.