Old ship building photograph

A history of BMT

We were established in 1985 by bringing together research and technology organisations that traced their roots back to the beginning of the 20th century.

Formed in 1985 from the UK's British Ship Research Association and National Maritime Institute merger, our heritage includes the water tanks where the famous 'bouncing bomb' was developed during WWII and major, more recent advances in computer-aided design and aerodynamics.

Our commitment to investing in people and high-quality research has enabled the modern BMT to continue the pioneering maritime spirit: from designing the world's most advanced aircraft carrier to creating new measuring and monitoring systems for the offshore oil and gas industry.

We have played a key role in commercial shipping in landmark events, including the investigation into the 1987 sinking of the RoRo ferry, Herald of Free Enterprise. We have helped to test and improve the design of some of the world's tallest buildings and fastest racing cars on land. We were also part of the European Space Agency development team.