The Department of Ocean Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras is committed to advancing ocean-related science and technology through excellence in education, research, and innovation.

Established nearly half a century ago as the Ocean Engineering Center, the department has since played a pivotal role in enhancing national capabilities in the marine and offshore domains. Our efforts align closely with India’s strategic initiatives for sustainable development and the growth of the blue economy.

Our academic offerings at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels provide rigorous and interdisciplinary training in ocean engineering, naval architecture, and petroleum engineering. We actively contribute to skill development through innovative teaching methodologies, project-based learning, and robust engagement with industry and government bodies. In addition, our reach extends beyond campus through online education via NPTEL and newly launched degree programs.

Our international footprint continues to expand through joint degree programs, collaborative research, and academic exchange initiatives with leading global institutions. A recent milestone in this journey is the launch of a specialized program at our offshore campus in Zanzibar, reflecting our commitment to global academic engagement.

Research at the department addresses critical challenges and emerging opportunities in areas such as ship design and hydrodynamics, port and harbor engineering, marine geotechnics, underwater acoustics, coastal and deepwater engineering, offshore survey and monitoring, and upstream oil and gas technologies. We are also making significant strides in frontier domains such as AI-enabled marine systems, autonomous platforms, and data-driven ocean intelligence.

With state-of-the-art infrastructure—including Asia’s largest wave basin—we are uniquely positioned to support national goals in marine technology, sustainable resource management, and ocean-based economic development.
We take pride in being one of the most dynamic departments at IIT Madras in terms of research productivity, academic events, and industry partnerships.

We warmly welcome collaborations with academic, industrial, and governmental stakeholders who share our vision of leveraging ocean science and technology for a sustainable and resilient future.

Prof. Abdus Samad, PhD, FASME, FIMechE, FIE
Professor and Head
Department of Ocean Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Madras