SSPA continuously assists ship and offshore builders, consultants and operators in improving their designs and operational performance. This task requires detailed hydrodynamic knowledge within a wide range of ship design applications. SSPA has vast experience, which has been acquired by working on matters related to ship hydrodynamics since the beginning of the 1940s. More than 6000 ship hull forms have been tested at SSPA, including both merchant and naval vessels, and offshore structures.

The naval branch is always in the forefront of specialist engineering and development. SSPA has extensive lengthy experience of designing and developing naval vessels, both for the Swedish and foreign navies. Over the last decade, the quantity of international naval projects at SSPA has equalled that of Swedish naval projects, and they include, for example, fast patrol crafts, corvettes, mine sweepers, frigates, aircraft carriers, torpedoes and submarines. SSPA has, for example, been involved in the hydrodynamic development work on all submarines for the Swedish Navy since 1940 and, since the year 2000, SSPA has been involved in six European submarine projects.