FORAN

At a glance

• Editor score
  7.1 / 10
• Pricing
  Pricing on request
• Best for
  Shipyards designing complex vessels in 3D
• Fleet & vessel management
  No
• Facts checked
  24 Sep 2026

• Where it wins

  • Models steel, machinery, piping, HVAC, and electrical cabling in 3D
  • Connects 2D plans with 3D models and manages design-project data
  • Supports collaborative viewing of multiple ship configurations

• Where it doesn't

  • Does not provide fleet or vessel management
  • Does not include vessel tracking or maintenance management
  • Does not provide port or terminal management

Our verdict on FORAN

FORAN is Siemens’ CAD/CAE/CAM system for designing ships and marine vessels. Its scope is vessel design and production, with 3D modeling and visualization, design-project data management, and connections between 2D plans and 3D models. The multidisciplinary environment covers steel structure, machinery, piping, HVAC, secondary steel, and electrical cabling. That makes it relevant to shipyards and mid-market or enterprise teams working across complex vessel designs, rather than operators looking for day-to-day fleet tools.

The design scope is the product’s central strength. Surface and solid modeling sit alongside interactive 3D visualization, while teams can work across multiple ship configurations and collaborate on design and viewing. Coverage spans several disciplines in one design environment, including structure and machinery as well as piping, HVAC, and electrical systems. Siemens incorporates FORAN capabilities into its Xcelerator Marine Engineering solutions. Buyers evaluating it should consider whether this design-centered ecosystem matches their engineering and production workflows; the product’s stated capabilities focus on vessel design, not a broader marine operations suite.

FORAN uses a contact-sales pricing model, so purchasing involves engaging with Siemens rather than selecting a listed self-service plan. Its category fit is deliberately specialized: it does not provide fleet or vessel management, vessel tracking, maintenance management, or port and terminal management. Shipyards seeking detailed 3D design across multiple disciplines may find that focus appropriate. Teams whose main requirement is tracking vessels, managing maintenance, or running port operations should choose software centered on those functions instead.

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FORAN pricing

FORAN fact sheet

Alternatives to FORAN

• DockMasterA broad marina operations suite spanning docks, service, sales, finance, and field work.9.2
• SSERTICAA maintenance-centered fleet platform with mobile, procurement, and deployment options.8.8
• DSDNV ShipManagerA broad ship-management suite for technical, operational and compliance workflows.8.5

See all FORAN alternatives →

Featured on iTechGuides

FORAN is listed in our Marine Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update