The naval engineer deals with the design, planning, project and construction of ships, boats, and floating devices such as oil platforms and even wind farms and fish farms.[1] Naval engineering covers engineering functions including the creative project of the ship and floating devices, applied research, technical development in the fields of design and construction and the administration of floating material production centers (shipyards). As well as the maintenance and repair of these.[2]​.

The naval engineer must have knowledge of many fields of engineering, such as fluid mechanics, generation and transportation of electrical energy, manufacturing of naval engines and their installation, hydrodynamics, dynamic metal structures, logistics, port activity, industrial organization, fleet and shipping management, etc.

In Spain and until the century they were called "builders." Starting in 1770, "marine engineers" (or "hydraulic engineers") appeared, [3] later the term ended in "naval engineers."

Some famous naval engineers that can be cited are Thomas Andrews, designer of the RMS Titanic and RMS Olympic, and William Francis Gibbs designer of many ships of the line such as the SS America "SS America (1940)"), the SS Leviathan and the SS United States. We must also mention Francisco Gautier, who succeeded Jorge Juan as engineer for the construction of ships for the Royal Navy, or Romero Landa, one of the best shipbuilders of his time.

Vice Admiral Keiji Fukuda "Keiji Fukuda (naval engineer)"), designer of the Yamato class battleships in 1937, is also cited.

More currently, we can mention Víctor González, founder of Next Limit Technologies and winner of a technical Oscar for a liquid simulator for films[4]​ or Manuel Ruiz de Elvira, designer of several Copa América vessels "Copa América (regatta)") (4 of them winners of the competition).[5]​.