VDMC Hosts Third Annual Digital Ship Challenge
April 30, 2026
The Virginia Digital Maritime Center (VDMC) hosted its Third Annual Digital Ship Challenge on Saturday, April 25, 2026. With over 120 students from around Hampton Roads participating this year, it was a true success!
For this year’s Challenge, we had three separate divisions: Design, Systems, and Technology.
The Design Division participants, which included 25 teams, were tasked to design and construct a functional submarine that can submerge, travel a set distance underwater, and resurface in a controlled manner. The build should have effectively managed buoyancy, stability, propulsion, and waterproofing while meeting strict size and performance constraints. This challenge highlighted engineering design, iterative testing, and creative problem-solving in underwater systems.
The Systems Division participants, which included five teams, were tasked to analyze, build, and test a submarine freshwater piping system, then redesign it to adapt to a new spatial constraint while maintaining performance. They had to ensure the system was watertight, properly labeled, and capable of delivering accurate flow rates before and after modifications. This challenge focused on precision construction, system efficiency, and real-world problem solving through redesign.
The Technology Division participants, which included six teams, were tasked to design and build a remotely operated vehicle that navigates a simulated “no-visibility” underwater environment on land using sensors instead of sight. The system should have also sent and received encrypted messages and collected environmental data like temperature and pressure in real time. This challenge emphasized remote navigation, secure communication, and sensor integration in constrained conditions.
Along with the Challenges, we hosted a Next Steps Life Skills session for students. This activity was a fast-paced, hands-on career readiness session where students practiced interview skills, strengthen their LinkedIn profiles, and improved resume bullets in real time. By the end, each student left with a stronger personal pitch, practical profile updates, and at least one concrete resume improvement they can use right away.
We also offered students a newly created game called DeepData: The Smart Submarine Factory Game. In this game, players raced to build advanced submarine systems by navigating the manufacturing process. Players collected resources, deployed smart technologies, and disrupted their opponents as they pushed from concept to production beneath the surface.
The Newport News Shipbuilding’s MX Trailer was on hand for the day which allowed students to learn about digital shipbuilding as well as completed hands-on activities
We had industry partners available throughout the day for students to visit with QED Systems, Norfolk Naval Apprentice Program, SIB, ODU School of Supply Chain, Logistics, and Maritime Operations, and the Hampton Roads Workforce Council where they could learn about next steps students could take if they were interested in going into the maritime industry.
It was truly a great event and our team is already working on next year’s Challenge!
