Hydro Testing Forum (HTF) has been established in 1 September 2011 and has its roots in the previous European Network of Excellence (NoE) project, “Hydro-Testing Alliance (HTA)” under the under the auspices of the European Commission (EC)'s 6th Framework Programme (FP6). The HTA NoE aimed to facilitate the continuation of world leadership of the European Hydrodynamic Testing Facilities and was funded by EC over five years and completed successfully on 31 August 2011.

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The common interest of the HTA Project partners was the advancement of the measurements and analysis techniques that are in use for testing ship and offshore structure models in the water basins of the institutes. In HTA various groups of researchers had developed new technologies under the framework of Joint Research Projects (JRPs) of the HTA. For such new technologies, there was also a need for guidelines for measurement and analysis development and procedures for hydrodynamic and related structural testing. These guidelines would ensure uniform approach which could be adopted and implemented by the model testing institutions. Several activities within the HTA project were used to raise the awareness of the marine hydro-testing facilities and also to promote the industry to both male and female students and researchers. These activities included the bi-annually held, unique International Conference series called Advanced Model Measurement Technologies for the Maritime Industry (AMT).

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Based on the above-mentioned common interest, the main objective of the HTA was to develop a formal and lasting structure to coordinate the definition and introduction of novel measurement, observation and analysis technologies for hydrodynamic (scale) model testing environments. The coordination of development, the sharing of advanced equipment and the dissemination of knowledge and guidelines aimed at more integrated and efficient use of marine testing capacity within Europe.

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As per the end of the funding period of the HTA, most of the 17 member organisations of HTA had signed the contract of admission to the Hydro Testing Forum (HTF), as the formal and longer lasting continuation of the HTA. Under newly formed HTF, the members would have access to Communities of Practice (CoP), which are similar to the JRPs of HTA, to work on any interesting subject that they prefer to work.

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The parties, who are interested and qualify for joining such CoP, can apply under certain conditions. The Forum network will organise twice a year a meeting and forum day, in which the CoPs will meet and in which a half day forum will be held on general topics of interest for the international hydrodynamic model testing society. Herein, members can present ideas for joint projects (Joint Industry projects (JIPs), with institutes and industry) on testing technology, e.g. measurement system qualification, analysis tools and methodology, etc. The forum will also provide opportunities to initiate a new CoP on a subject of interest.