Hydrodynamic Analysis of Ship Manoeuvrability at Ports using CFD

Abstract

The way a ship moves in restricted waters is significantly different from how it moves in open waters due to the impact of limited depth conditions. This is because ships often operate in shallow water areas like ports or harbours. To understand these effects on ship manoeuvrability, the manoeuvrability of the KRISO Container Ship (KCS) model was studied at ports using unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stoked computations combined with 6 degree-of-freedom (DOF) rigid body motion equations. The study used an adaptive dynamic mesh approach to allow the vessel to move freely and for the rudder to be controlled. Simulation tests were performed at ports modelled as restricted waters with varying water depth to draft ratios, and results were partially validated with experimental data. The findings showed that the ship’s forward movement, lateral movement, and tactical diameter increased as the water depth to draft ratio decreased, linked to the complex interactions between the hull wake, boundary layer, propeller, vortex, and bottom of the seabed.