Grey-box modeling of an ocean vessel for operational optimization

Operational optimization of ocean vessels, both off-line and in real-time, is becoming increasingly important due to rising fuel cost and added environmental constraints. Accurate and efficient simulation models are needed to achieve maximum energy efficiency. In this paper a grey-box modeling approach for the simulation of ocean vessels is presented. The modeling approach combines conventional analysis models based on physical principles (a white-box model) with a feed forward neural-network (a black-box model). Two different ways of combining these models are presented, in series and in parallel. The results of simulating several trips of a medium sized container vessel show that the grey-box modeling approach, both serial and parallel approaches, can improve the prediction of the vessel fuel consumption significantly compared to a white-box model. However, a prediction of the vessel speed is only improved slightly. Furthermore, the results give an indication of the potential advantages of grey-box models, which is extrapolation beyond a given training data set and the incorporation of physical phenomena which are not modeled in the white-box models. Finally, included is a discussion on how to enhance the predictability of the grey-box models as well as updating the neural-network in real-time. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.