Parametric ship design and optimisation of cargo vessels for efficiency and safe operation in adverse weather conditions

A ship needs to be optimized for cost-effectiveness, operational efficiency, improved safety, comfort of passengers and crew, and for minimum environmental impact. Many of these requirements are contradicting and a decision regarding the optimal ship design needs to be made, based as far as possible on rational criteria and procedures. This is the case for the problem which the SHOPERA project is dealing with. Environmental concern was the reason behind the introduction of the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) a few years ago. One way of fulfilling the demanding requirements of the EEDI regulation is to reduce speed of future ships. This may result, however, in under-powered designs, raising questions regarding the ability of these designs to operate safely in adverse weather conditions. The present paper focuses on the development of an optimisation procedure for the design of tankers and bulk carriers, to identify designs with adequate powering to ensure safe operation in adverse weather conditions, while keeping the right balance between economy, efficiency and safety of the ship and the environment.