General information
Open top or hatchless (container) ships are ships without hatch covers. This will decrease the loading and unloading times and increase the flexibility of the ship. Because heavy rain and shipping water implies large quantities of water inside the cargo holds, additional requirements are specified. The interim IMO guidelines, which were published in 1994, specify amongst others the allowable amount of water in the holds and the minimum pump capacity. These guidelines also specify seakeeping model tests in order to quantify the amount of water entering the cargo holds in severe weather conditions.
Open top or hatchless (container) ships are ships without hatch covers. This will decrease the loading and unloading times and increase the flexibility of the ship. Because heavy rain and shipping water implies large quantities of water inside the cargo holds, additional requirements are specified. The interim IMO guidelines, which were published in 1994, specify amongst others the allowable amount of water in the holds and the minimum pump capacity. These guidelines also specify seakeeping model tests in order to quantify the amount of water entering the cargo holds in severe weather conditions.
Services & Activities
The objective of the seakeeping test program is to determine whether the vessel complies with the MSC/Circular 608 Guidelines for open top container vessels. The IMO guidelines state that the maximum water ingress should not exceed the hatch opening area multiplied by 400 mm/hour. The IMO guidelines prescribe the model tests to be performed. The following conditions should be tested:
The objective of the seakeeping test program is to determine whether the vessel complies with the MSC/Circular 608 Guidelines for open top container vessels. The IMO guidelines state that the maximum water ingress should not exceed the hatch opening area multiplied by 400 mm/hour. The IMO guidelines prescribe the model tests to be performed. The following conditions should be tested:
- Following seas at minimum manoeuvring speed
- Stern quartering seas at minimum manoeuvring speed
- Beam seas in free drifting condition
- Bow quartering seas at maximum sustained speed
- Head seas at maximum sustained speed
The tests must all be done for a significant wave height of 8.5 m at the most unfavourable realistic wave period. To select the most unfavourable wave period and to determine the maximum sustained speed, preliminary calculations will be performed prior to the model tests. The tests must be performed at the maximum loaded draught.
Facilities & Tools
Open top seakeeping tests are tested in the following MARIN facilities:
Open top seakeeping tests are tested in the following MARIN facilities:
- Seakeeping & Manoeuvring Basin: seakeeping and manoeuvring tests
Prior to the compulsory seakeeping tests the most unfavourable wave period and maximum sustained speed for each heading is calculated with the following tools:
Experience
The list below gives a review of open top model tests carried out at MARIN:
The list below gives a review of open top model tests carried out at MARIN:
- 127 m Open Top, Rolldock (2006)
- Open top 1700 TEU Ice class 1A , De Hoop Lobith (2005)
- 134 m Open Top vessel, Damen Hoogezand (2001)
- 150 m Open Top, Howaldtswerke-Deutsche werft (1996)
- 250 m Open Top container vessel, Nedlloyd (1990)
Most recent (Open top) container ship papers presented by MARIN:
(complete overview of papers can be found under Publications)
(complete overview of papers can be found under Publications)
Using CFD Calculations To Improve Predictions Of Ship Manoeuvres
Toxopeus, S.L., RINA Developments in Marine CFD, 2011
Viscous free surface flow computations for self-propulsion conditions using PARNASSOS
Starke, A.R., Van der Ploeg, A. and Raven, H.C., Gothenburg 2010: A Workshop on CFD in Ship Hydrodynamics, 2010
On Predicting Cavitation-Induced Hull Pressure Fluctuations - Wake Scale Effects And Signal Variability
Wijngaarden, H.C.J. van, Bosschers, J. and Terwisga, T.J.C. van, IMarEST Ship Noise and Vibration Conference, London, 2010
Computation of Scale Effects in Free-Surface Flows near a Ship’s Transom
Ploeg, A. van der, Chao, K., Marzi, J. and Wackers, J., 13th Numerical Towing Tank Symposium (NuTTS'10), Duisburg, 2010
On the prediction of parametric roll
Gunsing and Dallinga, proceedings ISSW, 2010
Toxopeus, S.L., RINA Developments in Marine CFD, 2011
Viscous free surface flow computations for self-propulsion conditions using PARNASSOS
Starke, A.R., Van der Ploeg, A. and Raven, H.C., Gothenburg 2010: A Workshop on CFD in Ship Hydrodynamics, 2010
On Predicting Cavitation-Induced Hull Pressure Fluctuations - Wake Scale Effects And Signal Variability
Wijngaarden, H.C.J. van, Bosschers, J. and Terwisga, T.J.C. van, IMarEST Ship Noise and Vibration Conference, London, 2010
Computation of Scale Effects in Free-Surface Flows near a Ship’s Transom
Ploeg, A. van der, Chao, K., Marzi, J. and Wackers, J., 13th Numerical Towing Tank Symposium (NuTTS'10), Duisburg, 2010
On the prediction of parametric roll
Gunsing and Dallinga, proceedings ISSW, 2010
Most recent (Open top) container ship articles written for MARIN Report:
(complete overview of articles can be found under Publications)
(complete overview of articles can be found under Publications)
Real-time simulations for the Port of Rotterdam
Dimitri van Heel, MARIN Report, 2011
The impact of ships that pass in the night... or in the day
Joop Helder, Willemijn Pauw, Serge Toxopeus, Tim Bunnik, Henk van den Boom and Eric Wictor, MARIN Report, 2011
Full-scale squat measurements
Thijs Hasselaar, MARIN Report, 2011
Pulling together in ROPES JIP
Henk van den Boom, MARIN Report, 2010
The Achilles heel of sea transport
Jos Koning, MARIN Report, 2007
Dimitri van Heel, MARIN Report, 2011
The impact of ships that pass in the night... or in the day
Joop Helder, Willemijn Pauw, Serge Toxopeus, Tim Bunnik, Henk van den Boom and Eric Wictor, MARIN Report, 2011
Full-scale squat measurements
Thijs Hasselaar, MARIN Report, 2011
Pulling together in ROPES JIP
Henk van den Boom, MARIN Report, 2010
The Achilles heel of sea transport
Jos Koning, MARIN Report, 2007
Contact
For more information on how MARIN can help your organisation with open top vessels, please contact the Merchant vessel team at MerchantVessel@marin.nl
For more information on how MARIN can help your organisation with open top vessels, please contact the Merchant vessel team at MerchantVessel@marin.nl