Case studies of ocean transports using the SafeTrans simulator

SafeTrans is a recently developed software package that calculates motions imposed by winds, waves, and currents on large vessels, barges, heavy-lift vessels, or towed "wet bodies". Unlike other existing tools, SafeTrans incorporates all the major factors affecting a transport including weather routing, complicated vessel response, weather forecast error, human errors, mechanical failures, etc. This paper describes seven case studies ranging from traditional tug-barge and self-propelled transports, optimization of LNG tanker and containerships routing, and response-based design of an stationary FPSO (Floating Production Storage Offloading vessel). These case studies illustrate the versatility of SafeTrans and show its ability to develop less conservative and more realistic criteria than traditional methods.