Queen Mary 2 seakeeping assessment - the owner’s requirements, the design verification and operational experience

Comfort and reliability were important targets in the design of the Queen Mary 2. These performance aspects were checked early in the development of the ship. In the first stage of this work theoretical calculations and model tests were performed to quantify the basic motion characteristics and added resistance. In the second stage this information was combined with a climate description for anticipated routes, criteria for tolerable ship behaviour and a scenario for the reaction of the master on the encountered circumstances. The results of these scenario simulations, in which many individual voyages were mimicked in detail, were used to investigate the impact of various sailing strategies on passenger comfort, fuel consumption and service reliability.
The paper highlights the owner’s requirements regarding comfort and reliability, the basics of the techniques that were used to ensure adequate performance, key results of the project and the present experience with the vessel.