Research Theme

Manoeuvring and Nautical Studies

Through this research programme we aim to help the maritime industry assess and improve the safety and efficiency of nautical operations, traffic flows and individual ships.

Research Theme

Manoeuvring and Nautical Studies

Through this research programme we aim to help the maritime industry assess and improve the safety and efficiency of nautical operations, traffic flows and individual ships.

Safe Navigation

This programme has a focus on developing reliable and accurate hydrodynamic and mathematical manoeuvring models, based on new or existing model tests, trials, or CFD studies. The results are applied to our simulation framework (eXtensible Modelling Framework or ‘XMF’) to be used in simulation and simulator projects in all aspects of MARIN’s work, from design to daily operations. This programme makes a key contribution to smart and safe shipping, effective infrastructure, ship/shipping safety and to reducing the impact of shipping on the marine environment.

SUB PROGRAMMES

Nautical Safety

In this sub-programme, assessment methods to quantify and evaluate nautical safety and ship manoeuvring performance are developed. The safe manoeuvring of individual vessels, and the safety of traffic in rivers and in open sea is considered.

Viscous bluff-body hydro- and aerodynamics

This sub-programme is concerned with hydrodynamic and aerodynamic studies of the flow around bluff bodies, with the aim to accurately predict forces and moments on ships and structures in arbitrary calm-water conditions. Flow-induced motions of rigid bodies, such as vortex-induced motions (VIM), as well as vortex-induced vibrations (VIV), are included in this sub programme.

Control devices

This sub-programme focuses on the understanding, design and modelling of devices to control the vessel, such as rudders, thrusters, and their interaction.

Confined water effects and ship-ship interaction

This sub-programme expands on the knowledge obtained regarding bluff bodies and control devices, by taking into account the effects of shallow water, river banks, and passing or overtaking vessels.

Manoeuvring and course keeping in waves

This sub-programme aims to bridge the gap between manoeuvring in calm water and seakeeping. Forces during manoeuvring are mainly driven by viscous effects, while seakeeping aspects are traditionally modelled using potential flow theory. Reliable methods to combine the physics occurring when sailing in calm water with the physics of motions due to waves need to be developed.

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Research

Our research programme is directed to meet new trends and challenges, by developing knowledge in enabling technologies to be used in applied research.

Key technologies

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
Time-domain Simulations
Measurements and Big Data Analysis
Operational Analysis and Human Factors

Research themes

Sustainable Propulsion
Waves, Impacts and Hydro-Structural
Manoeuvring and Nautical Studies
Seakeeping, Ocean Engineering and Renewables
Autonomy and Control

Key technologies

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)

CFD is an important tool for obtaining a better understanding of the flow around ships and offshore structures. This programme focuses on the background development of viscous-flow CFD tools and techniques.

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Key technologies

Time-domain Simulations

Time-domain simulations study the motions of a structure or ship based on the force and momentum balance over a long period of time. We use these simulations for applications in engineering, experiments, simulations and on-board.

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Key technologies

Measurements and Big Data Analysis

Measurement and analysis are essential for acquiring knowledge from numerical and experimental studies. This programme provides the tools and techniques needed to gain insight into full-scale and model-scale physics.

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Key technologies

Operational Analysis and Human Factors

This program matches complex maritime operations with the capabilities of human operators eventually supported by advisory systems. It brings the end user into the design of operations and further improves the operation through studying (supported) operator performance and training development.

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Research themes

Sustainable Propulsion

We aim at ship designs that are both sustainable and suitable for operational conditions. Sustainable propulsion helps to reduce energy consumption, ship emissions and environmental impact.

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Research themes

Waves, Impacts and Hydro-Structural

Waves have a big impact on marine structures. In order to ensure safe design and operation, we are developing the specialist tools and competences needed to assess fatigue and ultimate loads.

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Research themes