• A 1/128-scale model of the Suez Canal was set up in Hiroshima University towing tank. The mega container ship model with approximately 400 m in real scale was towed through the canal.
• The water depth, ship speed, and deviation distance from the centerline of the canal were systematically varied to investigate how the hydrodynamic forces acting on the ship changed under various navigational conditions.
• The mathematical model of the ship maneuvering in the canal was established. The course stability which indicates whether the ship runs on the specified course stably was evaluated.

  In March 2021, a mega container ship ran aground in the Suez Canal, causing the world's maritime logistics stagnant. Since 99.5% (tonnage base, 2021) of cargos is carried by ship in Japan, this long and narrow canal is a lifeline for our country. One of fundamental causes of this accident is considered to be a mismatch that a large ship built for the increase of cargoes and economies of scale is forced to navigate in the relatively small space. 

  So, this study was aimed to evaluate the maneuvering performance of such a large ship sailing through the shallow and narrow canal for the navigational safety. Captive model experiments with 1/128-scale models of the Suez Canal and an original-designed mega container ship was conducted in Hiroshima University towing tank. We investigated how the hydrodynamic forces acting on the ship changed under various navigational conditions such as water depth, ship speed, deviation distance from the centerline of the canal and maneuvering states. 

  Based on the equations of motions, the equilibrium state and course stability when sailing through the canal were evaluated. Clarifying these results contributes to navigational safety because they directly affect the difficulty of maneuvering the ship in the canal. We plan to conduct time-series maneuvering simulations under various scenarios and the limit of safe operation will be discussed.

Paper Info
 H. Yasukawa and M. Sano: On the hydrodynamic derivatives with respect to heading angle for ship maneuvering in a canal, Journal of Marine Science and Technology, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00773-024-01004-4