The master's thesis »Impact of underkeel clearance on a ship maneuvering characteristics« is written with the purpose of experimental study and presentation of the influence of under-keel clearance on the manoeuvring capabilities of modern merchant ships in both deep (reference) and shallow water conditions. The thesis is divided into two main sections and several subsections.
In the theoretical part of the thesis, the types of ships used in the simulator and their propulsion systems are described. Particular attention is given to conventional internal combustion propulsion, as well as azipod and Voith propulsion systems. The characteristics of various propellers and rudders are also presented, with specific emphasis on rudder size. The ships analyzed and tested in the simulator include a passenger ship, a container ship, and a bulk carrier.
Subsequently, the concepts of under-keel clearance and types of manoeuvring tests are discussed theoretically. The influence of shallow water is explained, along with the definition of under-keel clearance (UKC) and its importance.
The empirical section represents the core of the thesis, where the conducted simulations are presented. Simulations were developed for all ship types and analyzed and compared for each type of manoeuvring test. The results are displayed as a comparison of the manoeuvrability of the ships at each UKC for the respective test.
A ship’s manoeuvring capabilities depend on the ship type, rudder size, speed, and under-keel clearance. In practice, it has also been shown that hull fouling affects the vessel’s manoeuvrability.
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