Coupling voyage and weather data to estimate speed loss of container ships in realistic conditions

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the speed loss based on the real-life voyage data and weather reanalysis. A methodology for coupling weather and voyage data is presented. Speed loss is investigated for a series of container ships of different dimensions which are then compared with the existing methods for speed loss. Another approach in estimating voluntary speed reductions in high seas is having first hand experience of the captains. For this purpose, we have designed and handed a questionnaire to ship masters. This has provided additional insight to the decision-making process during the voyages in rough weather conditions. This analysis sets the ground for a more comprehensive study, including various ship types, sizes and weather conditions leading to more accurate prediction of wave loads, fuel consumption or emissions from ships.