Prediction of the maneuverability of a large container ship with twin propellers and twin rudders

The maneuvering characteristics of a large container ship with twin propellers and twin rudders were investigated using the horizontal planar motion mechanism (HPMM) test and computer simulation. A mathematical model for maneuvering motion with four degrees of freedom (DOF) for twin-propeller and twin-rudder systems was developed and included the effects of roll motion. To obtain the roll-coupling hydrodynamic coefficients of a container ship, a four-DOF HPMM system having a roll motion mechanism and a roll moment measurement system was used. At the full load condition, HPMM tests were carried out for two different 12000-TEU container ship models, one with twin propellers and the other with a single propeller. Using the hydrodynamic coefficients obtained from the tests, computer simulations were carried out. Simulation results for the container ship with twin propellers and twin rudders were compared with the results for the container ship with a single propeller and single rudder.