Parametric Design and Multi-Objective Optimization of SWATH

Abstract

The present paper deals with the development of a parametric design software tool for the fast and robust optimization of SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull) type ships and twin hull ships in general. The prototype SWATH used for validating the results of the developed software is the well-known NTUA-SDL ferry design Aegean Queen.

The core of the paper refers to the development of the parametric hull modeling that enables the automated hull form optimization of the wetted body. Considering that the design concerns a passenger ship that needs to adapt to different seasonal demands, the optimization was carried out with regard to two different operational speeds: a high sailing speed for summer operation, and a relatively low speed for serving in the non-commercial winter season.

The conducted study demonstrated that the resulting innovative SWATH design has very competitive characteristics regarding powering demand and fuel efficiency, while it possesses the inherent best seakeeping properties, especially for operation in short seas like the Aegean archipelago.

Why it matters

This early work — conducted at the Ship Design Laboratory of the National Technical University of Athens — is where the thread running through all of our later work begins: turning naval architecture knowledge into parametric, automated, optimizable models instead of one-off manual designs.