Fuel Saving Evaluation of a Rotor Ship in Actual Seas

Abstract

International Maritime Organization has adopted the initial IMO strategy on reduction of GHG emissions from ships at 2018. Achieving the strategy requires technical innovations on ship design and operation. Recently the utilization of natural energy source in operation is expected as a measure to reduce GHG emissions from ships and specifically wind is expected as a factor to enhance ship performance in actual seas.This paper focuses to a rotor ship as a ship with wind propulsion. A rotor ship can obtain an additional thrust by winds based on Magnus effect and consequently fuel oil consumption of the ship can be reduced. For an effective use of wind propulsion, fuel saving due to rotors should be accurately evaluated. In this paper, the author addresses a panamax bulk carrier having one rotor. Wind force and moment acting on the bulk carrier is estimated and provided to performance prediction in specific conditions. Based on results of the performance prediction and occurrence probability of winds and waves, an evaluation of fuel saving of a rotor ship in actual seas is conducted and reported in this paper.