A Method for Evaluating Ship Concepts in Realistic Operational Scenarios using Agent-based Discrete-Event Simulation

Meeting IMO’s greenhouse gas ambitions generates need for designing low- and zero-emission ships within the maritime industry. Evaluating proposed conceptual ship systems in terms of energy efficiency, exhaust emissions and operability is a task of great complexity, even more under realistic operational profiles and weather conditions. This paper presents a simulation method developed for evaluating a ship concept across several years of realistic operation. The method allows for a user-defined operational scenario and simulates numeric hull, propulsor and machinery models based on agent-based discrete-event simulation in historic oceanographic data. A use case for a tanker is presented, demonstrating how the method, implemented through a simulation software, helps the naval architect in navigating among the various technologies available, being able to assess an early system design in a scenario spanning several years.