The Investigation of Impact of Metacentric Height on Imo Standard Maneuvers With the Use of Free Running Models

Abstract According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) the maneuverability of the ship should be assessed on the basis of the standard trial maneuvers. During design process, free running model tests are considered as a reliable prediction method. Although roll motions of the maneuvering ship play an important role in navigation safety, it is a common practice that the roll-coupling effect on maneuvering is not taken into consideration during initial predictions of ship maneuvering performance. This paper presents study on impact of roll motions on the results of free running maneuvering model tests. The research was conducted using models of different types of ships and steering-propulsion systems. Each tested model was balanced for three metacentric heights so that it could achieve significantly different roll angles during maneuvering. The results are compared and the relevance of metacentric height in maneuvering prediction of ships of different size is discussed. The conclusions highlights new suggestions for class regulations and execution of free running model tests.