Prediction of low speed manoeuvring based on captive model tests: opportunities and limitations

The Flemish waterways authorities are permanently concerned about safety of navigation to the Belgian harbours in order to maintain their present position in the European shipping market Special attention is paid to the effect of the constant growth of ship dimensions, especially in the container traffic, to safe shipping traffic. Harbour manoeuvres are characterised by a great diversity and particularly tow speed manoeuvring is brought more and more to the attention of the institutes involved in the prediction of ship manoeuvrability. Hydrodynamic forces induced at low speed and low or even reversed telegraph positions must be determined carefully both in deep and in shallow water. Some insight into the opportunities and limitations of mathematical modelling based on captive model tests could be obtained based on a thorough investigation started at Flanders Hydraulics Research. This paper will focus on results of model tests with a fourth generation containership with a draught of 15.0 m at an under keel clearance of 20%