Effects of swell waves caused by atmospheric depression on ships sailing in the North Pacific ocean

The surge in maritime traffic has spurred the construction of large vessels, including very large ore carriers and mega containerships. These immense vessels are susceptible to accident risks owing to the considerable ship motions induced by long-period waves. Despite this, long-period waves such as swell waves have not been leveraged for navigation purposes, owing to the facts that avoidance of atmospheric depression has been main concern. This study endeavors to address this gap by employing several regression models to predict swell wave height using significant wave height and mean wave period. Furthermore, a range of wave simulation scenarios is utilized to replicate swell waves and confirm the wave conditions stemming from distinct atmospheric depressions. Ship motion estimations are derived under these wave conditions and compared with onboard measurement data. The regression model incorporating H 1 / 3 × T m e a n showed the highest accuracy in estimating swell waves. Additionally, ship motion estimations solely considering the swell wave components demonstrated practical accuracy in comparison with ship motions influenced by all wave components. This study is constrained by its focus on a limited timeframe and region within the North Pacific. Nevertheless, its findings hold promise for enhancing ship and port operations when applied to various periods and regions. • The height of swell waves is estimated based on several regression models. • Swell waves are numerically reproduced in multiple solitary atmospheric depressions. • Accuracy of wave simulation for swell waves is also validated by estimated ship motions. • Ship motions are dominantly influenced by swell waves in the North Pacific Ocean.