Impact of the Longitudinal Center of Buoyancy on the Total Resistance of a Passenger Ship

A numerical investigation into the impact of the longitudinal position of the center of buoyancy on the total resistance of a passenger ship is conducted using the computational fluid dynamics software package STAR-CCM+. The modification of the hull form is performed using the CAESES software package, respecting the limitations on the longitudinal position of the center of buoyancy set by Flow Ship Design d.o.o. The total numerical uncertainty for the total resistance, sinkage, and trim angle of the original hull form is assessed within the verification study. The flow around the ship hull is analyzed in detail, including the determination of the wave pattern and free surface elevation as well as the hydrodynamic pressure and tangential stress distributions. The obtained values for total resistance, sinkage, and trim angle for all modified hull forms are compared. The study indicated that shifting the longitudinal position of the center of buoyancy by 0.4% can lead to a 2.11% reduction in total resistance compared to the original hull form. Resistance tests are conducted at two additional speeds to determine the resistance curve for the hull form with the most favorable total resistance characteristics. The results indicate that simple modifications of the hull form can lead to a reduction in the total resistance without necessitating complex optimization algorithms.