SSPA - member of the International Towing Tank Conference
ITTC is a voluntary association of worldwide organizations responsible for the prediction of hydrodynamic performance of ships and marine installations. The association is also an observer at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
Members have a unique knowledge in the field of hydrodynamics that brings a decisive contribution to the maritime community. SSPA is represented by some of the industry’s most prominent experts.
The Executive Committee is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the ITTC, assisted by the Advisory Council on technical matters. A number of permanent and specialist technical committees perform defined work tasks between Full Conferences and report to the Full Conference. The committees will work together during the 29th ITTC, which covers the period from 2017 to 2020. Their tasks include establishing procedures and/or guidelines for techniques applicable to commercial practice.
In September 2017, the 28th ITTC Full Conference took place in Wuxi, China.
The Full Conference is held every three years and the next conference will take place in Nantes, France (2020) but has been postponed and will be held on 13 to 18 June, 2021.
SSPA contributes with expertise
Mr Lars Gustafsson, Vice President, is a member of ITTC Advisory Council.
Dr Frederik Gerhardt, Specialist at the Ship Design department, is a member of the Seakeeping Committee for the second term.
Dr Sofia Werner, Manager Strategic Research Hydrodynamics, is the Chairman of the new Specialist Committee on CFD/EFD Combined methods.
More information is available on the International Towing Tank Conference web page www.ittc.info
Contacts
Seakeeping, fw-factor and combined CFD/EFD methods hot topics at ITTC
ITTC has an important role as a cooperation platform for all towing tank organizations. It gives SSPA, as an active member, an opportunity to influence the worldwide shipping community. At the ITTC’s 28th full conference, the Seakeeping Committee presented a recommended procedure for determining fw, that is largely based on work by our experts. A new Specialist Committee on Combined CFD/EFD methods was decided. The chairman is one of SSPA’s experts.
fw – the unknown factor
Legislation on the EEDI requires the determination of a “weather factor” – fw – reflecting the percentage of its calm-water speed that a ship can maintain in Beaufort 6 and corresponding waves. The higher the fw value, the smaller the speed loss and the better the ship will perform in a seaway. But how do we determine this unknown fw factor, and how do we strike a balance between accuracy and costs? As a member of ITTC, SSPA is actively involved in developing guidelines.
CFD/EFD Combined methods
SSPA leads the ITTC Specialist Committee on Combined CFD/EFD Methods. The purpose of the committee is to initiate and support the process of introducing combined CFD/EFD methods in ITTC’s procedures. By using the best combination, rather than viewing them as competing methods, we can deliver even better predictions. To facilitate the introduction in our community, the Committee has identified several research areas which need to be addressed.
Our test facilities
Physical model testing will continue to be an important tool in the process of developing ships and assessing their performance. SSPA has the capability to perform most kinds of model testing in its facilities: the towing tank, the large cavitation tunnel, the seakeeping and manoeuvring basin and combine with computer tests.