SEAMAN Simulations
For each simulation assignment SSPA communicates with the customer to ensure that the simulation has the right level of detail, with regard to both accuracy and cost efficiency. To reach the proper level there are a number of areas that SSPA will tailor to the customer's needs: Ship Dynamics, Modelling, Instrumentation, Visualisation and Analysis.
Ship dynamics
The core of any serious nautical simulation is calculations on how the ship will react under the influence of the control forces and the ship’s environment. SSPA uses its decades of experience in this area to ensure that the accuracy of the simulation is up to our client’s standards. Ongoing participation in several research programmes ensures that our knowledge of ship dynamics stays at the forefront of the industry.
Modelling
Even though the laws governing the behaviour of ships in water are the same, every ship is unique. That is why SSPA has tried and true methods of identifying which factors are relevant in the behaviour of a specific ship, and ways that these factors are accurately affecting the simulation of the ship.
Instrumentation
To ensure that the ship can be manoeuvred in a way that reflects reality, good instrumentation is fundamental. SSPA ensures that the right type of instrumentation for a specific simulation is used. What is right for a specific simulation can range from a full mission bridge with instrumentation authentic to that of a real bridge, to a simple desktop mouse control.
Visualisation
Visually displaying the state of a simulation at any given moment is important. The purpose of this is to give the person controlling the ship the same situational awareness that they would have in a real situation, and also to give other stakeholders in a simulation an intuitive grasp of situations. SSPA delivers several types of visualisations to ensure that the customer gets the option that is right for them in a specific simulation, considering both accuracy of the simulation and the economics of it.
Analysis
While the preparation and execution of the simulations are critical, they are wasted if the right conclusion cannot be drawn from their results. Over the years SSPA has created several tools and methodologies to ensure that both quantitative and qualitative results of the simulation can be reported to the customer in a concise manner. The commitment of SSPA to the customer doesn’t stop with the performed simulation, but continues until the correct conclusion has been reached.
Attachments
Manoeuvring and seakeeping simulations, and the importance of high-quality data
Simulations are an efficient tool for gaining valuable insights for decision-making. To perform high-quality ship simulations, high-quality input data is required. Without good input data, the output from the simulations will not be a reliable source of support for decision-making. Thanks to SSPA’s test facilities, and the development and use of CFD, we have access to extremely good data which supports the simulation models in the SEAMAN Simulation toolbox.
SEAMAN Online – taking availability and flexibility to the next level
The phrase “Repetitio est mater studiorum” or “Repetition is th e mother of learning” was the starting point for the SEAMAN Online™ development. Requested by clients who wanted to provide their staff or students with unlimited access to a manoeuvring training environment, SEAMAN Online is the world’s first web-based professional maritime manoeuvring training simulator.
Advanced maritime operations in civil engineering
The railway bridges in Stockholm city centre are to be replaced. Needless to say, this is a very sensitive operation and the STA wanted to acquire as much information about the problem as possible, as early as possible. One way of managing the impact of the operation on traffic was to transport and install the bridges over water. SSPA used its know-how of maritime operations and state-of-the-art simulation tool.
Port of Rotterdam maneuvres in the simulator lab gives higher accessibility for large tankers
SSPA was contracted by the Port of Rotterdam to improve the maneuverability for large tankers at the Port and to optimize dredging requirements to improve accessibility for large tankers into the Botlek area.
SEAMAN simulations improve fairway, port planning and design
Designing a new port, or modifying an existing one, are complicated processes involving many stakeholders and even more fields of expertise. Using the expertise of mariners, infrastructural planners, logistics experts, environmental experts and a few dozen more fields of expertise these projects are truly a multi-disciplinary endeavor.
City planning using the SEAMAN simulation tool
SSPA is contributing to the design process of the new bridge, Hisingsbron, being built in the city of Gothenburg. It is doing this using the SEAMAN simulator. Clients such as the Gothenburg city architect, the design team from COWI and stakeholders from the shipping industry have been able to evaluate the bridge to be built.