Aerodynamic Performance Enhancement of a River Ship by Using CFD

The aerodynamic performance of river ships, particularly cargo river ships operating in inland waterways, plays a crucial role in determining their efficiency, safety, and economic viability. While traditional ship design has primarily focused on optimizing hull forms to minimize resistance acting on the ship, recent research highlights the growing importance of aerodynamic considerations, especially for ships with large accommodation above the water surface. This study synthesizes recent investigations on aerodynamic improvements achieved through the optimization of hull and accommodation for ships using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Pressure distribution analyses reveal that high-pressure zones around the hull significantly contribute to wind drag. Advanced CFD simulations, employing Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) methods, demonstrate notable reductions in wind drag through targeted modifications of ship accommodation. The results confirm that such design improvements of river ship accommodation can reduce wind drag acting on the ship, leading to lower fuel consumption, improved stability, and enhanced operational safety.