Improving ship hydrodynamic efficiency is an important strategy for reducing fuel consumption and operational costs. This study investigates the optimisation of ship resistance through a combined approach involving hull form modification and operational trim adjustment. The research focuses on a pioneer vessel model, where hydrodynamic performance is analysed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations coupled with Central Composite Design (CCD) and the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Prior to the optimisation analysis, the CFD model was verified through a grid convergence study and validated against towing tank experimental data, showing good agreement. The optimisation was conducted through three scenarios: hull form optimisation, trim optimisation, and integrated optimisation, which combined both strategies. The statistical analysis revealed that longitudinal parameters play a dominant role in resistance reduction. In particular, the longitudinal centre of buoyancy (LCB) was identified as the most influential parameter in hull form optimisation, while the longitudinal centre of gravity (LCG) was the dominant parameter in trim optimisation. The results show that hull form optimisation alone reduced resistance by approximately 6%, while trim optimisation achieved a reduction of about 4%. The integrated optimisation strategy produced the greatest improvement, resulting in resistance reduction of nearly 10% compared with the baseline configuration. The findings highlight the importance of integrating design-stage optimisation and operational optimisation in improving ship hydrodynamic performance. However, the optimisation was limited to calm-water conditions.
Iqbal et al. (2026) studied this question.