A study of an unconventional container vessel concept for the Danube

Abstract

The paper investigates the possibilities for improvement of container transport on the Danube by means of an innovative and unconventional container vessel design. The proposed design differs from standard European inland ships of the same capacity by shallow draught and increased breadth. It is demonstrated that such vessel would be less susceptible than the standard vessels to the weather phenomena (low water levels and strong winds) that hamper the navigation on the Danube. In the same time, the cargo capacity in terms of number of TEUs carried by such vessel would be increased. In addition to conventional methods, the study employs direct calculations to examine the structural strength and numerical experiments based on ship dynamics to assess the stability and safety of the vessel exposed to gusting wind. Overall, the results indicate the advantage of the shallow-draught vessels in the present day navigation conditions on the Danube.