Maritime Consultancy

Effective Test & Evaluation (T&E) requires agility and speed of response and is critical for ensuring modern, high performing and complex vessel designs are operationally effective, efficient and safe. QinetiQ operates some of the most extensive hydrodynamic facilities anywhere in the world - including one of the world's largest ocean basins – and our customers include Governments, maritime regulatory bodies, shipping operators, designers and constructors.

Our team of research specialists have a wealth of experience in model experimentation, Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) analysis and the development and exploitation of empirical and semi-empirical methods. Such insight into ship stability, propulsors and human factors at sea has led to the publication of many peer-reviewed international research papers. More importantly, this depth of accumulated knowledge helps to ensure a thorough understanding of all the relevant performance factors to deliver a viable, safe and cost effective design outcome for defence and commercial maritime customers. It is also proving to be invaluable for clients in the renewable energy market to help predict the performance of marine vessels, tidal turbines and wave energy devices.

Today, we combine advanced physical model experiments with the additional benefits of a virtual towing tank by capitalising on modern CFD and high performance computing. Such experiments can include resistance and propulsion, sea-keeping, manoeuvring, stability and acoustic assessments of ships and submarines. The increased level of hydrodynamic understanding from a combination of physical and virtual experiments delivers more rapid and accurate evaluation and even greater technical collaboration between partners than ever before.

Benefits of Physical & Virtual Performance Assessment

• Using our dedicated large computing cluster to simulate fluid flows around ship hullforms, submarines and offshore structures in full scale, produces accurate results quickly and efficiently.
• Simulations are conducted in tandem with our physical model testing, full-scale trials data and expert knowledge to ensure the required validation and verification is in place to give confidence in our results.
• The International Maritime Organisation allows CFD analysis to be submitted as evidence for modifications - such as the addition of a bulbous bow or energy efficiency device - to a baseline class of vessel that has already been model tested. As a result, reliable results can be provided quickly.
• Alongside our propeller design and analysis capability, we use our ship tank and cavitation tunnel to provide accurate assessment of propeller designs and the way they interact with the proposed vessel hullform.

QinetiQ provides optimisation of feasibility level vessel designs covering hydrodynamic, human and operational performance. Once a baseline performance has been established, our designers will use physical and computational model testing to help optimise the design to meet key performance requirements.

Today, we combine advanced physical model experiments with the additional benefits of a virtual towing tank by capitalising on modern Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and high performance computing. Such experiments can include resistance and propulsion, sea-keeping, manoeuvring, stability and acoustic assessments of ships and submarines. The increased level of hydrodynamic understanding from a combination of physical and virtual experiments delivers more rapid and accurate evaluation and even greater technical collaboration between partners than ever before.

We provide a complete suite of optimisation services including a combination of analytical methods and physical model testing. Our team uses CFD and simulation software codes running on large computer clusters to conduct rapid and detailed flow assessments. This enables a design solution to be refined before a physical model is created for testing in the tank facilities.

Combining experimental, computational and software tools (including Paramarine - our internationally acclaimed Naval Architecture Toolset), we ensure speed and accuracy of evaluation and even greater technical understanding of vessel performance. Our advanced CFD techniques enable accurate alignment of underwater appendages such as rudders, A-bracket arms, bilge keels and stabilisers for optimised full scale flow and lower vessel resistance. They also provide detailed wake information to support the design and development of low noise propellers.

Our range of services covering the Design Evaluation & Optimisation of ships and submarines help to avoid high build and lifecycle costs caused by over-engineering and ensure operational safety and performance efficiency as well as regulatory compliance.

• Resistance & Propulsion
• Seakeeping & Structures
• Manoeuvring & Control
• Intact & Dynamic Stability
• Launch & Recovery for off-board systems
• Appendage design and alignment
• Propeller & Propulsor design
• Energy Efficiency device integration
• Vessel Operability

The constant evolution and introduction of new technologies, alternative fuels and new regulations as well as the need to minimise operational costs for a vessel, present a complex set of challenges to a ship’s designer, builder and operator.

To progress a design along the development spiral as effectively and efficiently as possible, we use the design concept phase to establish a clear understanding of customer requirements and the factors determining the chosen technical options and parameters. Our experience and expertise in design, development and optimisation services help to maximise vessel value, capability, and safety.

As well as producing design concepts that are viable and cost-effective and providing a full cost/capability analysis to inform the procurement process, we develop model and full scale demonstration programmes to suit even the most complex requirements. We also take full advantage of our own fully integrated Naval Architecture toolset that is shaping the future of ship and submarine design and evaluation. Called Paramarine, this advanced and powerful design and analysis software delivers fast and effective design creation and evaluation to ensure prompt compliance with customer and regulatory requirements.

Ship and Submarine Design

Our Ship & Submarine Design Team is actively developing concept design solutions that are both viable and cost effective and take full account of the definition of requirements and the views of respective user groups. They prepare outline specifications, timelines, predictions for resistance and powering and also determine scantling, stability and survivability characteristics as well as handling and manoeuvring, Noise & Vibration, environmental compliance and design statements. Such detailed information is essential for confirming a concept’s operability and achieving a mission-critical and cost-effective outcome.

Through our experience and expertise working with both defence and commercial clients, we draw out the key drivers and requirements for vessel operations, comparing available options and carrying out cost/capability analysis to inform the procurement process. Our teams are also working to reduce the impact of environmental factors on the cradle to grave vessel lifecycle.

Modern platform acquisition and capability development has become increasingly complex, expensive and time consuming. QinetiQ has been at the forefront of platform acquisition support services since its inception, and has supported the acquisition, risk mitigation, integration and capability management of all major UK combat platforms as well as a number of other significant international programmes.

A recent Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) acquisition program demonstrates the breadth of our expertise in Maritime Capability Development and Platform Design Support. Here, the primary focus was the Requirements Definition Phase of Capability Acquisition and the impact of operational analysis, feasibility design and trade studies on the acquisition process – as shown below.

QinetiQ provides a wide range of capability support services to reflect through-life vessel changes. These include assessing the impact of hydrodynamic, human and operational performance, as well as the application of new and existing regulations and performance standards and detailed assessment of life extension or a potential new role of a platform.

The recently updated Energy Efficiency Design Index legislation from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requires a demonstration of compliance for all new ships at the design stage, with requirements increasing every 5 years. IMO allows for CFD analysis to be submitted as evidence for modifications to classes of ships where the baseline class has already been model tested. QinetiQ is able to provide this design optimisation and CFD analysis using physical testing and our extensive suite of tools on our large computing cluster.