A Numerical Approach to Assess Marine Fouling Tolerability on the Hull of Surface Vessels

摘要

Marine fouling on the hull of surface vessels is a topic of increasing importance in the maritime field for its environmental and financial impacts. Recent research developments have introduced mathematical models dealing with the frictional resistance associated with fouling. Herein, an implementation of these models in a numerical code to predict the added resistance of ships due to biofouling and associated costs is presented. The code is designed to account for the singularity of each context based on at least one observation of the fouling condition. Through a hypothetical yet realistic scenario, it is shown that it enables proactive management by indicating when fouling is no longer tolerable from a financial standpoint.