Fuel efficiency optimization of tanker with focus on hull parameters

Abstract

Fuel efficiency optimization is of crucial importance in industries. Marine transportation industry is no exception. Multi-disciplinary optimization is a branch of engineering which uses optimization methods for solving problems in which the objective function is simultaneously affected by several different factors. As one of the tools for this type of optimization, genetic algorithm has a high quality and validity. The objective of the present study is to optimize fuel efficiency in tankers. All presented equations and conditions are valid for tankers. Fuel consumption efficiency of tankers is a function of various influential factors. Given the lack of equations for describing and modeling these factors and unavailability of valid performance database for inferring the equations as well as the lack of literature in this field, the preset study includes five optimizing factors affecting the fuel consumption efficiency of a tanker in genetic algorithm by using the genetic algorithm toolbox of MATLAB software package.

Keywords

• Fuel consumption efficiency
• Tanker
• Multi-disciplinary optimization
• Genetic algorithm
• Hull parameters