Ocean Network Express and ClassNK launch research on roll damping tanks

Ocean Network Express (ONE) and Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) have launched a joint research project to evaluate the effectiveness of roll damping tanks (RDTs) on large container ships.

Roll damping tanks reduce a vessel’s rolling motion through the controlled movement of liquid within a tank. While common on passenger and research vessels, their application to large container ships has increased recently. Excessive rolling can increase forces on containers and their securing systems, so optimizing RDT performance is critical for cargo safety and transit reliability.

Previously, the performance of RDTs on large container ships was primarily assessed through numerical simulations and model tests. This new collaboration aims to provide full-scale verification by using onboard measurement data from ONE’s fleet, which ClassNK will analyze alongside numerical simulations to understand effectiveness under actual operating and sea conditions.