VeSim – Vessel Simulatior

The Vessel Simulator, VeSim is a time-domain analysis tool for simulation of ships in calm water and for studies of manoeuver performance in a seaway with variable heading and speed.
VeSim is being developed by SINTEF Ocean and have been applied by Kongsberg Maritime in different research- and commercial projects during the past decade.
VeSim combines maneuvering and seakeeping into a common simulation environment.
Traditionally, the two subjects have been treated separately. Maneuvering has been simulated for calm water only whilst seakeeping has been studied at constant forward speed and heading.
This unified hydrodynamic formulation linking together the two subjects, makes it possible to apply VeSim in performance evaluations for a variety of operations both for calm water as well as specific maneuvers in rough seas.

The external forces from waves, wind and current can be modeled, including effects such as short-crested irregular waves and motion responses from double peaked waves spectra representing local wind sea and distant swells.
VeSim simulates forces from propellers and rudders, tunnel thrusters and azimuthing propeller systems and can model the loss effects due to ventilation (aeration), hull interaction and interaction between propulsor.
The hydrodynamic characteristics of Kongsberg’s propulsors and motion control devices are available through a separate ‘propulsion library’. When combined with a given hull geometry, the resulting performance for a variety of propulsion arrangements and maneuvering devices can be studied.
Typical sensors onboard a ship, such as GPS, MRU and gyrocompass are also modelled.