Ship Design Course

Lesson 1 • Stability Fundamentals

Introduces metacentric height, righting levers, and stability criteria. Provides the analytical basis for safe vessel operation.

Lesson 2 • Resistance and Propulsion Basics

Explains frictional, wave-making, and residual resistance components. Connects hull form choices to powering requirements.

Lesson 3 • Hydrostatics and Buoyancy

Covers Archimedes' principle, displacement, and hydrostatic curves. Links buoyancy calculations to load-carrying capacity decisions.

Lesson 4 • Ship Geometry and Principal Dimensions

Defines hull form parameters, offsets, and key dimensions. Establishes the geometric vocabulary used throughout every design stage.

Lesson 1 • Digital Hull Modelling

Introduces NURBS-based surface modelling for hull design. Bridges traditional lines work to parametric CAD environments.

Lesson 2 • Hull Form Parameters and Selection

Translates mission requirements into block coefficient, prismatic coefficient, and LCB position. Establishes the parametric basis for hull form selection.

Lesson 3 • Fairing Techniques

Applies manual and digital fairing methods to eliminate unfair curves. Ensures smooth hull surfaces suitable for structural and hydrodynamic analysis.

Lesson 4 • Lines Plan Construction

Guides creation of body plan, sheer plan, and half-breadth plan. Integrates three views into a consistent geometric description.

Lesson 1 • Fatigue and Fracture Considerations

Addresses cyclic loading, S-N curves, and fracture mechanics in ship structures. Guides design decisions that extend structural service life.

Lesson 2 • Classification Society Rule Scantlings

Applies rule-based methods to size plating, frames, and girders. Demonstrates how classification rules translate loads into minimum dimensions.

Lesson 3 • Finite Element Analysis in Ship Structures

Introduces FEA model setup, boundary conditions, and result interpretation for ship structures. Extends rule-based design with direct calculation methods.

Lesson 4 • Global Hull Girder Loads

Covers still-water and wave-induced bending moments and shear forces. Links sea-state loading to required section modulus.

Lesson 1 • Resistance Prediction Methods

Covers Holtrop-Mennen, Guldhammer-Harvald, and model test extrapolation. Provides quantitative tools for early-stage power budgeting.

Lesson 2 • Sea Margin and Service Speed

Quantifies weather, fouling, and ageing allowances in the power budget. Translates installed power to realistic service speed predictions.

Lesson 3 • Propulsion System Selection

Compares diesel-direct, diesel-electric, and hybrid drive arrangements. Connects machinery choice to fuel consumption and operational profile.

Lesson 4 • Manoeuvring and Rudder Design

Covers rudder types, area ratios, and turning circle prediction. Ensures the vessel meets manoeuvrability standards at the design stage.

Lesson 1 • Accommodation and Crew Spaces

Designs crew cabins, mess rooms, and safety stations to meet habitability standards. Balances crew welfare with structural and weight constraints.

Lesson 2 • General Arrangement Principles

Establishes deck layout logic, compartment hierarchy, and access philosophy. Provides the organisational framework for all space allocation decisions.

Lesson 3 • Machinery Space Arrangement

Positions main engines, auxiliaries, and systems within the machinery space. Ensures maintainability, ventilation, and regulatory compliance.

Lesson 4 • Cargo and Payload Space Design

Sizes holds, tanks, and cargo decks to meet deadweight and volume targets. Links cargo geometry to structural framing and hatch arrangements.

Lesson 1 • Lightweight and Deadweight Analysis

Separates structural, machinery, and outfit weights from payload and consumables. Provides the foundation for displacement and stability calculations.

Lesson 2 • Centre of Gravity Determination

Calculates longitudinal, transverse, and vertical centres of gravity for all loading conditions. Links KG to metacentric height and stability compliance.

Lesson 3 • Trim Calculation and Control

Predicts trim for all loading conditions and designs ballast arrangements to correct it. Ensures the vessel operates within trim limits at all draughts.

Lesson 4 • Weight Control During Construction

Establishes weight monitoring procedures from detailed design through delivery. Prevents weight growth from compromising stability and performance.

Lesson 1 • Piping and Fluid Systems

Covers ballast, bilge, fuel, and freshwater system design. Links pipe sizing, pump selection, and routing to operational and regulatory requirements.

Lesson 2 • Electrical Power Systems

Sizes generators, switchboards, and distribution networks for the vessel's load profile. Addresses redundancy and emergency power requirements.

Lesson 3 • Fire Safety and Lifesaving Systems

Integrates fire detection, suppression, and lifesaving appliance arrangements. Ensures compliance with international safety conventions.

Lesson 4 • Navigation and Communication Systems

Specifies bridge equipment, navigation aids, and communication systems. Aligns equipment selection with operational area and regulatory mandates.

Lesson 1 • Regulatory Approval and Classification

Navigates plan approval, survey milestones, and certification processes. Ensures design documentation meets classification society and flag state requirements.

Lesson 2 • Design Documentation and Drawing Standards

Establishes drawing conventions, document numbering, and revision control. Produces a complete design deliverable package for construction.

Lesson 3 • Design Spiral and Iteration Management

Applies the design spiral model to manage interdependencies across all design disciplines. Develops strategies for resolving conflicts between competing requirements.

Lesson 4 • Design Review and Stakeholder Management

Structures formal design reviews and manages owner, yard, and authority interfaces. Builds communication skills essential for multi-party design projects.