Abstract
Small to medium inland navigation vessels (CEMT Classes I to IV) are considered as a viable alternative cargo transportation mode to relieve loads on some of the most congested European motorways. In the Horizon Europe project AUTOFLEX (https://autoflex-vessel.eu/), a novel type of autonomous inland cargo vessel is being developed, which can carry out transport services in previously underused confined waterways. Confined waterways, characterized by limited depth, width, or both, significantly affect vessel hydrodynamics. In such conditions, vessels experience increased resistance, along with notable changes in sinkage and trim compared to operation in unbounded deep water. Furthermore, interaction with waterway boundaries affects considerably the inflow experienced by the propulsor.
The primary purpose of the present study is to investigate by means of CFD simulations, the influence of limited water depth on ship’s towing resistance in full‐scale, and to illustrate differences from the equivalent test conditions in model scale. The numerical setup is based on the methodology presented in Krasilnikov et al. (2025). The ultimate objective is to establish a validated framework that aids further investigation of vessel propulsive performance in inland waterways.