THE STOPPING OF LARGE BULK CARGO SHIPS IN A CANAL

The U.S. Army Engineer District, Jacksonville, Corps of Engineers requested the Naval Ship Research and Development Center to conduct a series of tests on the use of tugboats astern of large ships to assist them in navigating canals and to make emergency stops in the event that the canal becomes blocked. These tests were undertaken in connection with a series of model tests that the Center has conducted for the Interoceanic-Canal-Studies Branch of the Jacksonville District Corps of Engineers. In the proposed Atlantic-Pacific Interoceanic Sea-Level Canal there will be tidal currents, which may attain velocities up to 4 knots. Under these conditions, tugboats would serve two functions. The Corps of Engineers described these as follows: 1) To assist the ship to make a safe emergency stop from a 7-knot land speed in following currents up to 4 knots should the preceding ships in the canal become suddenly immobilized. 2) In the following currents up to 4 knots, to hold back the ship to 7 knots by the land while allowing the ships propulsion system to operate at a power level which would drive the ship ahead at 5 knots or more in open waters.

• Corporate Authors:

  David Taylor Naval Ship R&D Center

  Bethesda, MD  United States  20084
• Authors:
  • Moody, C G
• Publication Date: 0

Media Info

• Pagination: n.p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bulk carriers; Canal operations; Canals; Channels (Waterways); Maneuvering; Ocean currents; Ship pilotage; Stopping; Tug ship interaction
• Old TRIS Terms: Current forces; Narrow channel navigation; Restricted water operation
• Subject Areas: Hydraulics and Hydrology; Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00323655
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Stevens Institute of Technology
• Report/Paper Numbers: Report 379-H-02
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 12 1981 12:00AM