Hybrid thinking on wave resistance

Accurately predicting how much extra resistance a ship encounters in waves remains a challenge. Added resistance in waves forms a substantial component of total ship resistance in real operating conditions, and errors in its estimation feed directly into inaccurate performance predictions, flawed sea trial corrections and poorly calibrated voyage optimisation tools.

Théo Descamps presented a paper at HullPIC 2026 examining the available methods for calculating wave-added resistance, and proposing a hybrid approach, developed by Bureau Veritas Solutions Marine & Offshore (BVS M&O), that seeks a practical compromise between computational cost and accuracy.

The three main methods in use each occupy a different position on the cost–accuracy spectrum. Semi-empirical models, of which the SHOPERA-NTUA-NTU-MARIC (SNNM) method is considered the most capable, require only basic geometric parameters and deliver fast results. They are useful for early-stage design, but limited in accuracy where linear wave theory breaks down, such as steep waves or short-crested seas. Potential flow solvers, including BV’s Hydrostar and MARIN’s SEACAL, both of which