The determination of geometric properties for ship structural profiles remains a fundamental requirement in ship structural design, strength assessment, and reliability analysis. Continued development of analytical methods and generalized profile formulations is improving the efficiency and consistency of calculating section characteristics, while also supporting probabilistic assessment techniques that account for manufacturing tolerances, corrosion degradation, and structural uncertainty throughout a vessel’s service life.

Accurate prediction of added resistance in waves remains an important element of ship performance assessment, influencing fuel consumption, voyage planning, powering margins, and operational efficiency. Continued advances in seakeeping analysis methods are improving the ability to quantify wave-induced resistance, while supporting more reliable evaluation of ship behaviour in realistic weather conditions and enhancing decision-making at both the design and operational stages.

Autonomous underwater vehicles are increasingly being required to perform complex tasks such as homing, docking, and long-duration subsea operations with minimal human intervention. Advances in guidance, path-planning, and robust motion-control technologies are improving the precision and reliability of these operations, enabling AUVs to navigate complex environments, follow predefined trajectories, and execute docking manoeuvres more effectively in the presence of environmental disturbances and operational uncertainties.

Assessing the hydrodynamic behaviour and survivability of damaged ships remains a significant challenge, as flooding, internal free-surface effects, and trapped air can substantially alter vessel motions and stability. Continued development of specialised analysis methods is improving understanding of damaged-ship responses in waves, supporting more realistic survivability assessments and enhancing the evaluation of safety risks following hull damage.

As environmental concerns and operational safety become increasingly important in inland and coastal waterways, vessel designers are placing greater emphasis on reducing wave wash without compromising performance. The development of low-wash patrol craft through combined computational, experimental, and full-scale testing is demonstrating how innovative hull forms, particularly catamarans, can minimise environmental impact, improve navigational safety, and support more sustainable patrol and rescue operations.

Assessment of ship stability in severe weather remains a critical safety challenge, particularly for passenger vessels operating in demanding sea conditions. Research into the IMO Weather Criterion is highlighting concerns regarding the accuracy of traditional roll-motion prediction methods, encouraging the development of more realistic assessment approaches that better reflect actual vessel behaviour and support improved evaluation of stability-related risks.