Towing Tanks
Ghent University has access to two advanced towing tank facilities dedicated to the study of ship manoeuvring in shallow and confined waters (owned by Flanders Hydraulics).
Towing Tank for Manoeuvres in confined water
Established in 1992–93, the towing tank for manoeuvres in confined water is located in Antwerp and focuses on the hydrodynamic behaviour of vessels in restricted navigation areas, such as harbours and canals. It supports both captive and free-running tests. The dimensions are: total length of 88.0 m, effective length of 67.0 m, width of 7.0 m and maximum water depth of 0.5 m. The tank features a main longitudinal carriage (max speed: 2.0 m/s), lateral carriage (±2.55 m range), and a yawing table (rotation: -130° to +220°). This facility is equipped with a piston-type wave maker capable of generating both regular and irregular waves and includes force dynamometers, propeller thrust and torque measurement devices, rudder force and angle sensors, and wave height measurement tools.
Towing tank for manoeuvres in shallow water
Furthermore, a towing tank for manoeuvres in shallow water was inaugurated in May 2019 in Ostend as part of the Flanders Maritime Laboratory. This facility addresses the challenges of ship behaviour in very shallow waters. It is designed for high-precision testing and supports autonomous and remote-controlled vessel studies. The dimensions are: total length of 174.0 m; effective length of 134.0 m, width of 20.0 m, maximum water depth of 1.0 m. It is a fully automated system allowing 24/7 testing, with a longitudinal carriage (max speed: 3.0 m/s), lateral carriage (19.5 m range), vertical movement (1.8 m range), and yaw capabilities (±365°).Studies on the impact of shallow water on ship propulsion and steering. A state-of-the-art free-running system was recently installed enabling real-time tracking and control of ship models, facilitating advanced research in autonomous vessel navigation. Furthermore, high-precision instrumentation and control systems are integrated to enhance the accuracy and reliability of test results.
These towing tank facilities play a crucial role in advancing maritime research, offering valuable insights into ship behaviour in challenging environments.
