Refinement of Approaches to Estimation of Ship Ice Resistance in Ice Channel Based on Data From Physical Model Experiments

The most urgent task in tapping of the Arctic resources today is organization of year-round navigation through the Northern Sea Route. The efficiency of any transport system strongly depends on the deadweight and speed of cargo carriers. In this connection it is required to thoroughly examine the issues related to propulsion of large-size cargo ships in ice, while developing the tactical planning and operation control technologies for icebreakers and ice-going ships. It is found that large-size cargo ships are not able to navigate independently in ice at economically efficient speeds even if their hullform is optimized for these operating conditions. Thus, it is required to ensure their effective operation in ice channels made by icebreakers. For appraising the efficiency of a marine transportation system it is necessary to have data on ship resistance versus a range of factors including physical and mechanical properties of ice, ice concentrations, ship speed, etc. This paper presents the results of studies undertaken to examine various methods of icebreaker-assisted shipping operations and to develop a method for calculation of ship resistance in ice channel based on model test data. The research was supported by RSF (project No.17-79-20162).