Maneuvering Trials of a 278 000-DWT Tanker in Shallow and Deep

Maneuvering trials of the 278 000-dwt Esso Osaka were made in two shallow-water and one deepwater site in the Gulf of Mexico during July/August 1977 as a cooperative effort of the U. S. Maritime Administration, the U. S. Coast Guard, and the American Institute of Merchant Shipping. A principal objective of these trials was to develop data for improving the quality of computer simulations of shiphandling for training shiphandlers and for research and design. Other objectives were to provide data needed for the development of deepwater port safety zones and to aid in the development of maneuvering information for mariners aboard ship. The trials satisfied all of the objectives and demonstrated additionally that a typical VLCC can maneuver reliably and predictably under the realistic-type conditions that were tested. They also showed that industry and government, working together, can produce fruitful results toward improving navigational safety and protecting the environment.