NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION ON HYDRODYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF A CRUISE LINER IN THE GULF OF GUINEA

In this study, a numerical investigation on hydrodynamic characteristics of a cruise liner in the Gulf of Guinea was performed using ANSYS Fluent-based Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The Gulf of Guinea presents severe operational challenges for maritime vessels due to complex oceanographic conditions including strong seasonal currents, elevated monsoon wave energy, and variable bathymetry. However, comprehensive hydrodynamic data specific to this region remain critically scarce in existing literature, with most studies focusing on Mediterranean or North Atlantic conditions. This research uniquely addresses this gap by systematically quantifying resistance components, wave-induced forces, shallow water effects, and seasonal performance variations under realistic Gulf of Guinea met-ocean conditions derived from five-year historical data. Results demonstrate that total resistance increased by 12.0% during the wet season (June-September) compared to the dry season (November-March). This increase was driven by a 41.7% rise in wave-making resistance from 318.6 kN to 451.2 kN and near-doubling of air resistance from 12.1 kN to 21.8 kN under monsoon conditions. Wave-induced Froude-Krylov forces increased by 40% from 415 kN to 581 kN, producing 50% amplification in pitch amplitude from 3.2° to 4.8°, indicating adverse dynamic stability effects and passenger comfort degradation. Shallow water operation at 80 m depth (h/L = 0.32) incurred a 13.5% resistance penalty from 1183.1 kN to 1342.5 kN compared to deep water conditions. The combined seasonal hydrodynamic penalty reached 12.6% when accounting for concurrent wave and current effects. These findings provide critical region-specific data for maritime operators and ship designers. The study recommends optimized hull designs, real-time meteorological decision support integration, and improved hydrographic data collection to enhance fuel efficiency, operational safety, and environmental sustainability. This research contributes essential quantitative evidence for evidence-based vessel design and voyage planning in the Gulf of Guinea's challenging maritime environment.