The paper presents some selected results of research on applications of artificial intelligence to the optimization of main ship design parameters and hull shape coefficients with the ship transport efficiency as an objective function. Basics of ship transport formulation are concisely discussed, together with examples for different approaches to optimization. An example of neural network use for the determination of ship transport efficiency is given with an assessment of its ability for data generalization. Moreover, two optimization procedures are presented: one using genetic algorithms and the other with simulated annealing approach. Both procedures lead to the improvement of ship transport efficiency

Design guidelines are presented for predicting added wave resistance useful at the early stage of designing ro-ro ferries. The guidelines were prepared on the basis of regression analysis of model values of added wave resistance. The model values were calculated by means of 448 ferry shape variants assuming conventional waving parameters and ferry movement parameters. Such approach permitted the replacement of a compli-cated numerical model with a simple regression model based on basic design parameters

The analysis of the river-sea ships built over the past 15 years has been made; se-lected design parameters of the navigation region have been taken into particular con-sideration. The presented functions demonstrate the general trend of building this type of vessel and limited possibilities in changing the main dimensions, such as: length, beam, height and draught. The aim of this paper is to determine the possibilities of design changes for river-sea ships as there is a growing interest in this kind of transport.

When designing a transport vessel, one of the most important parameters assumed by the owner is the service speed of the ship. Service speed and motor power are calculated as an approximation of the ship’s speed in calm water (i.e., the contract speed) with the addition of the sea margin (SM). In current design practice, the addition of SM is not dependent on weather parameters occurring in liner shipping. This paper proposes a new method for establishing the value of SM depending on the type and size of the vessel and the average statistical weather parameters occurring on various shipping lines. The results presented in this paper clearly demonstrate that further research is needed to determine the precise relationship between the shipping and vessel type and the weather parameters on a shipping line.