The second meeting of DeWaTRA – CA23159 – Decarbonising Waterborne Transportation took place at the University of Naples Federico II, Department of Industrial Engineering, on 5–6 June 2025.
The DeWaTRA WG2 meeting was held on the 5th of June 2025 and was highly successful, with the active participation of over 26 experts, including both on-site and online attendees. All participants contributed through a series of insightful presentations focused on hydrodynamic hull design for energy-efficient performance.
The session began with a brief overview of the WG2 objectives and the structure of the planned work. Presentations covered a range of technical topics, particularly numerical simulation methods such as CFD, offering an extended overview of both theoretical foundations and implementation challenges.
Applications of these tools were explored in relation to ship hull form and propeller optimization, their role in operational energy efficiency assessment, and GHG emission reduction strategies. Presenters also shared recent results on the installation of Wind-Assisted Propulsion Systems (WAPS), Air Lubrication Systems (ALS), and other Energy Saving Devices (ESDs), such as flapping thrusters.
The session concluded with a lively discussion on the findings and future directions, including the development of a state-of-the-art review of methods, and the definition of benchmark tests and modelling approaches of varying fidelity and computational requirements.
WG2 participants expressed great satisfaction with the meeting, which provided a valuable opportunity to collaborate with fellow experts and advance collective efforts toward greener waterborne transport solutions.
