The technology of Augmented Reality is taking on an increasingly important role in the digital (and green) transformation of industry, including shipbuilding. Upgraded to the three-dimensional ship model in the form and content of a Digital Twin, (industrial) Augmented Reality contributes to the activities of sale and marketing, development, and design, as well as production and maintenance. Recognizing its leading potential in creating the configuration of Shipyard 4.0, research on the further applicability of Augmented Reality in shipbuilding processes, with an emphasis on outfitting activities, was initiated in collaboration between industry and universities. This paper describes the course of the research, i.e., the development of an Augmented Reality application supportive of the shipbuilding process. The authors emphasize the possibility of achieving savings in shipbuilding project realization by implementing the Augmented Reality application according to the conducted proof of concept, thus contributing to shipbuilding system competitiveness improvement.

Objective: The development of the ship hull assembly process is possible by changing the method of assembly of basic parts at the building site, which would shorten the duration of the process and lead to cost reduction. One of the possibilities is to increase the dimensions and mass of basic building units, as well as the crane capacity at the building site. Methods: Ship hull assembly methods involving sections, blocks and modules are used in the hull assembly phase. In the world’s best shipyards, ships are built from blocks or modules, in which as much equipment as possible is installed. This paper uses the finite element method (FEM) for structural analysis, and its results serve to define the optimal technological instructions for the vertical transport of ship hull structure blocks. Results: The development of the ship hull assembly sub-process can be achieved by using the hull block assembly method instead of the hull section assembly method. For the ship presented in this paper, the mass of a block transported to the building site was increased 3 times, so the number of building units was reduced by 65%. This reduces transport activities on the building site and shortens the duration of the assembly process by 20%. This paper shows that strengthening the block structure with temporary stiffeners is necessary for safe transport. It is possible to optimize their number and layout by using structural analysis. Conclusion: The development of numerical finite element methods, software packages, and computers allow wider use of structural analysis in solving engineering problems in shipbuilding technology. The simulation of realistic situations, a wide range of analyses and a large number of results become possible, and they raise the level of knowledge and enable better decision-making in the production process.

The Moth-class sailboat belongs to the international class of sailboats. It is the fastest single-seater class in the world. A vessel that wants to compete in the Moth class must have a certificate from an International Organization that defines the rules and dimensions of the entire sailboat, which limits design. The equipment of the sailboat includes two hydrofoils – main and stern. Hydrofoils must be defined in accordance with the rules. The paper presents the principle of selection of elements of the main hydrofoil assembly, which includes the foil profile, holder and mechanical angle of incidence regulator. Asymmetric and symmetric foil profiles and hydrofoil holders were considered, which were analyzed with software packages. For the selected foil profile and main hydrofoil holder, the choice of materials, laminate plan and production technology are shown. In conclusion, the advantages and disadvantages of the chosen solutions are commented.

The maritime industry faces increasing pressure to improve energy efficiency, a challenge that extends to the luxury yacht sector. This study presents a comprehensive hydrodynamic assessment for retrofitting a bespoke Energy Saving Device (ESD) onto a 45 m motor yacht. A full-scale self-propulsion Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model was developed and validated directly against dedicated sea trial data, ensuring high fidelity and bypassing traditional scaling uncertainties. The validated model was then utilized to design and optimize a custom pre-propeller duct system. A parametric study varying the duct’s angle of attack identified an optimal configuration of ${20}^{\circ }$, which achieves a definitive power saving of 4.7% at the vessel’s cruise speed of 12.3 knots. Analysis of the propulsive factors reveals that the gain is primarily driven by a substantial increase in the hull efficiency, ${\eta }_H$, achieved by conditioning the propeller inflow. This improvement successfully compensates for the corresponding decrease in the propeller’s open-water efficiency, ${\eta }_o$. This work demonstrates a successful end-to-end numerical workflow for designing and verifying an effective, retrofittable ESD, highlighting a practical solution for reducing fuel consumption in existing motor yachts.