Introduction

■ Purpose

The Research Society of the Ship Performance in Actual Seas (SPAS) has been established to discuss the research and development on the estimation of ship performance in actual seas, measurement of model tests and actual ship measurements, and related technical issues on the evaluation. This society promotes frank discussion and information exchange.

These activities aim to improve Japan's technological capabilities and contribute to the development of engineers.

"Ship performance in actual seas" essentially means the propulsive performance of ships in actual sea conditions where winds and waves exist, but the phrase includes the seakeeping performance and the maneuvring performance.

■ History

By Dr. Ryo Tasaki, Dr. Atsushi Shintani, Dr. Hiromitsu Kitagawa, and Prof. Yoshifumi Takaishi, the society is established as a place to examine the propulsive performance in waves for the discussion at the International Towing Tank Conference (ITTC).

The first meeting was held at Ship Research Institute on 13th, May 1974.

Various studies, information exchanges, and discussions have been actively conducted.

This society performed the "Commemorative Seminar of Prof. Shoichi Nakamura" in September 1986. The history of research on propulsive performance in waves and the current and future outlook, were discussed.

In August 2002, the 50th-anniversary meeting was held on the "concept of ship performance in actual seas" and "new estimation method of performance in actual seas."

In September 2015, the symposium on Innovative Technologies on the Propulsive Performance of Ships in Actual Seas was held.

■ Management

President: Dr. Koichiro Matsumoto, Planning and Design Center for Greener Ships

(successive presidents)
12rd-23th meeting; Dr. Ryo Tasaki,
24th-36th meeting; Dr. Atsushi Shintani,
37th-40th meeting; Dr. Hiromitsu Kitagawa,
41st-64th meeting; Prof.Emeritus Shigeru Naito and
65th-current; Dr. Koichiro Matsumoto

Secretariat: Dr. Masaru Tsujimoto, National Maritime Research Institute, MPAT and Prof. Munehiko Minoura, Osaka University

Number of members: 50, consisting of universities, research institutes, shipbuilding companies, marine equipment makers and weather information companies

Number of meetings: twice a year, coordinated by NMRI, MPAT and Osaka University alternatively

Picture of meeting