Germany – Laboratory services – Forschungsschiff Modellversuche "Modular Research Platform"

For the exploration and development of innovative solutions for the decarbonisation and emission reduction of shipping, the Institute for Maritime Technologies and Propulsion Systems was established. The Institute transfers knowledge from other DLR Institutes on various components of energy systems from other application areas to the maritime sector, supplements and expands it. In cooperation with scientific partners and industry, these innovations are transferred into practice. The Institute is building a large-scale infrastructure to test and trial the new energy systems to be developed in a standardised laboratory environment and under real conditions on a research vessel. Therefore, a ship is being procured as a test platform for new energy carriers and systems for the development, demonstration and preparation of certifications of maritime energy systems. The design for this modular research platform, the "Modularis", is complete. For the preliminary design, a CFD-based hull optimisation and model tests for resistance and propulsion were carried out. Since the geometry of the "Modularis" was adapted for the final design, further model tests are to be carried out on an expanded scale as part of this tender. In addition to resistance and propulsion tests, further tests focusing on the dynamic characteristics of the research vessel and the POD drives are required. The data obtained is to be used in a scientific context and can be used for the validation of numerical methods.