ShipDyn to optimise and commercialise a patented vessel concept known as the
Y-Hull®. The hull form seeks to combine the stability and deck area of a catamaran with the single-shaft simplicity of a monohull to reduce
resistance, wake and fuel consumption.
The Y-Hull geometry features twin forward demi-hulls that merge into a single hull aft. This configuration enables operation with one engine and one propeller while retaining a broader beam and associated stability benefits typically found in twin-hull vessels.
ShipDyn’s founder, Amitavo Wye, developed a 13-metre steel prototype after witnessing a passenger vessel accident linked to wake effects. The prototype ferry in Bangladesh has since entered service, with the operator reporting fuel savings of around 25% compared with an equivalent monohull.
Dr Batuhan Aktas, Founder & CEO of EcoNavis Solutions, said: “When I first saw the Y-Hull, I recognised its potential for applications like crew transfer vessels, which are critical to offshore wind but consume significant amounts of fuel. By optimising the design, we can create vessels that are more efficient, more comfortable, and more in line with a ship operator’s sustainability and net-zero goals.”
EcoNavis and ShipDyn are now refining the hull form using computational fluid dynamics, simulation, and towing-tank testing of one-metre models (monohull, catamaran and Y-Hull). The objectives are to validate performance, optimise the geometry, and prepare technical and commercialisation plans.
To expedite market entry, the partners have applied for the UK Department for Transport’s
Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG)
and report first-stage approval while awaiting the second-stage outcome.
Beyond offshore renewables, the partners see applications across leisure marine, passenger and merchant shipping—particularly in environmentally sensitive or confined waterways where reduced wake can mitigate shoreline erosion. Project analysis suggests a 240-metre tanker could cut around 4,500 tonnes of CO₂ annually by adopting the Y-Hull form. The design may also be retrofitted by replacing the forward section during dry-dock to improve efficiency and stability without a full rebuild.
Wye said: “From safety to sustainability, the Y-Hull is about solving real-world maritime industry problems. With EcoNavis we can now turn our prototype into a commercial reality.”
