Towing Tank

Our towing tank is the largest and only commercially operating towing tank in Australia and New Zealand.

At 100 metres long, the towing tank can tow structures at up to 4.6 metres per second. It is used to measure the resistance of objects in moving water, such as ship hulls, submersibles, offshore oil rigs, and submarines.

Test are made by towing models at varying speeds and in different environmental conditions such as heavy waves. The results enable recommendations to be made about how to reduce fuel costs, to limit environmental damage or how to design vessels for optimum efficiency.

The tank has a depth that can be varied providing the ability to conduct experiments in very shallow water depths and can accommodate up to six passengers for viewing purposes.

A software controlled wave-maker generates a wide variety of wave forms. Once a test is completed, wave dampening devices rapidly return the body of water to a calm state, removing the need for long wait times between experiments.

At a Glance

At 100 metres long, the towing tank can tow structures at up to 4.6 metres per second.

Length 100 metres
Width 3.55 metres
Depth 0 to 1.6 metres (standard = 1.5m)
Model towing carriage speed 0 to 4.6 metres/second
Typical model length 1.0 to 2.5 metres

Consultancy services

The Towing Tank facilitates maritime consulting services in offshore and coastal engineering, ship and port operations, marine energy systems, coastal engineering and marine engineering. It has been used by clients for projects including resistance and powering estimates, energy device evaluation and wave wake measurement.

Find out more about Consultancy Services

Recent Towing Tank Projects

INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE RESISTANCE AND POWERING OF A 34M MONOHULL WORKBOAT

INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE RESISTANCE AND POWERING OF A 34M MONOHULL WORKBOAT

CLIENT: LOMOCEAN DESIGN LTD
Model and full scale performance tests of a novel tidal turbine

Model and full scale performance tests of a novel tidal turbine

Client: MAKO TIdal Turbines
RESISTANCE TESTS AND POWERING ESTIMATES FOR FILE 476 PILOT BOAT

RESISTANCE TESTS AND POWERING ESTIMATES FOR FILE 476 PILOT BOAT

Client: Norman R Wright and Sons

Watch: Towing Tank at the Australian Maritime College

Contact us about Towing Tank consulting