How is the Trim affected by the Ship’s

Squat in Confined and Open Waters?

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 What in fact is Squat and why is Squat relevant for shipping?

 Squat is a reduction of a vessel’s keel- clearance caused by the relative

movement of the ship’s hull through the surrounding body of water.
 We compare to the neutral position (1) .
 The hull sinks deeper into the water and at the same time will Trim
slightly . The algebraic sum of both sinking and trimming is called Squat
(2).
 Squat will cause the vessel to either trim on the bow while moving ahead
or by the stern by moving astern.
 Squat also is not the difference of the draft readings of a vessel in her
neutral position compared with the readings of a vessel making speed or
laying in flowing water.
 How is squat caused?

 When a speed making vessel pushes a mass of water in front of her bow. This water must
flow back under and at the sides of the vessel to replace the water displaced by the ship’s
hull..

A1

A2
Condition of the ship when not making on the water (Confined water)
When making way through the water

A2<A1 ; V2>V1
Decreasing area = increasing speed

V2>V1 ; P2<P1
Increasing speed = decreasing pressure

The drop of pressure below the ship’s bottom causes a

vertical sinking of the ship’s hull in the water, at
the same time and depending on the vessels
block coefficient, she will trim either forward or
aft. The vertical sinking and trim is called SQUAT.
 Various way to calculate Squat

 Open waters:

 Squat = CB x V2 [meters]
 100

 Confined Waters:

 Squat = 2CB x V2 [meters]

 100

 Where: V = speed of the water in knots

 CB = Block coefficient

 You can calculate the ship’s squat at different speed, in order to identify the
effects of squat on the underkeel clearance of the ship at different ship.
 SHIP SQUAT CURVES
Ship Speed Maximum Squats in Open Maximum Squats in
(knots) Water (m) Confine Channels (m)
0 0 0
1 -0.01 -0.02
2 -0.03 -0.07
3 -0.08 -0.15
4 -0.13 -0.27
5 -0.21 -0.42
6 -0.3 -0.6
7 -0.41 -0.82
8 -0.54 -1.08
9 -0.68 -1.36
10 -0.84 -1.68
11 -1.02 -2.03
12 -1.21 -2.42
13 -1.42
14 -1.65
15 -1.89
 Full-form ship's speed in knots
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
0.00

-0.25
Maximum squats @ BOW (m).

-0.50

-0.75
Open Water
-1.00

Static ukc is 1.25 metres.

-1.25
grounding
-1.50
@ 8.63 kts.
-1.75
grounding
-2.00
@ 12.20 kts. Confined
-2.25
Channels
-2.50

Maximum Squats in Open Water & Confined Channels.

Signs that a ship has entered shallow water conditions can be one or more of the
following:

1. Maximum Ship Squat increases.

2. Mean bodily sinkage increases.
3. Ship will generally develop extra trim by the bow or the stern.
4. Wave-making increases, especially at the forward end of the ship.
5. Ship becomes more sluggish to manoeuvre - To quote a pilot, “almost like being in
porridge.”
6. Draught indicators on the Bridge or echo-sounders will indicate changes in the end
draughts.
7. Propeller rpm indicator will show a decrease. If the ship is in “open water” conditions
i.e. without breadth restrictions, this decrease may be up to 15% of the Service rpm in
deep water. If the ship is in a confined channel, this decrease in rpm can be up to 20% of
the Service rpm.
8. There will be a drop in speed. If the ship is in open water conditions this decrease may
be up to 35%. If the ship is in a confined channel such as a river or a canal then this
decrease can be up to 75%.
9. The ship may start to vibrate suddenly. This is because of the entrained water effects
causing the natural hull frequency to become resonant with another frequency associated
with the vessel.
10. Any Rolling, Pitching and Heaving motions will all be reduced as ship moves from deep
water to shallow water conditions. This is because of the cushioning effects produced by
the narrow layer of water under the bottom shell of the vessel.
What are the factors governing ship squat?

 The main factors is Ship Speed. Speed varies approximately with the speed squared. As an
example if we double the speed, we quadruple the Squat. Putting into another way, it
can be shown that Halving the Speed will Quarter the Squat.
 Another important factor is the Block Coefficient (Cb), Squat varies directly with Cb. Oil
tankers will therefore have comparatively more squat than passenger Liners.
How to recognize whether/when squat occurs

1. If a vessel reaches shallow waters and “feels the ground” following

changes will be observed:
2. Change of wave pattern at the stern and the bow of the vessel,
3. The vessel becomes dull when carrying out manoeuvres',
4. The revolution of main engine decreases obviously, in restricted water more
obviously than in unrestricted waters.
5. The ship speed decreases, in restricted waters more obviously than in
sideways unrestricted waters.
6. Appreciable vibrations of the ships hull occur.
How to prevent squat?

 As previously mentioned, main factors of squat are:

 Existing water depth
 Vessels speed through the water,
 Vessels block coefficient (Cb)
 Steaming in shallow and restricted or unrestricted waters.

The only effective measures by the ships command to minimise or

eliminate commencing the squats is the immediate reduction of
speed.
Squat – values changes about the square of the ships speed through the
water.
By reducing the speed through the water by about a half, reduces to about
a quarter.
Reference:

http://www.ship-squat.com/shallow_water_signs.htm

http://www.nisea.org/newsletter%2002-03.htm

http://pinoymaritime.com/blog/2008/06/ship-squat/