Manson Construction Company’s 12,000 cu.yd. (9175 m³) trailing suction hopper dredge M/V Glenn Edwards is the newest and largest hopper dredge in the U.S. fleet.  Unusual among large hopper dredges, the Glenn Edwards is propelled by three 1,920 kW azimuthing Z‑drive units fitted with nozzles. 

This paper describes the formal CFD hull form optimization process for the Glenn Edwards. An unusual feature of this formal hull form optimization process was the CFD evaluation of performance both in deep and shallow water operations, as both regimes are important to the operation of a hopper dredge. 

The paper describes the development of the constraint set, CFD modeling considerations, the optimization process and the results obtained. Comparison is made between CFD results and results obtained from model tests of the selected optimum hull at MARINTEK in Trondheim, Norway.  Mention will also be made of observations and results from sea trials and early service.