The key ingredients for a successful ship motion control system design are:

. appropriate mathematical models of the ship and the disturbances;

. understanding of how performance will be assessed;

. knowledge of fundamental limitations that may prevent designs from achieving the desired performance.

The book is organised in four parts, the first three dealing with each of these and the fourth part addressing control system design.

Specific topics covered include:

. modelling and simulation of ocean waves;

. ship dynamics;

. models of actuators;

. ship roll stabilisation devices;

. ship motion performance;

. analysis of fundamental limitations for stabiliser control system design;

. constrained control design via optimisation;

. autopilot design using optimal control;

. wave filtering;

. control system design for autopilots with rudder roll stabilisation;

. control system design for integrated rudder-fin stabiliser.

Ship Motion Control will be of interest not only to the practising marine engineer but to the academic engaged in researchinto this important control problem, even if new to the area. It will also be an ideal source of reference for students and tutors involved with marine and control engineering courses.

Advances in Industrial Control aims to report and encourage the transfer of technology in control engineering. The rapid development of control technology has an impact on all areas of the control discipline. The series offers an opportunity for researchers to present an extended exposition of new work in all aspects of industrial control.