Researchers at MIT have demonstrated that wedge-shaped vortex generators attached to a ship’s hull can reduce drag by up to 7.5%, which reduces overall ship emissions and fuel expenses. The paper, “Net Drag Reduction in High Block Coefficient Ships and Vehicles Using Vortex Generators,” was presented at the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) 2025 Maritime Convention in Norfolk, Virginia October 29-31.

The work offers a promising path toward decarbonization, addressing the pressing need to meet the International Maritime Organization (IMO) goal to reduce carbon intensity of international shipping by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 2008 levels. Achieving such ambitious emission reduction will require a coordinated approach, employing multiple methods from re-designing ship hulls, propellers, and engines, to using novel fuels and operational methods.

The researchers – José del Águila Ferrandis, Jack Kimmeth and Michael Triantafyllou (MIT Sea Grant and the Department of Mechanical Engineering), along with Alfonso Parra Rubio and Neil Gershenfeld (Center for Bits and Atoms) – determined the optimized vortex generator shape and size using a combination of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and experimental methods guided by AI optimization methods. 

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