• Development of detailed vessel designs for two applications of PACSCAT for freight transportation on inland waterways, and assessment of these designs against environmental, safety and cost criteria; 
• Generate detailed design data for PACSCAT vessels which meet logistical operator requirements for use along the Rhine and Danube waterways; 
• Ensure acceptability against safety and environmental criteria for such a vessel in the context of regulatory and societal requirements; 
• Generate detailed economic data governing the capital and operating costs of such vessels, against relevant market-based scenarios; 
• Project likely penetration of PACSCAT vessels into the river freight market and estimate the resulting environmental benefits;
• Establish and maintain dialogue involving all stakeholders in the logistics chain to maximise awareness of the PACSCAT initiative and its implications.

In a technical sense, the project contains three major innovative aspects: 

• Engineering of novel, full-scale hull-form and related propulsion/lift systems. The PACSCAT hull-form is novel with a number of patentable features, and incorporates a high length-beam ratio cushion operating at relatively high pressure between specially shaped slender side-hulls. Although high speed catamaran type craft have been designed as ferries and are currently in service around EU coasts, none operate on the PACSCAT principle; 
• Development of a numerical tool for predicting the performance of PACSCAT type vessels. Numerical modelling of a PACSCAT type craft poses significant scientific challenges, due to the need to model the moving air pressure region between the hulls. A new model is being developed, based on established modelling approaches, and is being validated against experimental data. This new capability will potentially be applicable to a variety of PACSCAT configurations; 
• Analysis of how a high-speed freighter concept could be integrated within freight logistics infrastructures and safety/environmental regulatory frameworks, including simulator studies. Whilst a great number of logistics and multi-modal studies have been performed, PACSCAT opens up new possibilities due to its unique operating flexibility. This in turn permits the evaluation of how such developments could offer substantial benefits in terms of environment and reduced congestion.

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