Ship course stabilization system with minimum effort controller

Theoretical alegorium of ship steering with the use of an optimal controller based on minimalization of the control effort performance index is presented. Possibility of its practical implementation is discussed in view of inaccuracies and simplifications involved. A modification if the controller is proposed to make it applicable in practice. The modified minimum effort controller algorithm was implemented onto the real-time software environment SILME to verify correctness of its operation during steering tests of 1:24 scale model of a 145000 dwt tanker carried out on a lake. The modified controller algorithm gives correct results at directional ship course stabilization and course changes less than 10 deg.