Objectives   For multi-tank aquaculture ships, the numerical method is used to study the coupling problem between tank sloshing and hull motion under transverse wave excitation in the time domain.

  Methods   Hull motion is predicted using the impulse-response function method, the sloshing phenomenon is simulated based on the CFD theory, and the influence of the wall shear force on sloshing is discussed. In order to verify the effectiveness of the numerical method, a free-rolling experiment on a ship model with liquid-loaded tanks is carried out, and the experimental results are compared with the numerical results, showing a good match. Furthermore, a two-dimensional simplified model of the multi-tank model is proposed

  Results   The calculation results show that the sloshing phenomenon increases the maximum value of the rolling amplitude response operator by 43% under transverse wave excitation with wave frequency at 0.5 rad/s.

  Conclusions   The sloshing phenomenon may bring risks to the safety of liquid-loaded ships, and should be fully considered during the design process.