A comprehensive model test of a latest post-Panamax container ship is carried out in regular waves for various waveheights, wave angles and wavelengths. Six degrees of motions, two shear forces (vertical and horizontal shear forces), three moments (vertical bending moments as well as horizontal bending moments and torsional moments) at three different cross-sections and hydrodynamic pressures acting on 16 locations are measured. Nonlinear characteristics with respect to ship motions and wave loads are discussed in detail with the experimental results and numerical ones computed by a Rankine source method and a strip method. The validity of the Rankine source method and the strip method for various wave loads, especially the torsional moments is detailedly investigated and discussed by comparing the numerical results with the experimental ones. It was confirmed that the Rankine source method estimates torsional moment, which is very smaller than the vertical bending moment as well as horizontal bending moment with good accuracy.
