This paper concerns the development of a designer friendly hull form parameterization and its coupling with advanced global optimization algorithms. As optimization algorithms, we choose the Partial Swarm Optimization(PSO) recently introduced to solve global optimization problems. Most general-purpose optimization softwares used in industrial applications use gradient-based algorithms, mainly due to their convergence properties and computational efficiency when a relatively few number of variables are considered. However, local optimizers have difficulties with local minima and non-connected feasible regions. Because of the increase of computer power and of the development of efficient Global Optimization (GO) methods, in recent years nongradient-based algorithms have attracted much attention. Furthermore, GO methods provide several advantages over local approaches. In the paper, the derivative-based SQP and the GO approach PSO are compared with their relative performances in solving some typical ship design optimization problem focusing on their effectiveness and efficiency.