The　indoor　air　humidity　and　temperature　in　the　marine　cabins　could　be　as　high　as　80%　and　40　°C　-　50　°C,　respectively,　which　may　cause　security　risks　to　crews　and　devices.　The　incorporation　of　solid　desiccant　wheel　for　improved　dehumidification　and　air　quality　control　would　contribute　to　energy　saving　in　air　conditioning　system　through　waste　heat　recovery　for　regeneration.　In　the　present　work,　a　novel　recirculated　regenerative　rotary　desiccant　wheel-assisted　dehumidification　system　was　proposed.　The　energy　and　exergy　performances　of　the　system　under　variable　working　conditions　were　quantitatively　studied　based　on　experimental　tests.　The　dehumidification　effectiveness,　dehumidification　performance　coefficient　(DCOP),　sensible　energy　ratio　and　coefficient　of　performance　(COP)　were　introduced　as　key　energetic　indicators.　The　effects　of　air　bypass　ratio　(50%　-　85%),　process　air　temperature　(28　°C　-　40　°C),　relative　humidity　of　process　air　(60%RH　-　80%RH)　and　regeneration　air　temperature　(130　°C　-　150　°C)　on　the　system　performances　were　obtained.　It　was　found　the　COP　of　the　system　ranged　between　0.4　and　1.8,　while　the　exergy　efficiency　was　only　4%　-　11%.　An　optimal　bypass　ratio　existed　which　was　determined　55%-60%.　Overall,　the　energy　saving　and　exergy　consumption　characteristics　of　the　proposed　system　at　various　working　conditions　were　explored　to　prompt　its　practical　application.　©　ECOS　2020.All　right　reserved.