The maritime industry is already gaining experience with the new fuels it will need to deliver a step change in emissions reduction, says Chris Chatterton, Chief Operating Officer, The Methanol Institute. The ambitious goals for carbon emission reductions set by the IMO have prompted a surge of activity in the investment, research and development needed to...
Fresh volatility in the oil markets and the approach of a new era in ship fuel use are combining to demand more accountable vessel efficiency modelling, says Janne Niittymäki, head of hydrodynamics, Foreship Fuel buyers have been watching oil price volatility closely over recent months, as a moderate recovery morphed into a three-year high...
The 2020 sulphur-in-fuel-oil cap is expected to drive demand for propeller redesign and retrofits as shipowners and operators seek to improve the match between the propeller and the ship’s main engine to maximise fuel efficiency, Dr Lars Greitsch, managing director & head of research & innovation, MMG Propeller told VPO Global in an interview A...
In 2017, there were 426 Port State Control (PSC) detentions reported, relating to 383 ships classed by ClassNK*. Ships detained by PSC were found to have deficiencies serious enough to jeopardise the ship’s seaworthiness, safety of the crew onboard, or presented a threat of harm to the environment. There were a total of 1,359 detainable...
Misinformation and independent operation of individual solutions without connection to a fleet solution ashore is causing a fragmented mish mash of solutions and ship operations, said Frank Coles, Transas Leader at Wärtsilä Voyage Solutions during his keynote speech at Digital Ship’s VPO London forum this week. Mr Coles stated that very little in maritime is...
Tobias Groeger, Senior Consultant Performance Solutions, DNV GL – Maritime has been working with DNV GL’s global fleet performance team for almost five years, helping the company to establish services in vessel efficiency and roll them out across the market. This week, VPO Global spoke with Mr Groeger to understand more about making shipping more efficient,...
Combining a ‘digital twin’ with high resolution tide and current data has enabled We4Sea to generate the next generation of vessel performance data, says Penny Haire, managing director, Tidetech. Despite the lively industry conversation around digitalisation and new technology, many shipowners still rely on very analogue practices to accumulate vessel performance information: the noon report....
A research project on the use of methanol as a marine fuel on small ships has concluded that there are no obstacles to the efficient use of methanol in a converted diesel engine. The Sustainable Marine Methanol (SUMMETH) project, which has received support from The Methanol Institute found that using methanol in a converted engine...
Danish company, Bawat, has found a way to optimise vessel performance by using waste heat energy to power a ballast water management system (BWMS), a tool necessary to comply with the IMO’s ballast water management convention. VPO Global visited the headquarters in Copenhagen to learn more about it from Bawat’s CEO, Kim Diederichsen. The technology...
Biofuels may be the most feasible low-cost zero-emission fuel for some shipowners and operators in a post-2030 shipping industry, finds latest research. In a report prepared by Lloyd’s Register (LR) and the University Maritime Advisory Services (UMAS) for the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI), the most likely cost-effective alternatives to fossil fuels including hydrogen fuel cells,...
“The most important aspect of saving fuel and energy on board a vessel, is the crew,” Peter Knudsen, managing director at Blueflow Energy Management told VPO Global. The maritime industry has taken huge strides to improve the performance of the global fleet with the development of new technologies, increasing quantities of data, and improved connectivity...
In 2016, a consortium of ship designers, technology suppliers, and maritime engineers set out to design a new feeder vessel that would cut fuel consumption, reduce emissions, and make the world’s feeder fleet more energy efficient. The venture was named the Regional ECOFeeder project. Led by the Danish initiative, Green Ship of the Future, the project...