Data in Real Time Key To Savings

The future of shipping lies in having the technological expertise to measure vessel performance in order to achieve optimal fuel efficiencies and support regulatory demands. Given the increasing fuel costs and environmental pressures on compliance, freight rates are now very close to operating costs, leading to razor-thin margins, and, in many cases, operating losses. It is not surprising that given the confluence of business conditions in the maritime industry, companies are finding themselves in troubled waters and many facing extinction unless vessel management is accompanied by a more intelligent approach to achieving operational efficiencies. 

2014.04.18 - Data in Real Time Key To Savings Figure 1

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Maximizing LNG Ship Efficiency Through Integrated Optimization

Part of my job is performing pilot installations of our systems onboard many types of ships, which is both invigorating and challenging. With any new ship design, the first step is to get as much knowledge as possible about onboard operations. A couple of months ago, I headed out to sail on a modern LNG tanker. As it turns out I was in for a little more than I expected due to some typhoons we got to meet.

2014.04.03 - Maximizing Lng Ship Efficiency Through Integrated Optimization Figure 1

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New Optimization Product for LNG Sector by Eniram

Last week Eniram announced at Gastech 2014, the world’s largest LPG, LNG and natural gas event, another advanced fuel-saving product based on the established Eniram vessel platform.

2014.03.31 - New Optimization Product for LNG Sector by Eniram Figure 1

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Ship Efficiency – Regulation or Economics?

The following article was initially published in the Isle of Man Maritime Blog by Dick Welsh Director of Isle of Man Ship Registry. I recently attended London’s Inaugural International Shipping Week. A very successful week, with great support from all in the industry. During the week, I attended a number of high level conferences, with some very distinguished speakers, where the topic of fuel efficiency for ships was never far away.

2013.11.05 - Ship Efficiency Regulation or Economics

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NORDEN Tanker Turned Off Engine and Sailed by Wind and Sea Current

A product tanker weighing 47,400 tons sailed a distance of 280nm having its engine shut off using only wind and sea currents to navigate through the sea. The tanker made it to the discharge port in time. but by stopping the main engine for 3-4 days, savings of 27 tons of fuel were made. So it appears that sometime traditional methods of navigation at sea may be more economic/fuel efficient compared to proposed technological improvements. Of course this cannot happen everyday but such an incident is worth mentioning especially during these times were everyone seems to be in panic of cutting costs and saving more fuel.

2013.07.24 - NORDEN Tanker Turned Off Engine and Sailed by Wind and Sea Current

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Measuring Ships’ Energy Efficiency

During December 2012 Transport & Environment NGO released a paper investigating opportunities to establish an energy efficiency benchmark measurement. The paper also makes references to different metrics and proposals already under consideration at the IMO or in the EU and identifies possible options in the current EU discussions on monitoring, reporting and verification.

2013.01.01 - Measuring Ships' Energy Efficiency Figure 1

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Assessment of Regulated Slow Steaming in the Maritime Industry

On February 2012 the Clean Shipping Coalition (CSC) released a report on the impacts of vessel speed on emissions, technical constraints and other experiences with slow steaming and current speed regulations, analyzing at the same time the legal feasibility of regulated slow steaming. Currently, fleet average ship speeds vary as the shipping sector adapts to changing market circumstances. In recent years, speeds have been reduced in a response to an increasing supply of ships, a slower increase in demand for maritime transport and rising fuel prices.

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Cold Ironing Standard Published

Earlier this month the International Electrotechnical Commission has published its Utility connections in port – Part 1: High Voltage Shore Connection (HVSC) Systems – General requirements. The new standard IEC/ISO/IEEE 80005-1:2012(E) describes high voltage shore connection (HVSC) systems, on board the ship and on shore, to supply the ship with electrical power from shore.

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