Issues relating to the fuel consumption of commercial and working vessels

Details

Last Updated: Friday, 05 September 2014 08:05

A wide range of different users

The fields of application are extremely diverse, for example:

Towing vessels travel at a very slow speed, such as those impacted by the current at various times of tide in the English Channel. It is essential for these vessels to consider this data.

Transoceanic vessels not only have to deal with significant weather phenomena but are also impacted by waves. Long distance passages reap considerable benefits from economising fuel consumption.

Within one particular fishing fleet that both catches tuna in the Indian Ocean and fishes in the Irish Sea, conditions can differ greatly. Different fishing techniques call for different strategic decisions.

Different requirements

Everybody is aware that the price of petrol is on the increase. Compared to the situation several years ago, the price of petrol in the maritime industry has become so significant that is can no longer be ignored. The volumes involved represent several millions of dollars per year for the large global container transport companies. The fishing industry is no exception and the price of fuel is threatening the existence of small fleets. The question of whether to set to sea or not has become increasingly topical. The ratio of volume of fish expected to volume of fuel consumed has become much more levelled out.

The maritime industry is directly linked to the environment, being subject to the effects of the environment, but also interacting with it. This is why the law is evolving to limit the impact that this industry has on the environment. New regulations have come into force to reduce these effects. Speeds and navigation zones are both regulated, the use of certain fuels is limited or mandatory in specific zones.

The increasing role that these new restrictions play in the maritime industry has made players reconsider their behaviour.

The aim to optimise consumption is currently becoming a significant factor that will determine whether or not a maritime company will make sufficient profits.

A quick look at the theory

The process of optimising consumption is one that begins with the design of the boat and follows through to the operation of the vessel. The design of the hull, efficiency of the propellers, output of the engine, on board consumption and type of propulsion are all factors that contribute to improving the energy efficiency of a vessel. As far as operation of the vessel is concerned, optimising consumption is dependent upon a compromise between speed of vessel and route taken.

If we consider the speed of the vessel...

Fuel consumption is directly correlated to the output of the engine. The speed of the vessel is linked to the output of the engine, as well as to a certain number of other factors, such as weather data, including wind force and direction of the waves, Another important factor to consider is the current.

These external factors are also joined by the vessel's intrinsic factors, such as the theoretical speed depending on the power of the engine and different coefficients that express the efficiency of the boat and its engine.

The combination of all these factors allow the actual speed of the vessel to be calculated.

If we consider the route...

Route restrictions are more or less significant depending on the industry in which the vessel operates. Depending on the type of vessel, the impact of the weather conditions is variable, and determines geographic location and timing.

The expertise of Adrena

Adrena supports vessel operations by providing expertise in route optimisation and performance analysis on various levels:

• optimisation of surface speed, depending on weather and geographic data
• optimisation of route, depending on weather and geographic data
• combination of surface speed and route factors.

Adrena simulates a large number of different scenarios in relation to the expected performance of the vessel in terms of speed and fuel consumption. Forecasted weather is integrated so that performance can be simulated.

All that the captain has to do is to choose the best route and speed as proposed by the software. He is able to weigh up passage duration and fuel consumption against his own constraints to define his route plan.