software optimizing ballast water management,” says Dr. Karsten Hochkirch, Head of Fluid Engineering, FutureShip.
Fuel Calculator
TrimOptimizer: The easy-to-use interface, a trademark of ECO-Assistant, enables vessels to sail with optimal trim at all times.
and Hull Inspection modules on two of its ABS-classed newbuilds. Consolidated Marine Management Inc., based in Piraeus, Greece, will implement the Energy & Environmental Manager and Hull Inspection modules on four of its ABSclassed newbuilds, as well as an additional vessel that transferred its class to ABS. C Transport Maritime S.A.M., based in Monte Carlo, Monaco, will implement the Energy & Environmental Manager and Hull Inspection modules on seven of its ABSclassed newbuilds. All three companies have taken advantage of the ABS Newbuild Program, which offers complimentary software to ABS-classed vessels built after January 1, 2009. The NS5 Enterprise software gives owners and operators the ability to streamline processes and efficiencies while providing a more cost-efficient and effective method to monitoring long-term maintenance and integrity.
efficiency as it offers benefits which have been verified in sea trials, can be easily implemented on existing tonnage and has a payback time which can be measured in months. Managing energy more efficiently has become a key area in shipping with the new SEEMP (Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan) regulations requiring greater monitoring and documentation, also an increasing point of emphasis from maritime authorities and contractual partners. “ECO-Assistant can achieve efficiency improvements of up to 6%. A typical 7,500 TEU container vessel operating at a slow steaming speed can reduce its CO2 emission by 2,740 tons per year by using the system. Additionally, ECO-Assistant can be integrated with a vessel’s cargo planning system to realize even greater fuel saving potential, Fuel Calculator: The Fuel Calculator predicts fuel consumption for actual load condition, speed and ambient conditions.
Reliable data on vessel fuel consumption is becoming increasingly vital, not only to benchmark and assess vessel and fleet performance but to fulfil charter agreements. Developed in partnership with Hamburg based ship operator NSC the new fuel consumption calculator in ECO-Assistant responds to these needs by providing the fuel consumption for an arbitrary sailing condition with a single click. This new function re-uses the hydrodynamic knowledge base behind the system’s trim optimization to generate this information, while performance data and semi-empirical corrections are utilized to provide fuel consumption curves that reflect individual hull fouling, ambient conditions, fuel quality and engine characteristics. Björn Eichhorn, Fleet Director of NSC Schifffahrtsgesellschaft, says, “The ECOAssistant data gave us the capability to reliably compute fuel consumption at draft and speed conditions not covered by model tests or sea trials.”
Automated Reporting The new reporting feature generates automated PDF reports for periods or voyages, stating usage and achieved savings, at the push of a button. These reports can be used as a way to demonstrate energy efficient operation for SEEMP documentation, national and port authorities, and between contract partners. The process connects on-shore and on-board staff with a common view on usage and benefits of the system and this effectively results in regular and consistent usage.
Optimizing fuel consumption, trim The latest version of ECO-Assistant, the trim optimization tool from FutureShip, the maritime consulting arm of DNV GL, incorporates a number of new features, including a fuel consumption calculator, system usage monitoring, benefit reporting and an E-learning module to speed familiarity with the system. With some 600 installations since its introduction three years ago, ECO-Assistant has been proven to deliver significant energy fuel savings to its users and the new features will enhance the functionality and usability of the system. Trim optimization is one of the most effective tools for enhancing ship fuel October 2013 MARINE LOG 35