ABS Releases Ship Energy Efficiency Measures Advisory

ABS released the ABS Ship Energy Efficiency Measures Advisory to provide guidance on the wide range of options available to improve vessel efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions. The Advisory assists owners, operators and other stakeholders in conducting the techno-economic analysis needed to meet the challenges of rising fuel costs and increasing environmental regulatory requirements.

As the shipping industry works to comply with environmental laws and adapt to an operating landscape of higher fuel costs, it is embracing new design concepts and looking for ways to optimize existing tonnage.

The Ship Energy Efficiency Measures Advisory gives decision-makers the tools to make informed choices about the options available for improving vessel efficiency, reducing fuel consumption and lowering emissions and guidelines for applying the technologies to their assets.

"Energy efficiency measures are probably the number one topic for owners constructing new vessels or seeking to optimize existing tonnage," said ABS Vice President for Operational and Environmental Performance (OEP) Howard Fireman. "The potential to achieve greater efficiency is not in doubt, but owners and operators need support in evaluating which options are most suitable for their vessels."

Guidance is presented in five sections, covering both newbuilds and existing tonnage. For newbuilds, topics include hull form optimization and influences of the International Maritime Organization's Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) on ship design and efficiency.

For newbuilds and existing tonnage, the Advisory includes an overview of devices that can improve propulsion efficiency and technologies that reduce hull resistance; an examination of efficiency gains in ship machinery and systems, including main and auxiliary engines, waste heat recovery and auxiliary equipment and an overview of operational measures that can reduce fuel consumption, including voyage performance management and hull/propeller condition monitoring.

"The industry is hearing claim and counter-claim on the merits of new ship designs and the potential for savings on existing tonnage. Some of these technologies are proven, while others are completely new. Determining which are applicable can be a major task," Fireman said. "This Advisory explains the merits of the major technologies so owners can judge for themselves which are worthy of further investigation."

The Advisory has been produced by the ABS Technology department and the ABS OEP team. OEP was formed in January 2013 to expand upon the previous work of the ABS Environmental Solutions Group. The expanded team provides additional resources to assist the marine and offshore industries in assessing the energy efficiency and operational performance of new and existing assets.

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