Eniram Helps French Ferry La Méridionale to Cut Fuel

French ferry operator La Méridionale and Eniram, a Wärtsilä have taken notable steps on digitalising La Méridionale’s fleet with the help of the latest energy management technology.

"This partnership is in line with Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine vision, which through the extensive use of digitalisation, will enable the efficient use of resources with the least possible impact on the environment," said a press release.

The ‘Piana’, a ro-pax ferry that travels between Marseille and Corsica, was equipped with Eniram Trim and Speed solutions in April 2017. The evaluation period, which ended in summer 2018, resulted in annualized fuel savings of around 2%. These savings enable payback on the investment in just two years. The savings analysis showed a clear relationship between the rate of usage of the optimisation tools and the savings achieved. The reduction in fuel consumption also delivers a corresponding reduction in exhaust emissions.

“Performance is one of our core values. To develop our technological capability, we chose Wärtsilä’s Eniram energy management and optimization technology. Together with Wärtsilä, we were able to achieve tangible and sustainable savings, which have been accessed thanks to their advanced products, support and training. We will definitely scale these great results to our entire fleet while discovering new possibilities for utilising the data,” comments Christophe Seguinot, Technical Director, La Méridionale.

“This is an excellent case of successful cooperation between Wärtsilä and the customer. By working closely with La Méridionale, we have been able to evolve our products to meet the specific needs of ferry operations, and we appreciate La Méridionale’s positive support throughout this process. We look forward to applying the experience to the rest of their fleet”, comments Andrew Rayner, Senior Sales Manager, Eniram.

La Méridionale operates from Marseille for more than 80 years and is one of the port’s oldest ship-owners. Its activities have developed considerably since it was founded. It now runs a daily service to Corsica, as well as a once-weekly service to Sardinia for both passengers and freight.

Eniram was acquired by Wärtsilä Corporation in July 2016. The company was established in 2005, and today provides the marine industry with leading insights for asset, operations, and commercial shipping management.

The Eniram Insight Factory provides decision-making support for its partners based on real time data collection, statistical modelling, and predictive simulations. The company’s mission is to maximize the efficiency, cost effectiveness, and overall profitability of its customers’ operations, while cutting harmful emissions.