Aquarius MAS with Marine Solar Power Installed on Delos

 Eco Marine Power together with strategic partners has installed an Aquarius Management & Automation System (MAS) integrated with a marine solar panel array on-board the Blue Star 'Delos'. The Aquarius MAS has been installed as part of a joint renewable energy project with Blue Star Ferries and the approximately 2kW trial solar array on-board the vessel is now in operation and providing a source of renewable energy for the ship.

This important milestone for EMP means that the company has taken the Aquarius MAS from development to commercial use in just a few years and is also a critical step towards the commercial release of the combined wind & solar power system for shipping - the Aquarius MRE (Marine Renewable Energy) System.

The Aquarius MAS installed on Delos includes a KEI 3240 CPU/AGU, LCD touch-screen monitor, input/output link system (ILS), associated hubs, power supplies & charge controllers plus an FC-38 battery pack from Furukawa Battery Co. Ltd., and flexible marine-grade solar panels from Solbian Energie Alernative Srl.

In additional to monitoring the performance of the solar panel array, the Aquarius MAS will also report on the status of the battery pack plus when the ship is at sea, display in real-time the fuel consumption of the main engines and calculate emissions. (CO2, Nox & Sox)

The installation of equipment on the ship was carried out by Blue Star Ferries own technical team and EMP's technical partner in Greece, Triad Ltd.

The Aquarius Management and Automation System or Aquarius MAS is a cost effective alarm handling, performance monitoring and data logging platform suitable for a wide range of ships. The system is based upon the reliable and robust KEI 3240 Data Logger which is already in use on hundreds of vessels including tug boats, training ships, tankers and bulk ore carriers.

When combined with a marine solar power system the Aquarius MAS becomes a powerful cost reduction tool which will allow ship owners not only to reduce fuel consumption via performance management, but also via the use of renewable energy.

The Aquarius MAS, battery pack and solar panel array were installed as part of the Blue Star Delos Renewable Energy Innovation Project. This project is evaluating in stages, a number of innovative solutions developed by Eco Marine Power (EMP) and its strategic partners on-board the “Blue Star Delos” – a modern high speed passenger and car ferry owned and operated by the multi-award winning Greek shipping company - Blue Star Ferries of Athens, Greece - a member of Attica Group.

On the completion of the installation Mr. Myron Vergis, Manager of the Electrical and Electronic Department for Attica Group said "Blue Star Ferries and the Attica Group are committed to implementing solutions that reduce vessel emissions, improve fuel efficiency and continue our tradition of embracing innovative technologies. I look forward to working further with Eco Marine Power on the Blue Start Renewable Energy Innovation Project and introducing more renewable energy solutions to the shipping market."

Greg Atkinson, Chief Technology Officer at Eco Marine Power said "The Aquarius MAS and solar power installation on Delos demonstrates that solar power on ships combined with a flexible data logging and alarm handling platform makes sense. Not only will the system allow Blue Star Ferries monitor their fuel use and emissions but it will also help the company reduce fuel consumption by tapping into the limitless and clean power provided by the sun."

He added "Blue Star Ferries is also showing once again their commitment to innovation and to protecting the marine environment and we are honoured to be working with such a progressive shipping company."