Teekay Renews Hull and Propeller Monitoring for LNG Carriers

Canada-based shipping company Teekay Corporation has renewed its contract with Propulsion Dynamics for its hull and propeller performance monitoring system CASPER Service.

The Computerized Analysis of Ship PERformance (CASPER Service) from Propulsion Dynamics is a turnkey subscription service that provides shipowners with decision support for technical and operational fuel efficiency programs.

The two-year extension for the CASPER Service will cover 23 LNG carriers under the Teekay banner with a further seven ships to be included in the program as they are taken into Teekay management. As part of the CASPER Service, the technical performance of individual vessels is used to evaluate realistic charter rates, review development of hull and propeller resistance, and determine economically optimal intervals for hull cleaning and propeller polishing. Comparisons between ships enable different hull coatings to be evaluated for fouling, and the effect on speed and fuel consumption.

“We are very pleased in the manner that Teekay is utilizing the CASPER Reports and our collaboration for setting achievable targets to maintain and improve ship performance from the existing data logging equipment on board over the past half decade,” said Daniel Kane, VP of Propulsion Dynamics. Teekay implemented the CASPER service on all vessels in 2009 and has seen continued success in performance monitoring, performance analysis, benchmarking and recommendations.

With CASPER, the vessel's hull and propeller performance is regularly monitored and any anomaly is highlighted for corrective action. Appropriate maintenance is then carried out to ensure vessel performance is returned to optimal levels. The vessel's performance is referenced to sea trial conditions to derive an empirical relation called “Added Resistance.”

“The CASPER service is a valuable tool in our operational and performance arsenal. The regular reports assist in forward planning of hull and propeller in water maintenance, and this is fundamental in improving the efficiency of the vessels,” commented Graham Cattley, Teekay’s Technical Manager Projects.

Kane added, “Propulsion Dynamics continues to enhance our hydrodynamic expertise contributing to Teekay’s bunker cost and emission reduction initiatives, and has been instrumental in guiding us in customized reporting features aimed at operational efficiency.”