FuelOpt™ propulsion automation system exceeds fuel saving expectations on RoPax vessels

Pivotal role of propulsion automation technology in supporting greener passenger ship operations confirmed by RoPax operators.

RoPax operators Color Line and Bohai Ferry have confirmed that fuel savings achieved through the use of Lean Marine’s FuelOpt™ propulsion automation system have exceeded expectations.

As one of the more public-facing sectors of the industry, pressure to reduce the environmental impact of passenger shipping is mounting from both increasingly environmentally conscious customers and international regulations to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping.

In the past few years, Swedish marine propulsion experts, Lean Marine have welcomed increased demand for FuelOpt™ from the RoPax sector. Companies including Stena Line, Color Line, Bohai Ferry and Viking Line have invested in the technology due to the tangible fuel savings and CO2 emission reductions that the technology delivers.

By September 2020, FuelOpt™ had been contracted for over 25 RoPax vessels.

FuelOpt™ achieves real-time fuel savings by controlling vessel propulsion and making sure that propulsive power is optimized automatically based on the set commands on power, speed, fuel consumption or a combination thereof. This removes costly variations in speed and power caused by human operational factors, allowing the vessel to achieve optimal fuel consumption at every given point throughout a voyage.

For vessels with controllable pitch propellers, FuelOpt™ acts as a dynamic tuning system for the propulsion machinery to assure that the engine and propeller operate at optimal conditions.

In addition to FuelOpt™, Lean Marine also offers the smart performance management and reporting software Fleet Analytics™ which turns vessel data into knowledge, empowering organizations to be ‘lean’ and take fact-based decisions for more efficient vessel operations. Through its automatic environmental and voyage reports, Fleet Analytics™ helps to reduce reporting workload onboard and ashore. Its performance management features, with aggregated fleet views and status information, allow onshore personnel to gain insight about the operational performance at vessel and fleet level.

Having a better understanding of a fleet’s performance enables ship owners and operators to learn from previous voyages and improve the next, hence reduce operating costs and emissions. The use of Fleet Analytics™ can unlock additional indirect fuel savings and emission reductions of up to 10%.

In 2020, FuelOpt™ was installed on the two largest RoPax vessels in the world: Color Line’s Color Fantasy and Color Magic. Following full summer operations, Color Line had the lowest weekly consumption ever on Color Magic.

Karl Wisløff, Superintendent at Color Line reports:

“We are very happy with our collaboration with Lean Marine. FuelOpt™ is now installed on board Color Fantasy and Color Magic, the two largest RoPax vessels in the world.”

In 2019, Chinese RoPax operator Bohai Ferry installed FuelOpt™ on the vessel Bohai Baozhu to improve the operational efficiency of their fleet. From that first installation of FuelOpt™ onboard Bohai Baozhu in 2019, Bohai Ferry has confirmed in excess of 12% average fuel savings achieved over a period of more than one year.

Bohai Ferry reports:

“The FuelOpt™ system is always in satisfactory condition. We are convinced that Lean Marine is a trustworthy and cooperative partner, and its products should be worth using in more companies.”

Mikael Laurin, CEO at Lean Marine says:

“Every vessel operating with FuelOpt™ represents a step towards a greener future.

With FuelOpt™ in operation, up to 15% direct fuel savings and emission reductions are possible depending on the type of propulsion, trade and existing system settings for the vessel. We are extremely happy that the average fuel savings reported by Color Line and Bohai Ferry vessels confirm this and welcome the opportunity for our technology to reduce the fuel consumption and emissions across the global shipping fleet.”
Source: Lean Marine