Energy efficiency for LNG carriers

In this tech talk, Jeremy Crossman, General Manager, Sales Excellence & Coaching at Wärtsilä Marine Power, talks to two leading experts about solutions to increase the propulsion energy efficiency of LNG carriers. Piet van Mierlo, Team Leader, Product Team Propellers at Wärtsilä Propulsion, and Sharad Sinha, Product Sales Manager at Wärtsilä Propulsion, discuss air lubrication, Wärtsilä EnergoProFin, Gate Rudder technology and other solutions, sharing their expert insights into propeller systems and energy-saving technologies.
  

Decarbonisation solutions for all vessels

“Decarbonisation is the single biggest challenge facing the shipping industry today, and we have developed many technologies and solutions to overcome it,” begins Sinha. “This not only helps our customers to operate their vessels in a more sustainable way, it also improves their operational efficiencies. If you think about which vessels are causing the largest emissions in shipping, cruise ships, container vessels and LNG carriers come to mind, but smaller ships with different operating profiles need their own solutions too, so we develop for both ends of the market.” 

Wärtsilä EnergoProFin and air lubrication 

“Two solutions that are fully compliant and proven in the field are Wärtsilä EnergoProFin (EPF) and Silverstream Technologies’ Air Lubrication System (ALS),” explains van Mierlo. “EPF is an energy-saving propeller cap with fins that rotate together with the propeller. This improves propulsive efficiency by weakening the propeller hub vortex, providing average fuel savings of 2% with a payback time of less than one year. The solution can also be used to reduce propeller-induced noise and vibrations. 

“ALS focuses on a different critical area of the ship, fundamentally changing the interaction between the water and the vessel’s hull. Air is released and creates a carpet of bubbles that coat the flat bottom on the vessel. As a result, the frictional resistance of the ship is lowered, significantly reducing fuel consumption and associated emissions. The technology has already been implemented in a variety of vessels of different sizes and types, both new build and retrofit, with great success.”