Helsinki, Finland – A new software tool, the Optimum Speed Assistant, is helping ship operators to analyse real-time data on sea conditions alongside historical information about a vessel’s performance to set its optimum speed. This can ensure Just-in-Time (JiT) arrival in port and may save ship operators up to 3% a year in fuel-related costs.
Eniram Ltd, a fast-growing provider of real time decision-support systems for the shipping industry, claims that its latest software tool will change the way the shipping industry manages speed, engine use and fuel consumption. Its new Optimum Speed Assistant (OSA) software is an onboard decision support tool that enables a ship’s crew to attain the optimum speed profile for each voyage, allowing vessels to maintain a constant performance and arrive in port just in time for a berth to become available.
The software, which builds on Eniram’s existing Dynamic Trimming Assistant, is said by the company to be the only solution to combine real-time information about prevailing sea conditions with historical data, allowing operators to sail constantly at the optimum speed profile. This reduces the need for a crew to build in ‘buffer’ time or vary engine speed to ensure on-time arrival in port, a practice which is not fuel efficient.
Calculations are served up to the crew via an easy-to-use dashboard and colour-coded ‘traffic light’ system. This coordinates all of the information in one place, in a form that can be readily interpreted without the need for any manual input.
Eniram developed and tested OSA in close co-operation with its cruise customers. It draws on data collected from 100 vessels; 200 billion signals were collected and analysed from over 60,000 sea days. This demonstrated the potential for a 2% saving by adjusting speed alone; and by adding propulsion and trim adjustments, operators can expect to achieve annual fuel-related savings of 3%.
“Optimum Speed Assistant shows quick gains in efficiency,” says Eniram’s CTO, Henrik Dahl. “For a typical vessel such as a cruise liner, payback time is significantly less than a year. We see that our Optimum Speed Assistant together with Dynamic Trim Assistant will be key elements of any vessel’s energy efficiency plan (SEEMP). These tools coupled with Eniram Performance Management will guide our customers to achieve best performance and reporting of emissions and follow up of EEOI,” he added.
Ultimately, Eniram expects the tool to lead to a change in behaviour among ships’ crews in the way they use a ship’s engines, Henrik adds. “It is not enough simply to optimise the engine loads for each engine, as the ship ends up consuming more energy. Obtaining the best efficiency on a passenger vessel usually means operating at constant speed and using the engines at less optimal loads than those for which they are designed.” Eniram will also release an Engine Optimisation product towards the end of this year.
Eniram provides the maritime industry with decision support systems to reduce fuel consumption and emissions as well as to support decision-making with information analytics. Eniram solutions range from single onboard applications to comprehensive fleet analysis. Eniram has accumulated extensive knowledge from the shipbuilding industry, seafarers and software specialists, and has created a product portfolio to assist the shipping industry by providing tools for the crew and naval operations to enhance vessel performance and operations. Based on Eniram’s Vessel Management Platform, the company offers solutions in the areas of performance improvement, environmental savings and information intelligence.
