More fuel efficiency from LR-class bulker
Delivery of ‘ Aquila’: left to right: Zhuang Tian, LR surveyor in charge Nantong; Master - M/V Aquila; Tae-Bok Kwak, LR project manager; Xiaofeng Yang, LR site office team leader
Lloyd’s Register says that it has supervised the design appraisal, build and sea trials of a recently-delivered 57,000dwt bulk carrier, based on a SDARI design with modifications to lower fuel oil consumption by 14%.
The Aquila, first in a new series of Supramax designs, has been delivered in China. The efficiency improvements have been achieved by carrying out a number of straightforward – but effective – changes including: de-rating the main engine, a new propeller design which has been optimised for the de-rated engine, and fitting a mewis duct.
The daily main engine consumption at a speed of 14 knots at ballast draught, which would have been about 29.4 tonnes, is now about 26 tonnes and the daily main engine consumption at a speed of 13.5 knots at design draught, which would have been about 29.8 tonnes daily, is now about 26.30 tonnes. The engine’s output has been reduced by nearly 1,000kW to 8,500kW.
Commenting on the delivery, Meng Cheng Jun, president of the Jiangsu Hantong Group, said that: “This vessel is the 55th vessel to be delivered since the establishment of our Hantong shipyard, and also the first vessel with the optimised design to be delivered. Based on the SDARI design, Hantong completed the design optimisation and the tank test independently, which also brings us the patent right of our own part. Hantong is taking note of the market environment requests and listening to the owners’ needs on vessels, now therefore, Hantong will keep on strengthening the optimisations of our vessels, and is endeavouring in building the vessels to be eco-friendly and more fuel efficient than previous ones, for our honourable clients.”
Ship designer SDARI said that the structure of this new type BC57K has been, “optimised, satisfying the latest requirements in the common structural rules for bulk carriers, especially to accommodate the severe strength requirement of steel coils. The new ship will be able to load about 54,000 tonnes of steel coils during one voyage with little increase of light weight. Now, the vessel also meets the requirements of EEDI-Phase I.”
Nick Brown, Lloyd’s Register’s area general manager and marine manager, Greater China, said: “Owners and operators are looking for efficiencies and now shipyards and designers are responding to this demand. Emissions regulation and higher energy prices are the two leading factors changing our industry. New technologies and innovation will play a vital role in the immediate and long term future of shipping. New fuels, new engines and new designs are becoming available. The difficulty for shipowners, builders, equipment makers and, don’t forget, financiers is not only what technology to support but when to invest. At Lloyd’s Register we have a key role to play in helping the industry appraise designs as well as verifying and measuring performance to help support the decision making process. This new ship is evidence of the shift towards new, eco designs.”
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