LNG carrier owners and charterers will be able to use draught and trim optimisation software that can potentially reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, following an agreement between Shell International Trading and Shipping Company and Norway’s Kongsberg Maritime
Under its agreement with Shell, Kongsberg Maritime will deliver the draught and trim optimisation software Just Add Water System (JAWS) as part of its K-IMS information management system.
Developed by Shell in co-operation with the University of Southampton, the patented JAWS has the potential to deliver fuel savings and emissions reduction.
Kongsberg Maritime will deliver the software through its digital solution, including JAWS as an application in the K-IMS suite, making it immediately available to hundreds of LNG customers.
“We are looking forward to seeing JAWS and K-IMS contributing significantly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and fuel costs for both vessel owners and charterers,” said Kongsberg Maritime president Egil Haugsdal. “The agreement between our companies sets an encouraging example to the industry, showing how shipping can become greener through close collaboration between different actors in the market, contributing to the creation of sustainable value solutions which benefit everyone.”
JAWS has been deployed on more than 50 ships so far. Shell is increasing deployment of the software on its LNG fleet, starting with a further 20 vessels this year.
Shell Shipping & Maritime global head Grahaeme Henderson, said “Regardless of the different pathways to decarbonisation, efficiency technologies will be the foundation for a decarbonised shipping industry. JAWS is a low-cost, quick to deploy software that can deliver fuel savings and emissions reductions today. We have achieved up to a 7% reduction in emissions on our own ships using the software and, working with Kongsberg Maritime, we hope to see JAWS implemented across the industry.”
The JAWS software uses historic, high-frequency data from the vessel to determine the optimal conditions on previous voyages, which enables the system to advise on how best to enhance a vessel’s draught and trim at any given speed to reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions. JAWS monitors and reports live fuel and emissions savings back to managers, to give real-time insight into the benefits of deploying this technology across a fleet, said Kongsberg Maritime.
Real-life testing of the JAWS system, delivered through Kongsberg Maritime’s interactive, web-based K-IMS application suite, demonstrates that the software can be valuable for situational awareness, lending insights to vessel handling and decision making.
The DNV GL Technology Qualification is the process whereby the developer can provide evidence to an independent third party to assess whether new technologies will meet safety and reliability criteria with an acceptable level of confidence. DNV GL has assisted the development of JAWS by assessing the methodologies employed and ensuring that the calculations provided by the software are based on the accurate and reliable use of data.
“It is clear that decarbonisation is going to be a generational challenge for the shipping industry,” said DNV GL maritime chief executive Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen. “This will require that the industry looks to unlock every efficiency to reduce fuel use, especially by taking advantage of the opportunities created by greater connectivity and digitalisation.”
Kongsberg Maritime said that by uniting all data-logging and communication channels into one secure solution, the collaborative K-IMS solution presents a comprehensive information flow which provides a common, user-friendly solution for fleet owners, charterers and third parties alike. To date, more than 200 deliveries of K-IMS have been made within the LNG sector, and K-IMS is also establishing an appreciable market footprint in the offshore segment, adds the company.
Optimised ship operations will be discussed in depth during Riviera Maritime Media’s Vessel Optimisation Webinar Week, from 7 September. Use this link for more details and to register for these webinars
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