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Odfjell deploys digital twins for sail-powered tankers
Norwegian shipowner is set to use digital twins and data analytics to monitor the performance and routeing for wind-assisted chemical tankers
Odfjell is deploying a voyage optimisation tool on chemical tankers to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
The Norwegian tanker owner has installed Syroco’s weather routeing platform on two of its vessels, Bow Olympus and Bow Optima.
Odfjell’s 2019-built, 183-m Norwegian-flagged Hudong-class chemical tankers have 33 stainless steel tanks, and operate primarily on trans-Pacific routes.
In early 2025, Bow Olympus will be fitted with four eSAILs supplied by bound4blue, making it the first tanker in the world to harness this groundbreaking wind assistance technology. Bow Optima is likely to follow.
As an add-on to optimise the sails’ effects, Odfjell will deploy Syroco’s digital weather calculation tool.
“Odfjell is committed to operating a sustainable business, and we are continuously seeking improvements to reduce our fleet’s climate footprints,” said Odfjell vice president for technology Erik Hjortland.
“Through data-driven decisions and investment in new technology, we optimise the way we operate, to documented results. Our long-time efforts have significantly reduced our fleet’s emissions.”
Adding Syroco’s solution on these first vessels with sail technology is part of Odfjell’s continued optimisation efforts.
Syroco uses a digital twin of the vessel, machine learning and naval architecture principles to calculate optimised routeing. The proposed route considers operating constraints including arrival time, seakeeping, safe navigation and cargo-specific operational parameters.
Syroco said the digital twin is a virtual representation of a real-world ship, generated using historical data, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies and artificial intelligence.
This digital twin accounts for all characteristics of the vessel: hull, windage, appendages, propulsion systems, including the wind assistance devices when present. Advanced analysis capabilities allow the operator to fully understand the impact of their decisions.
With specific models for bound4blue’s eSAIL included in the digital twin, Syroco accounts for the specific energy needs and propulsive power created by the wind devices when computing an optimised route.
It measures the specific savings brought by the sails and helps confirm the return on investment of the installation.
Syroco will present these solutions during Riviera’s Harnessing data and nature: cutting maritime emissions through advanced technology webinar, to be held 10am-11am on 18 November 2024. Use this link to register for the webinar.
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