New Energy Management System Helps Shipowners Save Fuel

Fuel efficiency is on everybody’s lips as the whole industry investigates how to reduce fuel consumption, making daily operation more profitable and eco-friendly. Even minor operating adjustments have a significant impact on fuel consumption. 

The new energy management system Blueflow takes eco-driving to a new level, presenting real-time data on fuel consumption. The system monitors fuel consumption, position, speed and energy consumers and helps optimize routes and speed to lower fuel consumption and keep the environmental impact on a minimum. 

Proven results in the Swedish archipelago

Blueflow has already proven its worth in Sweden where the shipowner Styrsöbolaget achieved more than 20 percent fuel savings after implementing Blueflow in its fleet of 18 vessels. 

The investment per vessel was paid back in less than a year, and Blueflow not only reduces fuel consumption, but it also helps the shipowner in emergencies and to foresee maintenance. 

Implementing Blueflow changed the staff’s attitude towards the whole eco-driving project. “Some of our captains saved more than 50 percent on fuel consumption by changing their way of maneuvering, and they were like 'Oh do these small changes I’ve made mean that much?' so they truly adapted to the whole idea about minimizing the environmental impact,” Traffic Manager Ellinor Svensson explains. 

She also says that they made some surprising findings and that some of the things they thought would not impact on the fuel consumption, actually made an enormous difference and vice versa.

Norwegian ferry operator releases untapped fuel savings

Another Nordic company benefiting from Blueflow is the Norwegian ferry operator Fjord Line which installed the system on the cruise ship MS Bergensfjord in spring. Fjord Line had already implemented several initiatives to bring down fuel consumption but found that there still were savings to be gained. 

“In the past, we have used an enormous amount of time typing in data in Excel sheets, making graphs and we have already made the obvious energy-saving improvements, but we still had a feeling that we missed an untapped potential,” explains Tech Superintendent Kristoffer Morgenstern. 

However, the shipowner did not have a tool that could show them the effect of the initiatives, and they decided to implement Blueflow. Now the system helps Fjord Line to identify potential savings, and they can immediately see their hard work pay off. 

Blueflow is used on the bridge, in the engine room and at the head office but in different ways. Nevertheless, the three work closely together and share the gained insights. Senior Captain Jan Richter is a pioneer in eco-friendly driving, and he works determinedly with Blueflow to optimize maneuvering and thereby bring down fuel consumption. 

Richter has been using the system for some months now, and in his opinion, Blueflow is a real game changer. “We have used a lot of time to locate potential savings which we have succeeded with to a large extent. However, I am convinced that we would have reached the same results way faster if we had Blueflow from the beginning,” the senior captain concludes.

Fjord Line almost immediately noted a change after installing Blueflow on board MS Bergensfjord, and it has been decided to install Blueflow on the sister ship MS Stavangerfjord. 

Dynamic Nordic partnership 

The system is developed by Stockholm-based Blueflow Energy Management which in 2018 partnered with the Danish company DEIF A/S. Being one of the world’s leading suppliers of power management solutions, bridge and switchboard instrumentation, DEIF has great belief in the cooperation.

“Blueflow fits perfectly with our overall energy management concept. I am convinced that Blueflow will provide our customers with substantial savings,” explains Edzard Janssen, DEIF Marine & Offshore Manager.