Americas News
Canadian Ferry Operator Hails Bunker Savings From Energy Optimisation Project
Canadian ferry operator British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. (BC Ferries) today announced that a pilot project, which has featured the development and demonstration of an energy optimisation software tool, has successfully reduced bunker consumption on the Queen of Oak Bay, and is on target to achieve a more than 272 tonne reduction in CO2 emissions.
The Ship Service Energy Optimization software tool, which collects and manages electricity data across more than 20 areas on board the ship and provides generator metrics, is said to have reduced the vessel's fuel consumption by the equivalent of 30 sailings of its one hour and 40 minute route from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay.
The initiative, which began in 2013 with an audit to assess electrical energy usage before a follow up project through to 2015, is also noted to have improved vessel asset life and reduced maintenance costs.
"BC Ferries is committed to safeguarding the environment, as well as finding new ways to improve the sustainability of our operations," said Mark Wilson, BC Ferries' Vice President of Engineering.
BC Ferries says some of the energy-saving measures implemented through the initiative saw the installation of variable delivery pumps, variable frequency drives (VFDs), and replacement of car deck lighting with more efficient LEDs, among other measures.
The project has been led by BC Ferries' Environment and Shipboard Engineering teams under the company's SeaForward program in partnership with 3GA Marine, Clearlead Consulting, and Panevo Services, with the support of Transport Canada.
"Thanks to the Transport Canada-sponsored initiative and deployment of the new energy software, not only can we actively measure energy usage, we can also put control variables in
place across the system to ensure savings. We've implemented a number of successful energy reduction initiatives over the last couple of years and will continue to do so where possible," said Wilson.
BC Ferries notes that similar energy saving measures will be implemented on other existing vessels in its fleet and possibly designed into newbuild vessels.
Last month, BC Ferries announced that Salish Orca, the company's first liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessel, is on its way from Gdansk, Poland following its construction at Remontowa Shipbuilding S.A. (Remontowa).
