World News
BIMCO: Hull Design is Driven by Fuel Efficiency
International shipping association the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) has said that hull design is being driven by the demand to "make fuel go further and ships more economic and sustainable."
In both monohull and multihull designs, the need for fuel efficiency and sustainable performance has encouraged a "whole new generation of designs" it said, which improve seakeeping, lower resistance, and help to get more 'bite' from propellers.
The most efficient ship shape is the modern submarine, said BIMCO, but ships which float on the surface have to tackle waves and swells, so must make a compromise between cutting through the water and retaining sufficient buoyancy.
Design at the stern was said to have a pronounced benefit to propulsive efficiency. The need for improved waterflow over the propeller has been recognised, and various new fins and ducts have already proved their efficiency gains.
But while hull design is improving, the organisation says that as the hull of a ship will always reflect its use - what works for one category of vessel may not necessarily work for another.
Singapore headquartered container line APL Limited (APL) said in September that a new hull design will make its 10 new 13,800 TEU ships 20 percent more fuel-efficient per TEU.
Key Bunker Prices More
| VLSFO | MGO | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $/mt | +/- | $/mt | +/- | |
| Singapore | 493.50 | 0.00 | 609.00 | 3.00 |
| Rotterdam | 432.00 | 18.00 | 582.50 | 17.00 |
| Houston | 450.00 | 8.00 | 607.00 | 11.00 |
| Fujairah | 476.50 | 6.50 | 699.00 | 4.00 |
| Global 20 Ports Average | 516.00 | 5.00 | 700.00 | 5.50 |
| Global 4 Ports Average | 463.00 | 8.00 | 624.50 | 7.00 |
| Global Average Bunker Price | 562.00 | 2.00 | 738.00 | 3.50 |
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