Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2022

1 3 1 organisations are helping cruise and ferry operators to reduce their overall fuel usage. For example, Stockholmbased Blueflow Energy Management provides graphical interfaces and powerful online reporting to help operators reduce fuel use by 5-25 per cent depending on ship type and size. IoCurrents, on the other hand, uses machine learning and AI to help ship operators optimise fuel consumption, reduce emissions, predict equipment failures, and improve maintenance plans. Its data analytics platform – MarineInsight – aggregates and analyses data from onboard equipment sensors and sends emails regarding missioncritical alerts and standard operating procedures to crew to enable real-time decision-making. The transition to electric energy is underway, and many organisations are helping cruise and ferry lines accelerate this shift. Swedish firm METS Technology specialises in electrical systems and automation and has become an expert in retrofitting passenger ferries to run on electricity. “We are convinced that most future shortsea shipping and in-land navigation will occur with electric vessels,” says Per-Erik Larsson, commercial director at METS Technology. “The lessons from retrofitting existing vessels with dual-power systems will be critical for the design of the fully electric vessels of the future.” EST-Floattech has a similar idea and is manufacturing and delivering marine battery systems to help operators improve their environmental performance by reducing the emission of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. In addition to these benefits, the batteries also reduce noise pollution and EST-Floattech has implemented buyback and recycling options to further reduce clients’ environmental footprints. Canadian company Shift Clean Energy is also modernising electric and hybrid vessels with its own energy storage solution that helps operators move towards zero emissions. Its PwrSwäp service allows operators to use batteries on a pay-as-you-go plan. Once the batteries run out, they can be swapped out for fully charged ones, helping to the reduce the cost, size, weight and charging times of typical energy storage solutions. Safer seas As propulsion technologies become more sustainable, so too should the safety procedures surrounding them, according to Bureau Veritas. The testing, inspection and certification organisation helps its clients assure quality, reduce costs, increase productivity and foster a more responsible, sustainable culture. “With rules and guidelines for new propulsion, support in evaluating technical and safety perspectives, and our ‘green line’ of services dedicated to sustainability, Bureau Veritas has solutions to help shape a safer, better maritime world,” says Andreas Ullrich, global market leader of passenger ships and ferries at Bureau Veritas. As we welcome the new era of sustainability, it is essential that other services – such as communications – also evolve. Telenor Satellite and its partners work together to drive smarter operations that help customers reduce their environmental footprints. Demand for real-time communications and system monitoring is expanding across all maritime sectors, with evident benefits. Constant access to the internet has become a must-have as it ensures safety, maximises operational efficiency, and improves route planning, thereby reducing fuel consumption. “Increased automation and the capability to perform inter-ship and ship-to-shore operations remotely – which facilitate sustainable technologies – require real-time data exchange,” says Julian Crudge, sales director of data services division at Telenor Satellite. “This can only be guaranteed through greater bandwidths and uninterrupted service, backed by the technical support of experienced connectivity providers.” CFR “ The lessons from retrofitting existing vessels with dual-power systems will be critical for the design of the fully electric vessels of the future” Per-Erik Larsson, METS Technology

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