Wärtsilä platform helps shipper save 600 tons of CO2 in 2022

Using Wärtsilä’s Fleet Optimisation Solution, Carisbrooke Shipping has reported fuel savings of 5% to 7%. (Photo: Wärtsilä)

Carisbrooke Shipping, a UK-based dry bulk and general operator, reported a savings of more than 600 tons of CO2 emissions since the start of 2022 with the aid of Wärtsilä’s Fleet Optimisation Solution (FOS). According to Wärtsilä, the platform is comprised of a range of solutions designed to provide standardized and clear reporting that ensures data discussions are consistent across the scope of a ship’s operations, both at sea and on shore.

Carisbrooke uses the platform to gather insights on its objectives to reduce carbon emissions as well as ensure fleet efficiency and performance. The data provided enables Carisbrooke to take action to optimize the fuel consumption of its ships.

“As ambitions to decarbonize international shipping continue to grow, maritime stakeholders are under increasing pressure to prove they are taking significant steps to optimize their operations and cut emissions from ocean-going transport. Data-driven decision making is critical here, ensuring that organizations like Carisbrooke Shipping can make fast, well-informed decisions on how to improve efficiency and reduce emissions,” said Jason Banfield, area sales manager, UK & Benelux, at Wärtsilä Voyage.

Carisbrooke’s Fleet Operations Centre is responsible for monitoring vessel position, passage plans and routes; advising on maximizing cargo intake; and monitoring vessel safety and performance. Around 25 vessels are reviewed daily and an average of 20 voyages are optimized per month utilizing insights provided by the FOS.

With the FOS, Fleet Operations Centre staff have a deeper understanding of how the company’s globally sailing fleet is performing, Wärtsilä noted. The solution also allows staff to compare performance metrics between sister vessels and monitor the impact of new hull coatings and new clean technologies, all of which have an effect on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Since Carisbrooke first implemented the system across 31 vessels in 2019, fuel savings of 5% to 7% have been reported.

“With Wärtsilä, we are better positioned to balance and prioritize measures with vessel safety, voyage optimization and fuel use,” said Natalia Walker, Fleet Operation Centre analyst, Carisbrooke Shipping. “Together with the high-frequency data received from the onboard sensors and expert advice from our Marine and Operations team, Wärtsilä’s fleet optimization platform provides the visibility we need to reach our emission-reduction goals. It brings into focus all the data we need to do that in detail.”

Carisbrooke Shipping also plans to utilize the technology to ensure compliance with the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) regulation coming into effect within the next few months. “In the future, we plan to build and grow on our success by more closely monitoring CII metrics and taking operational decisions that further minimize our carbon impact,” Walker said.

With tools such as the FSO, the shipping industry’s considerable wealth of data can be used effectively, maximizing efficiency, underpinning safety, ensuring compliance and enabling decarbonization, Wärtsilä asserted.

“In today’s evolving maritime landscape, decarbonization is set to redefine how the industry remains competitive,” said Kay Dausendschoen, head of Product Fleet Operations & Optimisation at Wärtsilä Voyage. “At Wärtsilä, we believe that decarbonization cannot be achieved without digitalization. Adopting technology that effectively leverages data onshore and onboard vessels will boost competitiveness, increase asset value and make ships more attractive to a new generation of seafarers.”