Singapore-based shipping company Hafnia is set to enhance its fleet's fuel efficiency by partnering with Finnish technology group Wärtsilä. The collaboration will see ten of Hafnia's Bird-class tankers retrofitted with advanced propulsion systems aimed at reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
The retrofitting initiative, which will begin in 2024, involves the installation of Wärtsilä's EnergoFlow and EnergoProFin systems on the tankers. These technologies are designed to streamline water flow around the propellers, subsequently improving propulsion efficiency. The project leverages computational fluid dynamics in its design process to optimize environmental performance, as explained by Wärtsilä’s Product Manager – Propulsion, Francois Emin.
Ralph Juhl, Executive Vice President and Technical Director at Hafnia, highlighted the retrofit as a key component of the company's broader decarbonization strategy. This move is particularly significant as the maritime industry faces increasing environmental regulations and the rising costs of alternative fuels.
In addition to the propulsion upgrades, Hafnia is also adopting new technologies to further its sustainability goals. The company has collaborated with UAE-based SteelCorr to introduce an AI-enabled Digital Paint Report system across 57 ships. This system is intended to optimize paint maintenance, thereby improving operational efficiency and reducing the environmental impact.
The delivery of the new equipment from Wärtsilä is scheduled over a two-year period starting in 2024. The initiative underscores a growing trend within the maritime sector to invest in fuel-saving technologies and operational efficiencies amidst heightened economic and regulatory pressures.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.