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The SHAPE of things to come

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Shipping has become increasingly competitive since the financial crisis hit in 2008. An oversupply of tonnage, combined with stricter environmental regulations, is driving shipowners and operators to look beyond ship design to find solutions to maximise their operational efficiency and to help them maintain their position in a challenging landscape.

Trading and operating patterns are key to reducing fuel consumption and associated CO2 emissions but other innovative solutions will also support and improve efficiency. The right hull coating solution for example can play a significant role in fuel savings and reducing the maximum speed loss over the entire docking interval.

A lick of paint

Fouling organisms on a vessel’s hull creates extra drag meaning more fuel is used to power the ship through the water, significantly increasing fuel consumption and associated emissions. With over 100 years’ experience in hull coatings, Hempel the worldwide coatings manufacturer, has been pioneering paint technology and developing hull coatings that deliver guaranteed fuel savings.

By investing in Hempel’s award-winning fouling defence coating Hempaguard®, a shipowner can benefit from six per cent fuel savings compared with other best-in-class antifoulings. Understanding the impact of trading patterns on efficiency, Hempel’s Hempaguard facilitates unrivalled trading flexibility as it retains its effectiveness regardless of speed and during idle periods (of up to 120 days).    

Understanding the performance of a vessel

To be in a better position to maximise operational efficiency it is important to understand the performance of the ship’s hull. Hempel was central to the development of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 19030. This standard defines the methods for determining changes in hull and propeller performance in addition to calculating basic indicators that provide industry standard measures for propeller efficiency.

Founded on the ISO 19030 framework, Hempel launched its own hull performance system SHAPE (Systems for Hull and Propeller Efficiency) earlier this year.

SHAPE combines elements of hull and propeller efficiency optimisation to maximise the quality of performance data analysis. This allows Hempel to deliver expert advice and solutions to every ship, enabling all ship operators to maximise their ship’s hull efficiency and their return on investment. 

Data driven decision making

Fouling and mechanical damage to the hull can increase the engine power that a vessel utilises by up to 20 per cent. Hempel’s SHAPE process can monitor the long-term trends via in-service key performance indicators.

Six key stages comprise the transparent and thorough process of SHAPE. First the vessel’s individual speed power reference curves are established. This is followed by collecting in-service data, which is then cleansed and purified to eliminate extreme operating conditions and the effects of environmental factors.

Next, a precise speed loss calculation is performed - a critical measure for understanding vessel performance and fuel efficiency as power increase and speed loss are directly related. From this the four KPIs are calculated:

-        Dry docking performance – calculates the changes in hull and propeller performance over drydocking periods.

-        In service performance – calculates the effectiveness of the vessel’s hull and propeller solutions.

-        Maintenance trigger – calculates the change in hull and propeller performance over a given period between drydocking and in-service use.

-        Maintenance effect – calculates the change in hull and propeller performance before and after a maintenance event.

Following this in-depth process, Hempel provides solid advice to the ship operator on the decisions they can take to positively impact their fuel efficiency and best practice. By using this transparent system, in combination with Hempel’s hull coatings, ship operators can now make data driven decisions. This will allow them to operate more efficiently and competitively irrespective of vessel type, age and size to maximise their vessel’s profitability regardless of its operating patterns.

SHAPE at a glance:

-        A tailored hull performance programme with a dedicated Hempel performance analyst

-        Expert data interpretation and advice from Hempel’s team of chemists, physicists and hydrodynamicists

-        Key performance indicators based on speed loss measurements to track performance gains over time

-        Monitored and guaranteed speed loss – directly related to fuel savings – applicable for hull coatings specified for up to 60 months dry docking intervals

-        Transparent cost-effective performance monitoring following the ISO 19030 methodology

http://www.shape.hempel.com