Enhanced ECO speed EFMS feature identifies optimum vessel speed for maximum fuel efficiency

Diesel power specialist Royston has enhanced its Eco Speed analysis capability as part of its enginei electronic fuel management system (EFMS) to enable ship operators to identify and maintain optimum vessel speeds for efficient fuel usage across different operational modes.

Devised with marine engineering specialists from Newcastle University, the Eco Speed feature enables shipping operators to manage vessel and fleet performance in the most efficient way possible without impacting on essential day to activities.

Rather than being based on sea trials or test bed data, the new module uses real data from the vessel to build an accurate profile of fuel consumption during different operational modes.

Setting up Eco Speed can be done remotely by Royston technicians to establish the operational profiles for different vessel modes. A simple step by step initialisation process then enables ship staff to build up a true picture of actual vessel operation in the selected modes.

This information is conveyed prominently to the standard main enginei on-board display to provide a real time guide for the crew on how the optimum speed can be maintained for maximum fuel efficiency.

Importantly the Eco Speed initialisation process can be re-run at any time to ensure that the vessel profile is adjusted to reflect any change in conditions or status that might affect performance.

For example, engine overhauls or hull cleaning can have a significant effect on the economical speed of a vessel and re-setting the Eco Speed feature after such works will provide an immediate update of optimum speed characteristics.

In addition, changes in external operational factors such as adverse weather, sea conditions or tidal changes can also have an impact on best operational speeds and can also be taken into account by re-running the initialisation process.

Used in this way, Eco Speed calculates the unique optimum performance profile for individual vessels and provides clear guidance on the required speed changes that need to be made during a voyage to maintain operation within the most fuel-efficient range.

Royston’s enginei EFMS system uses Coriolis flowmeters and sensors to accurately monitor the fuel being consumed by each of a vessel’s engines, which is tracked against GPS data, voyage details and operational mode. The data is collected, processed and relayed to bridge and engine room-mounted touchscreen monitors to enable the ship’s master to adjust vessel speed and take whatever other actions are needed to maximise efficiency.