An upgraded vessel control software package from ABB is delivering the measurable operational efficiency gains promised to Stena Line for the freight ferry »Stena Scotia« within a month of commissioning.
The DEGO IV advanced speed governor and actuation system onboard has been en[ds_preview]hanced so that control over the vessel’s propulsion system minimizes roll and rudder movements, delivering a new way of saving fuel while also improving crew comfort, ABB says.
The fourth generation DEGO software collates data from sensors monitoring 60 shipboard parameters in real time, including engine performance (rpms, scavenge air pressure, fuel use, etc.), propeller performance (pitch, slip, torque and power), rudder/vessel centre of gravity torque and navigational information. In an advance on previous versions, DEGO IV uses this data to model a control strategy to minimize ship roll, adjusting to changing sea or ship conditions by simulating the next two roll periods to optimize roll damping against fuel consumption on a predictive basis.
The 120-trailer capacity, twin-propeller »Stena Scotia« is deployed in daily Ro-Ro services between Rotterdam and Killingholme in the UK.
Torductor to improve propeller shaft performance
Part of a broad range of energy optimization tools offered to the maritime industry by ABB, the efficiency gains available using the DEGO system depend on ship type, sea conditions and the type of autopilot used. First installations of DEGO IV, made across 10 vessels, indicate fuel saving potential in the range of 5-7%, with roll reduction between 20-40% and rudder reduction of 15-60%.
In 2016, »Stena Scotia« hosted trials of the ABB torque monitoring system Torductor Marine, which measures propeller shaft performance to verify that ship performance is in line with the International Marine Organization’s Ship’s Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP). Following a demonstration of its ability to quantify propulsion power, Specific Fuel Oil Consumption (SFOC), total number of shaft revolutions and the total amount of energy developed during a voyage, Stena Line entered a commercial arrangement to include Torductor Marine on the vessel.
