HHI: Propeller Tweak Cuts Fuel Bills

South Korea’s shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has reported that shipowners and operators could reduce fuel consumption by up to 2.5% if they install the company’s Hi-FIN propeller attachment.

After a year-long trial of the energy-saving device installed on a 162,000 m³ LNG carrier ordered from Maran Gas, HHI found that Hi-FIN can save up to 2.5 % of fuel in comparison with the same type of vessels without Hi-FIN.

If the fuel saving ratio is calculated on the basis of an 8,600 TEU container ship, the owners or operators of the container ship can save about USD 750,000 per year or USD 19 million for 25 years, an estimated lifetime of the ship, HHI said.

The device attached at the hub of the propeller generates countering swirls that offset the swirls generated by the propeller, and thus improves propulsion efficiency.

HHI has won orders of Hi-FIN for over 30 ships to date, and the company expects more orders now that it can install the device on broader types of ships from LNG carriers to almost all types of ships including VLCC, LPG carriers and container ships.