TotalEnergies-chartered tanker cuts fuel use by up to 21% with wind propulsion, weather routing

November 20, 2024, by Fatima Bahtić

French software provider Syroco has released the performance data obtained from the first months of deployment of the wind propulsion system and weather optimization technology on TotalEnergies-chartered tanker Alcyone.

The 183-meter-long Alcyone, which is owned by provider of oil shipping services Socatra and sails under the French flag, is deployed on transpacific routes and was equipped with two rotor sails by the manufacturer Norsepower in early 2024. Rotor sails are a form of wind-assisted propulsion technology designed to reduce fuel consumption by harnessing wind power.

Alongside this installation, Syroco’s platform was introduced to help optimize the vessel’s routing and operational parameters, taking into account weather conditions to maximize the efficiency of the wind propulsion system.

As disclosed, data from the Syroco platform showed substantial gains in fuel efficiency and emissions reduction on the Alcyone. The analysis indicated:

Wind assistance leads to fuel consumption reductions of between 4% and 18%.
The use of Syroco’s optimized weather routing further reduced fuel consumption by between 3% and 18%.
Combining both technologies resulted in aggregate fuel savings of up to 21%.

Furthermore, compared to the vessel’s previous operating performance, the introduction of these technologies has resulted in a monthly reduction of approximately 50 tons of fuel.

On an annual basis, this reduction translates to 1,800 tons of CO2 emissions avoided, demonstrating a clear environmental benefit from these innovations, according to Syroco.

“The use of Rotor Sails introduces complexity into voyage definition. The routing of Alcyone involves advanced calculations in order to make the most of the wind while taking into account waves, swell and currents. The Syroco platform, thanks to its high fidelity digital twins and its simulation power, enables the crew to take advantage of the weather conditions, amplifying the efficiency of the propulsion systems,” Hector Firino Martell, Fleet Manager of Socatra, said.

“At TotalEnergies, we are proud to collaborate with Socatra and Syroco to promote innovative and sustainable solutions for maritime transportation. The integration of the Rotor Sails and of the Syroco weather routing platform on Alcyone demonstrates our commitment to reducing emissions and improving the energy efficiency of our operations,” Sébastien Roche, General Manager Shipping Performance and Innovation at TotalEnergies, noted.

Syroco’s co-founder and president, Alex Caizergues, also highlighted the success of the partnership, noting the strong adoption of the platform by the crew and its ability to generate measurable performance improvements.

“We are pleased to see the significant gains made with Alcyone, which demonstrate the value of our platform in reducing fuel consumption and emissions in the maritime industry,” said Caizergues.

The calculations and measurements were carried out over 9 voyages between May and October 2024.