Strategic Marine to validate emissions reduction of hybrid offshore vessel load system

Singapore’s shipbuilder Strategic Marine has commissioned an emissions study to validate greenhouse gas emissions reduction using the Sea Forrest Green Cabin Energy Saving System.

Sea Forrest is a company specializing in delivering energy management solutions through marine electric and hybrid propulsion, marine charging, and marine energy storage systems.

The Green Cabin Energy Saving System is a hybrid solution where an energy storage system captures and harnesses energy generated by the main engines to utilise for various applications on the vessel, such as the hotel load.

This is the first time the system is being used onboard fast crew boats (FCBs).

The study conducted by the Maritime Energy and Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence (MESD CoE) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) will assess the system’s carbon mitigation potential based on different scenarios and provide recommendations to improve its effectiveness.

A signing ceremony was held on Thursday (10 Aug) to launch the study, the second commissioned by Strategic Marine and conducted by MESD CoE.

“We are excited to present our latest decarbonisation solution and very excited to commission a second study with NTU’s Maritime Energy and Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence to better understand how and when the system offers benefits,” Chan Eng Yew, Chief Executive Officer, Strategic Marine, said.

“We are delighted that Strategic Marine has chosen to engage MESD CoE again to conduct energy and emission performance measurements onboard. We are grateful for their continued trust in our expertise, and eagerly look forward to fortifying our partnership in this field to actively contribute to maritime decarbonisation,” Professor Chan Siew Hwa, Deputy Centre Director, MESD CoE, NTU Singapore, said.

Emissions study

The newly commissioned study will include data collected from actual sea trials carried out on a FCB that is scheduled to be delivered in the third quarter and deployed in Southeast Asian waters.

The system has the advantage of reducing the number of dedicated diesel generators and potentially decreasing the vessel’s overall fuel consumption.

“Our hybrid vessels are gaining popularity as the drive to reduce maritime industry greenhouse gas emissions gains momentum. We are happy to be able to also contribute to the body of research as the industry introduces more sustainability solutions,” Chan added.

Strategic Marine sees the incorporation of emission reduction systems like this one as a great way to bolster its competitive amid greater demand for energy efficiency and green solutions on the market.

A previous study with MESD CoE compared the efficiency of traditional diesel-powered and hybrid-powered crew transfer vessels (CTVs). Both vessel types are generally deployed outside Singapore to support the offshore markets and wind farms.

By optimising the engine’s operating parameters, such as load and speed, the system can potentially reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions, contributing to more sustainable and environmentally friendly operation of the FCB.

This is done by aligning these parameters with the vessel’s optimal efficiency range, maximising fuel use and minimising energy waste.