Margarita Sjursen ABB Marine and Ports Oslo, Norway, margarita.sjursen@no.abb.com; Mei Jiuan Lee ABB Turbocharging Baden, Switzerland, mei-jiuan.lee@ch.abb.com
When greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are discussed, the contribution of the shipping industry is sometimes neglected. After all, most people do not visit ports, and ships spend a great deal of time at sea, out of sight. Nevertheless, the marine sector contributes 2 to 3 percent of the world’s total GHG emissions.
Prompted by social, political and industrial factors, awareness of emissions from marine traffic is, however, increasing and action is being taken. For example, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations agency responsible for regulating shipping, has set a global target to cut annual GHG emissions by at least 50 percent (from 2008 levels) by 2050. Also, many marine companies are actively driving a change to a more environmentally friendly future.
Ambitious measures to reduce emissions, improve efficiency and attain sustainability can only be realized by the targeted use of technology – in particular, automation, electrification and digitalization, in which ABB has many decades of experience →01.
Backbone for ship electrification
A good example of how automation, electrification and digitalization can work together to improve efficiency, safety and sustainability is provided by ABB’s electrical propulsion concept.
ABB’s electrical propulsion concept provides the backbone of ship electrification: encompassing engines, generator sets, switchboards and propulsion drives, it operates as an integrated system. The flexibility of such a system allows optimization of electric plant operations by switching the engines on and off based on the power demand – which cannot be done with a conventional mechanical setup. This capability saves fuel, with emissions cut as a result, and is particularly helpful for vessels with a variable operational profile.
Azipod® propulsion system – the driving force behind safe, efficient and sustainable operations
Thirty years ago, ABB transformed shipping by introducing Azipod propulsion [1] →02. With Azipod, the electric motor that drives the propeller sits in a pod outside the ship’s hull, where it can rotate 360 degrees, thus increasing maneuverability and operating efficiency.
Azipod propulsion has a proven ability to cut fuel consumption by up to 20 percent, reducing emissions as a result. An independent study by marine consultancy Deltamarin revealed that the ABB Azipod electric propulsion system for ferries could save up to $1.7 million in annual fuel costs per vessel and reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 10,000 tons per year, equivalent to the CO₂ produced by about 2,200 automobiles annually [2]. Additionally, it has a minimum environmental footprint in production: about 95 percent of the material used in Azipod units is recyclable.
Today, over 25 vessel types utilize Azipod propulsion, including cruise ships, icebreakers, ice-going cargo vessels, ferries, mega-yachts, offshore supply fleets, research vessels and others.
Electric, digital and connected ship
As part of the company’s pioneering role in electric transportation, ABB has provided electric systems on board vessels for more than 110 years. Today, well over 1,300 ships employ ABB electric systems and newbuilds are increasingly based on electrical architectures that expand their range of viable energy sources beyond traditional fuel – to batteries and fuel cells, for instance.
Electrical onboard systems make it easier to integrate automation and control solutions, letting operators collect and analyze more data, make better decisions and ultimately improve vessel performance. Electric, digital and connected solutions are redefining shipping, offering dramatic gains in efficiency, safety and sustainability. Here, ABB Ability™ – ABB’s unified, cross-industry, digital offering – provides the marine industry with a comprehensive decision support software suite that gives vessel crews the right tools to monitor and optimize vessel efficiency.
For example, ABB Ability™ solutions help owners and operators to optimize route planning, comply with environmental regulations and improve the safety of both crew and cargo. A ship’s data can be sent back to a land-based control center – such as an ABB Ability™ Collaborative Operations Center – for expert analysis and preventive maintenance support →03. Round-the-clock remote support for ships anywhere in the world has become standard for over 1,000 vessels that connect to ABB Ability™ Collaborative Operations Centers, where an engineer is always available to help with any questions.
Some 500 vessels currently improve the safety and efficiency of their operations with ABB Ability™ Marine Advisory System – OCTOPUS, a digital solution that helps vessel owners gather and analyze data to optimize operations. OCTOPUS software helps find the most optimal transit based on changes in weather and wave conditions, making it a vital tool for ship safety and route planning.
ABB Ability™ Tekomar XPERT
ABB Ability™ Tekomar XPERT is an engine analytics software →04. When installed on every vessel in a fleet, Tekomar XPERT can quantify deviations in engine performance and provide simple guidance on running engines at optimum levels of efficiency. The software also offers recommended corrective actions for the realization of potential fuel oil savings of typically 0.5 to 3 tons of fuel per day, per vessel – which translates into lower emissions.
Tekomar XPERT for fleet is available via a web app interface that offers fleet functionality specifically developed to support middle and top management decisions. The software allows company-wide engine performance assessment with consolidated analysis across a fleet.
Tekomar XPERT also facilitates the benchmarking and ranking of engines, vessels and fleets and the user-friendly dashboard can be customized according to user role.
An associated, recently introduced, continuous evaluation service allows the cloud-to-cloud transfer of engine data from edge computing platforms to Tekomar XPERT. The service gathers data for evaluations automatically, which ensures greater accuracy and more frequent reporting, along with a reduced crew workload.
Turbocharging
Vessels powered by internal combustion engines can benefit from ABB’s turbocharging technology. ABB's record-breaking Power2 two-stage turbocharging system can increase marine engine efficiency significantly →05. In fact, ABB turbochargers are around 2 percent more efficient than the industry standard, while Power2 offers a turbocharging efficiency above 75 percent (compared to 65 percent efficiency with a conventional turbocharger) and is undoubtedly the most powerful energy multiplicator for engines. The turbocharging efficiency of Power2 easily translates into yearly six-figure savings in fuel and significant cuts in emissions – eg, up to 60 percent less NOx emissions.
ABB's turbocharging's service concept is moving towards smartly enabled services that are tuned to customer needs. The focus will be on individualized offerings that optimize maintenance, performance and customer experience.
Towards autonomous operations - augmenting human potential
Recent developments in sensor technology, data analytics and computing power are enabling ABB to increase the level of automation in ship navigation, steering and control. An autonomous vessel would not necessarily be unmanned but may have a periodically unattended bridge, providing certain conditions are met. The automation complements and supports seafarers, who are freed up to do other tasks. The overall result is to make operations safer and more efficient.
ABB currently has products to support autonomous operations such as ABB Ability™ Marine Pilot Vision – a situational awareness solution – and ABB Ability™ Marine Pilot Control, an intelligent maneuvering and control system that enables safer, more efficient ship operations.
The technology for introducing autonomous operations for short-route vessels is already available today, but implementation on ocean-going vessels will take longer as international regulations are involved and real-world experience is needed to ensure automation systems work reliably.
Shore connection
ABB’s shore connection technology already enables zero-emission port stays for vessels [3]. In fact, ABB delivered the first shore-to-ship power solution to the Swedish port of Gothenburg as far back as 2000 and has installed many others since. One constraining factor is that the local power grid has to be capable of supplying the extra power needed, which can be considerable in the case of a large passenger vessel, for example. In addition to enabling green port calls, ABB’s shore-to-ship technology will also help reduce vibrations on board vessels and noise pollution in the port areas.
Energy storage
Energy storage solutions for zero-emission hybrid operations are already in use and will continue to grow, also in combination with fuel cell technology.
For smaller vessels that cover short distances, fully electric solutions are already being deployed. One recent example is Niagara Falls tour operator Maid of the Mist, which ordered two new passenger vessels sailing solely by high-capacity battery packs, enabled by ABB’s technology, making them the first fully electric vessels ever built in the United States providing a more pleasurable experience for tourists sailing up to the Horseshoe Falls →06.
Another example is Iceland’s first electric ferry operating on a route known for its harsh conditions: ABB has supplied integrated power and electric storage solutions to the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration’s new ferry MF Herjólfur that takes over 3,000 annual trips in the rough waters between Landeyjahöfn on the mainland and the Westman Islands, covering 13 km in about 45 minutes. ABB’s power distribution system Onboard DC Grid™ ensures the high efficiency of the new ferry by allowing the batteries to connect directly to the DC link, which helps avoids losses of power during charging and discharging.
Similarly, ABB converted the San Cristoforo, a passenger and car ferry on Lake Maggiore in Italy, to diesel/hybrid operation, helping reduce emissions and increase overall energy efficiency. The conversion utilizes ABB’s propulsion solutions, including batteries and an energy storage control system.
Sailing into a sustainable future
Pressures of global climate change, emerging-market economic development and growing urbanization demand new and more environmentally sustainable ways to move people and goods. ABB has become one of the world’s leading enablers of sustainable transportation for all modes, including marine vessels. ABB’s role as a frontrunner in sustainable transportation is to equip the marine industry with electric, digital and connected solutions that maximize the full potential of vessels and ultimately enable a safe, efficient and sustainable maritime industry.
References
[1] P. Tuomaala and M. Turtiainen, “Compact Azipod® Quality power and thrust for rigs and small ships,” ABB Review, 4/2001, pp. 10 – 13.
[2] ABB Group press release, “ABB Azipod® electric propulsion can save $1.7 million in fuel costs annually, study shows.” Available: https://new.abb.com/news/detail/24879/abb-azipodr-electric-propulsion-can-save-17-million-in-fuel-costs-annually-study-shows. [Accessed May 28, 2020].
[3] R. Bernacchi and E. Guidi, “Universal Connections: Plugging in cruise liners and container vessels,” ABB Review, 3/2017, pp. 76 – 81.
