5.29.2015
GREENTECH 2015 CONFERENCE
FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES
FOR TUG AND BARGE
OPERATORS
Image reproduced from https://boatsbirdsandothersoutheastalaskatreasures.files.wordpress.com
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
EIGHT MOST PROMISING FUEL SAVING MEASURES
Technical Solutions
• Fuel consumption monitoring
• Hydralift skegs
• High-efficiency nozzles
• Hull optimization
Operational Solutions
• Barge trim
• Voyage planning tools
• Pushing configuration
• Propeller polishing
Photo courtesy of Ken FitzGerald
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
PROJECT BACKGROUND
Focus of Research:
– Reducing fuel consumption
– River and open-water barge operations
– Technologies and strategies that offer best
return on investment
– New construction or retrofit
– Physical mods, operational changes, or
both
Certain technologies and strategies
identified here could result in fuel
savings of ~20%.
Combining two or more could result in
very significant reductions >20%.
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Image reproduced from www.lynden.com/
FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS
Photo by Will Moon
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
FUEL CONSUMPTION MONITORING
• Flow meters
• Collect data
• Onboard & office
• Influences behaviors
Up to 10% Fuel
Savings indirectly
realized
Image
Imagereproduced
reproducedfrom
fromhttp://www.krillsystems.com/
http://www.krillsystems.com/
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
FUEL CONSUMPTION MONITORING
• Flow meters
• Collect data
• Onboard & office
• Influences behaviors
Up to 10% Fuel
Savings indirectly
realized
Image reproduced from http://www.krillsystems.com/
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
HYDRALIFT SKEGS
• Directional stability
• Traditional boxy skeg
• Lift and drag
• Added thrust
• Reduces towing
resistance
• 1 knot speed increase
10 to 20% Fuel
Savings
Image reproduced from www.gbrx.com/
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
HYDRALIFT SKEGS
• Directional stability
• Traditional boxy skeg
• Lift and drag
• Added thrust
• Reduces towing
resistance
• 1 knot speed increase
10 to 20% Fuel
Savings
Image reproduced from www.gbrx.com/
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
HYDRALIFT SKEGS
• Directional stability
• Traditional boxy skeg
• Lift and drag
• Added thrust
• Reduces towing
resistance
• 1 knot speed increase
10 to 20% Fuel
Savings
Image reproduced from www.gbrx.com/
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
HIGH EFFICIENCY NOZZLES
• Ducted propeller
• Increases thrust
• Kort nozzle
• High efficiency nozzle
• Bollard pull increase
12% to 50%
• 1 knot speed increase
10 to 20% Fuel
Savings
Photo by Will Moon
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
HIGH EFFICIENCY NOZZLES
• Ducted propeller
• Increases thrust
• Kort nozzle
• High efficiency nozzle
• Bollard pull increase
12% to 50%
• 1 knot speed increase
10 to 20% Fuel
Savings
Photo by Nautican
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
HULL OPTIMIZATION
• Use CFD
• Analyses 2,000+ hulls
• Reduce resistance
• Increases thrust
• For tugs and barges
10 to 20% Fuel
Savings
Image reproduced from www.amc.edu.au
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
HULL OPTIMIZATION
• Use CFD
• Analyses 2,000+ hulls
• Reduce resistance
• Increases thrust
• For tugs and barges
10 to 20% Fuel
Savings
Photo
Hockema &
Whalen
Associates
Imageby
reproduced
from
www.amc.edu.au
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
OPERATIONAL SOLUTIONS
Reproduced from www.lynden.com/
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
OPTIMAL BARGE TRIM
• Minimizes resistance
for a given operating
speed and draft.
• Industry perception
that aft trim improves
directional stability.
• This introduces
additional resistance.
Potential fuel savings
>2.5%.
Image
reproduced
www.awtworldwide.com/
Image
reproduced
from from
https://tbeetle.wordpress.com
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
OPTIMAL BARGE TRIM
• Minimizes resistance
for a given operating
speed and draft.
• Industry perception
that aft trim improves
directional stability.
• This introduces
additional resistance.
Potential fuel savings
>2.5%.
Image reproduced
from
http://marthalovessitka.blogspot.com/
Image
reproduced
www.awtworldwide.com/
Image
reproduced
from from
https://tbeetle.wordpress.com
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
VOYAGE PLANNING
• State of the art tools
that provide vessel
operators with useful
information.
– Active weather routing
– Voyage optimization
services and software
– Proprietary modeling
tools / software
– Systematic processes
for data collection and
post-voyage analysis
Savings vary. May
exceed 4%.
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Leg 2: Dutch Harbor, AK - Busan, South Korea
Distance: 2895.5 nm
ETA: 27 March 01:35(LT)
ETD: 29 March 18:12(LT)
Speed: 14.5 kts
Duration: 8 Days, 7 Hours, 12 minutes
Fuel Consumption: 289.55 MT
Leg
1: Seattle,
WA - Barrow, AK
Fuel
Cost:
$221,143
Distance: 2805.5 nm
ETA: 22 Aug 13:24(LT)
ETD: 30 Aug 07:12(LT)
Speed: 9.6 kts
Duration: 12 Days, 2 Hours, 47 minutes
Fuel Consumption: 301.5 MT
Fuel Cost: $311,621
FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
VOYAGE PLANNING
• State of the art tools
that provide vessel
operators with useful
information.
– Active weather routing
– Voyage optimization
services and software
– Proprietary modeling
tools / software
– Systematic processes
for data collection and
post-voyage analysis
Savings vary. May
exceed 4%.
Leg 2: Dutch Harbor, AK - Busan, South Korea
Distance: 2895.5 nm
ETA: 27 March 01:35(LT)
ETD: 29 March 18:12(LT)
Speed: 14.5 kts
Duration: 8 Days, 7 Hours, 12 minutes
Fuel Consumption: 289.55 MT
Leg
1: Seattle,
WA - Barrow, AK
Fuel
Cost:
$221,143
Distance: 2805.5 nm
ETA: 22 Aug 13:24(LT)
ETD: 30 Aug 07:12(LT)
Speed: 9.6 kts
Duration: 12 Days, 2 Hours, 47 minutes
Fuel Consumption: 301.5 MT
Fuel Cost: $311,621
Image courtesy of Applied Weather Technology, Inc.
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
PUSHING VS. TOWING ASTERN
• There are inherent
disadvantages in
towing barges astern.
• Pushing ahead:
– Eliminates barge yaw
– Reduces resistance
from towing gear
– Reduces resistance
from wind and waves
Potential fuel savings
up to 25%.
Image reproduced from http://prtugboats.blogspot.com/
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
PUSHING VS. TOWING ASTERN
• There are inherent
disadvantages in
towing barges astern.
• Pushing ahead:
– Eliminates barge yaw
– Reduces resistance
from towing gear
– Reduces resistance
from wind and waves
Potential fuel savings
up to 25%.
Image reproduced from http://sdstugandbarge.com/
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
Image reproduced from http://islandtug.com/
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
PROPELLER POLISHING
• Improves propulsive
efficiency.
• Eliminates fouling.
• Decreases propeller
roughness.
• Effect on total fuel
consumption depends
on many factors.
Potential fuel savings
of 2 to 4% (after
polishing).
Image reproduced
from http://subseaworldnews.com/
Image reproduced
from http://www.williamsonmarineserv.com/
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
PROPELLER POLISHING
• Improves propulsive
efficiency.
• Eliminates fouling.
• Decreases propeller
roughness.
• Effect on total fuel
consumption depends
on many factors.
Potential fuel savings
of 2 to 4% (after
polishing).
Image reproduced
from http://subseaworldnews.com/
Image reproduced
from http://www.williamsonmarineserv.com/
Image reproduced from www.awtworldwide.com/
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FUEL SAVING STRATEGIES FOR TUG AND BARGE OPERATORS
SUMMARY
Eight fuel saving measures
How do we incentivize fuel savings?
Experiment with operations, collect data
Test known assumptions
William L. Moon III, PE
Peter S. Soles
www.glosten.com
206.624.7850