Alfa Laval’s OceanGlide technology has been selected by Southeast Asian LPG tanker and bulk carrier company Kumiai Navigation for installation onboard one of its LPG tankers as a retrofit.
The company’s decision to leverage fluidic air lubrication technology is rooted in its ambition to reduce the vessel’s energy consumption, improve its overall performance and comply with environmental regulations.
The OceanGlide system uses fluidic technology to create and control streamlined air layer sections on the vessel’s flat bottom, each with its own fluidic band. The independent steering of each band allows a more controlled airflow to reduce friction between the hull and water. These individually controlled sections serve to minimise drag and ensure maximum coverage, eliminating passive cavities along the vessel’s underside.
According to Alfa Laval, the technology is proven to reduce specific drag by 50-75% and provide fuel savings of up to 12% under real-life conditions. The actual amount of fuel savings achieved can vary depending on vessel operations and operator priorities.
The technology also supports compliance with EEDI/ EEXI and CII requirements laid down by the International Maritime Organization to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the company adds.
Tomo Kuroyanagi, managing director, Kumiai Navigation, says: “OceanGlide serves our goal of adopting advanced new sustainable technologies to remain competitive in this challenging market. We are excited to take advantage of the fluidic air lubrication technology to help us decarbonise and contribute towards our carbon reduction roadmap.”
