MOL ship designs efficient à and look cool
MOL said it has developed a concept for next-generation vessels, which it said would reduce energy use through technologies ranging from solar cells to low-friction bottom paint.
The company said the ships would be “technically practical in the near future,” refining technologies already developed and adopted. Its first design is for a next-generation, environmentally friendly car carrier. MOL said it is also working on concepts for other next-generation ferries, bulkships, tankers and containerships.
Car carrier ISHIN-1, which the company said stands for 'Innovations in Sustainability backed by Historically proven, Integrated technologies,” would be able to power itself while in port using large capacity solar power panels and rechargeable batteries.
| An illustration of MOL's ISHIN-1, an environmentally friendly car carrier. |
Underway, the company said it would be able to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 41 percent compared to conventional pure car/truck carriers with capacity of 6,400 standard passenger cars. When bigger ships are made possible by the enlarged Panama Canal, it said emissions per unit transported could be cut by up to half.
Among the technologies the ship would use:
' A contra-rotating propeller drive system that combines a diesel engine with an electric propulsion system, and places a pair of propellers facing each other at the stern. “The propellers share the burden of powering the ship and spin in opposite directions, allowing the rear propeller to absorb the rotation energy of the front propeller. As a result, the system greatly increases efficiency,” the company said.
' Advanced Propeller Boss Cap Fins, an MOL-developed energy-saving device has been adopted on more than 1,700 vessels worldwide. The most advanced model will be installed on the ISHIN-I vessels.
' A wind resistance reducing design.
' Ultra-low friction ship bottom paint. “By trapping water on the coated surface, this paint eliminates friction drag caused by minute patterned indentations formed on conventionally painted surfaces,” the company said.
' A marine weather information system that monitors voyage conditions, and searches for the shortest, most fuel-efficient routes while taking into account differences in types and hull forms of ships.
' Electronic control of the fuel supply to the engine to optimize fuel use and systems to recover thermal energy conventionally lost with exhaust gas.
' Optimization of the hull for fuel efficiency.
' A larger ship to be compatible with new Panama Canal
The company said, “When needs for larger vessels arise, adoption of twin-shaft propellers will allow greater improvement in propulsion performance and fuel efficiency.”