The award, valued at US$500,000, will support a full-scale retrofit and validation program on a designated workboat, with the objective of establishing a repeatable framework for improving propulsion efficiency while addressing increasing scrutiny around underwater radiated noise.
Rather than assessing individual technologies in isolation, the project will evaluate the combined impact of multiple energy-saving devices applied as an integrated system.
The approach reflects a broader shift within the industry towards whole-vessel performance, particularly as operators face more stringent emissions and environmental rules along with rising fuel costs.
Dr. Batuhan Aktas, Founder and CEO of EcoNavis Solutions, said the program is designed to move beyond theoretical gains and deliver measurable operational results: “This project allows us to validate, at full scale, how an integrated set of hydrodynamic technologies can improve propulsion efficiency and reduce underwater noise in real operating conditions,” he said. “The focus is not on a single device, but on how the entire propulsion train can be optimized and verified through data.”
The technical scope centers on the integration of a new flow-aligned twisted rudder, dubbed EcoVane; EcoNavis’ proprietary propeller hub Eco Boss Cap; and pressure-relieving modifications to the propeller blades. Each element targets a different source of hydrodynamic loss, from wake misalignment and drag at the rudder to vortex formation and cavitation at the propeller hub and blades.
“By addressing these effects collectively, the project is expected to deliver efficiency improvements of around five per cent, alongside a reduction in underwater radiated noise of more than three decibels,” said Dr. Aktas.
The figures will be validated through controlled before-and-after sea trials, including direct measurement of shaft power and acoustic output.
The work will begin with computational modeling to establish a performance baseline for the selected vessel, followed by iterative design optimization using vessel-specific flow analysis.
Manufacturing, installation, and full-scale trials will then be carried out, with all performance data collected and verified using recognized international standards, including ISO 15016 for fuel efficiency and ISO 17208-1 for underwater noise measurement.
EcoNavis will lead the hydrodynamic design and simulation work, supported by a consortium of propulsion specialists that includes King Propulsion, CJR Propulsion, and Oscar Propulsion.
Duncan Troy, the CEO of project partner Oscar Propulsion, the company behind the novel PressurePores technology where holes on the propeller blades mitigate cavitation noise, said: “The Gulf of Mexico has been identified as a key operating environment for the program, given the high concentration of offshore support, harbor and crew transfer vessels, as well as increasing regulatory focus on both emissions and acoustic impact on marine ecosystems.
“The industry is under pressure from both fuel costs and regulation. What owners need are solutions that are not only technically effective, but commercially realistic. This project is about proving both.”
The project will also draw on established class approval and manufacturing processes to ensure that the solutions are scalable and suitable for wider fleet adoption.
Beyond the demonstration vessel, the program aims to generate a validated dataset that can support wider deployment across similar vessel classes.
EcoNavis said further updates, including details of the selected vessel and trial results, will be released as the project progresses.
