The BVS/Marubeni PT was designed to test the BVS technology acting as a decision-support tool in a First Come First Served (FCFS) operational environment. For the purposes of this PT, BVS technology provided the necessary optimization information and recommendations for the operator to decide (based on its own operational and commercial considerations) whether or not to implement BVS so as to reduce GHG emissions by mitigating the effects of Sail Fast Then Wait.
Due to the FCFS operational environment, a key parameter of the BVS/Marubeni PT involved monitoring the operational status of a total of some 919 vessels on a 24/7 basis so as to ensure that the vessels participating in the PT would not be overtaken by non-participating vessels.
Approximately 31 actionable recommendations for vessels to reduce speed were issued, with projected fuel and GHG savings of about 29% on average. This average figure was confirmed in the results from the vessels that followed the BVS recommendations. These savings were delivered through speed reductions from an average speed of 13.6 knots down to an average speed of 10.6 knots.
The BVS/Marubeni PT demonstrated:
- substantial GHG emissions savings;
- the value of BVS as a decision-support tool, including in cases where a commercial decision is taken not to reduce speed or to reduce speed only for part of a voyage.
- The feasibility of individual ships using BVS to reduce GHG emissions in an FCFS environment without suffering any commercial disadvantage, even in the absence of wider co-ordination or terminal involvement.
The BVS/Marubeni PT follows on from the Prototype Trials that were completed in Q2 2024 involving vessels (supramax bulkers) under charter by Blue Visby Consortium member CBH Group, which demonstrated fuel and GHG emissions savings of approximately 8-28%. The BVS/CBH Group Prototype Trial was designed to test the BVS in the context of optimizing for the needs of a terminal stem rather than in an FCFS environment, which was the case in the BVS/Marubeni PT.
