Energy-saving devices
Making an impact with readily available technological fixes
Shipowners and operators looking to cut emissions for their fleets today have a wealth of technological options at hand. Energy-saving devices (ESDs) are available for many different parts of a vessel to improve efficiency, enhance environmental performance and reduce operational costs. These solutions range from novel hull and propeller and appendices designs, to low-friction paints, to onboard system optimization. Beyond technology, however, operational practices are equally important—crew training and decision-making directly influence fuel consumption and emissions performance.
Bureau Veritas helps clients assess which energy-saving devices are suitable for their fleets, unlocking a more sustainable maritime world. We support shipyards, owners and operators through design review, Approvals in Principle (AiP), energy modeling and more.
Head of Sustainability Advanced Services
Innovation in recent years has delivered a range of technologies that enable vessels to cut emissions. While these investments can be impressive, they are justified by clear revenue-earning potential and operational cost savings.
What are the different energy-saving devices (ESDs) available for ships?
Hull designs and devices
| At the design stage, tweaks to vessel hulls can significantly reduce drag, reducing fuel consumption by up to 20%. Bureau Veritas experts perform computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses for our clients to ensure that their vessel hulls are optimized, improving the energy efficiency of the entire ship. |
Propeller designs and devices | New, optimized propellers can achieve greater efficiency than older systems. Propeller boss cap fins (PBCF) can enable energy savings of around 2% by controlling the pressure field behind a propeller’s hub cap to eliminate hub vortexes. This also has the added effect of decreasing underwater radiated noise (URN). Other devices can take these gains further, including special nozzles and pre-swirl fins. New and innovative propeller designs are also under development with the potential of even greater energy savings. |
Anti-fouling coatings | Low-friction hull coatings can decrease vessel drag and resistance, while also preventing the spread of invasive species (biofouling). These special coatings enhance the hydrodynamic performance of the vessel, which improves energy efficiency and reduces fuel consumption. A number of different low-friction coatings are currently on the market, including silicone-based coatings and fluoropolymer-based coatings. Biocide-free coatings are also becoming more popular to reduce any potential toxic impact and safeguard marine biodiversity. |
Waste-heat recovery systems | Waste-heat recovery systems recover expended thermal energy from a ship’s engine and convert it into electricity. The technology works by capturing exhaust gas and passing it through a steam turbine, which generates the electrical energy. This process enables ships to power their electrical systems from the engine exhaust, reducing the fuel consumption that would otherwise be necessary for that power. Waste-heat recovery systems are suitable for all ship types to some extent. |
Solar power | Installing solar panels on vessels is a way to cut emissions generated from onboard operations. The expected efficiency gain is up to 2%. Making use of solar power reduces fuel consumption that would otherwise be necessary to power onboard systems. Solar panels are best suited for ships with large amounts of available deck space, such as roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) vessels. |
Wind propulsion systems
| Wind propulsion technologies can unlock significant emissions reductions on certain routes for specific ships. These systems transfer the propulsive force of twind to the vessel, thereby reducing the engine power required for propulsion as well as fuel consumption. They can be installed on new build or retrofit to existing ships. |
Supporting the right decisions for your fleet
Bureau Veritas provides our clients with the expert guidance they need to select the best energy-saving devices (ESDs) and other sustainable technologies for their fleets. Through tailored solutions, we enable you to ensure compliance and achieve your decarbonization goals.
