propelling green shipping forward

Earlier this year VAF Instruments launched its Shaft Power Limitation (ShaPoLi) system, a pioneering technology that enables ship operators to comply with updated International Maritime Organization (IMO) measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping. The system is the first on the market that offers a type-approved solution, having being certified by the American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyd's Register, Bureau Veritas Group and DNV.

reduced CO₂
“Maritime legislation is rapidly following global sustainability ambitions and demanding that ship owners decrease GHG emissions from across their vessels,” says Björn van den Bogaard, director of VAF. “The ShaPoLi system we have developed is the first to offer a type-approved solution to the market to comply with these new regulations, and we recently installed our 300th system for a customer, the first of several dozen that will be installed across the customer’s fleet.

“The latest IMO rules, Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), are designed to regulate a ship's propulsion energy efficiency, which means that the majority of vessels will have to limit their shaft power. Our ShaPoLi solution continuously measures the power to the propeller by the shaft power meter and compares it to the EEXI power limit of the vessel. Once the actual power is above the power limit, the system provides an alarm to the crew on the bridge, and ensures automatic logging of the event. Reducing power to EEXI levels using the ShaPoLi system helps ships achieve the same level of fuel efficiency as newly built ships.”

key benefits
One of the main advantages of the ShaPoLi solution is that it doesn't require hardware to be connected to the engine or governor controls, meaning that the crew always has an instant power reserve available for emergency situations, like saving life at sea or piracy. Thus creating a safer working environment. “We are convinced our ShaPoLi contributes to the viability and relevance of the industry for the future,” says Björn. “We are committed to improving sustainability in the maritime world, which is why we are working hard to help our customers reduce their emissions and comply with current and upcoming regulations.”