ABS launches decarbonisation simulator

The SIM-based Energy Efficiency Evaluation Service will allow both newbuild vessels and existing vessels to compare different design and operational options and evaluate the impact of new technologies on performance. An update next year will add CII compliance planning.

Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS chair, president and chief executive, said that shipping must embrace new ways of seeing things. “At ABS we can now use advanced simulation and modelling to assess new concepts in design, engineering and operations while a vessel is in its design stages, allowing ship owners and shipyards to make more informed decisions.

“We believe simulation is a technology with the potential to make a significant contribution to the decarbonisation of our industry,” he said.

For newbuilds at design stage, the service supports propulsion system design optimisation, helping to reduce fuel consumption and minimise life-cycle costs. For existing vessels, the service helps assess retrofit options and operational changes, again to reduce fuel consumption and also ensure regulatory compliance.

The launch of the service follows the announcement of a joint development project between ABS, Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding and Wärtsilä to develop a future-ready concept for a multi-fuel electric-hybrid LNG carrier.