Innovative retrofit boosts ship’s efficiency

The 2007-built Henneke Rambow is now one of the top performers in its class following the innovative retrofit project.

“The Henneke Rambow project is an effective example of collaboration between owners, charterers and systems integrators, working together to optimize ship performance,” said Mathieu Gubert, vice president, Chartering CMA CGM.

Following a detailed performance review and analysis of the vessel’s propulsion system, Berg recommended upgrades that focused on enhancing fuel economy, particularly given the vessel’s consistent operation at lower speeds than its original service speed.

“Existing propeller blades were replaced with profiles that are hydrodynamically optimised for the vessel’s full operational profile,” said David Sakandelidze, account manager, Energy & Efficiency, Berg Propulsion.

“The ship’s control systems have also been upgraded to include Berg’s advanced MPC800 propulsion unit with Dynamic Drive. Including a retrofit to the vessel’s four-stroke engine, the integrated solution enables optimal propeller operations at all shaft speeds.”

Other improvements included optimising the ship’s bulbous bow to align with its revised operational matrix and installing Berg’s custom-made network frequency stabiliser, which allows the shaft generator to operate at variable speeds while maintaining a stable frequency and voltage to the main switchboard.

The retrofit, approved by DNV, resulted in significant operational efficiency gains, according to Reederei Rambow.

“Following this upgrade, Henneke Rambow is demonstrating a remarkable performance improvement which ensures that this vessel will be one of the most efficient of this type for the decade ahead,” said Sven Rambow, Rambow Bereederungs.