OSD calls for greener designs

Neil Patterson, managing director of IMT Marine Consultants, part of OSD, says, “The public wants cuts in greenhouse gases, and has zero tolerance for marine pollution. Expect to see oil companies responding by going green across the board. There are already signs that oil companies will give preference to chartering ships which produce fewer carbon emissions. Soon that will become a requirement. There are currently about 500 OSVs building around the world. Only about 120 of those are to green designs, which create an opportunity for those yet to order. Go green, and get to the head of the charter queue.”

Patterson goes on to explain that the big green factor is to get a grip on operational fuel consumption. “Diesel-electric propulsion offers the most environmentally effective solution,” he says. “Power at any time can be matched to demand, and only those generator sets needed are run, and these are run at an efficient load. Experience in practice with similar-shape ships using conventional mechanical power with CPPs compared with diesel electric plant has shown around 40% reduction in fuel usage for similar service. That?s a lot less carbon and other pollutants going into the air.”