PRESS RELEASE: Helsinki, Finland – 9 May 2018 – Leading maritime software, services and data analysis provider NAPA today announced that it has received major funding from INTENS, a VTT-coordinated Finnish research-industry collaborative consortium, to further enhance its work improving technical and operational performance and lowering ships’ emissions.
The work enabled by this funding has already begun, the initial trial customers have been agreed, and NAPA expects to be able to publicly discuss the first delivered benefits by the end of 2018.
Shipping’s share of global carbon emissions is currently 2-3%, a similar level to major developed countries like Japan and Germany. Under a business-as-usual scenario, the IMO estimates that carbon emissions from shipping could increase by 50%-250% in the coming decades. The INTENS research consortium has committed more than €13 million over the next three years to proactively help advance, promote and digitalise the work of Finnish maritime leaders, with a specific emphasis on energy efficiency improvement and emissions reduction of ships.
Pekka Pakkanen, Director, Development, NAPA Shipping Solutions commented, “Shipping remains the most environmentally friendly way to move cargoes globally, but it will be difficult to achieve significant emissions reductions without fundamental, practical changes to how it operates on a global basis.” Pakkanen continued, “Optimising operations of existing vessels is the fastest way to reduce carbon emissions and lower operating expenditure immediately.”
Ships’ fuel comprises between 30% and 60% of all operating expenses, and the total value of bunkers consumed each year is approximately $130 billion. Numerous studies have shown that the vast majority of sea voyages are not optimally sailed in terms of fuel consumption. According to NAPA estimates, shipowners may be wasting nearly $30 billion each year of unnecessary expenditure on bunkers.
Captain Risto Kariranta, Director, Services, NAPA Shipping Solutions continued, “The collaboration and funding from INTENS will further enhance our market-leading voyage planning services, such as NAPA Fleet Intelligence, that provide a rounded appraisal of a vessel’s performance characteristics and achieve better results. Through these services, we can help mitigate voyage inefficiencies such as ‘rush to wait’ or those caused by rough sea and weather conditions, and take practical and profitable steps to save both fuel and carbon emissions.”
