On track to meet IMO 2030 targets
Vivit Altais, last of the VLGC sister ships in Vitol’s fleet exits dry dock retrofitted with the latest energy saving technologies.
Our comprehensive dry dock programme – started in 2022 is aligned to meeting the IMO targets set in 2019 to reduce emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 2008 levels.
Our technical team at Vitol International Shipping (VIS) and our in-house ship management team at Latvian Shipping Company (LSC) have collaborated on the planning and execution of this multi-year global project designed to retrofit our fleet with the most appropriate emissions-reducing solutions for each vessel.
Halfway through our extensive 2024 dry dock programme
So far this year four sister Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) vessels including the Vivit Altais have been upgraded, and a further four vessels are due to go through the process this year.
In all dockings, the hulls are comprehensively blasted to remove any debris that may incur drag, and premium anti-fouling paint applied. The impact of this alone is significant with data showing an increase in efficiency on one of the vessels that was recoated in December 2023 (see graph below).
As part of the VLGC fleet dry dock programme this year, each ship has also been fitted with improvements to the propellers; EnergoFlow, a pre-swirl stator that optimises stern inflow to improve propulsive efficiency and EnergoProFin, an energy-saving propeller cap with fins that rotate together with the propeller. From previous projects, we know that these improvements can result in an average decrease in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 6%.
All this work means that we’re currently on track to meet IMO 2030 targets of 40% emissions reduction ahead of time.
| Read More: Vitol completes inaugural biofuel delivery in the UAE |
Planning for the future
We’re continuing to improve our current fleet, through our onboard and shoreside efficiency programme for vessel and route optimising, as well as physical retrofitting through the dry dock programme.
‘We’ve spent a lot of time planning and executing this emissions-reducing drydock programme,’ explained Ian Butler, Head of Energy Transition – Shipping at Vitol. ‘We continue to explore and test nascent innovations covering all aspects of the emissions spectrum, and will roll these out as they become proven.’
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