New York-listed Scorpio Tankers is aiming for greater efficiency in a fleet deal with fuel tech company Fowe Eco Solutions.
The shipowner will use Fowe’s fuel emulsion system on its 100-plus product carriers.
The terms of the licensing agreement will require no material up-front costs for Scorpio and is expected to result in an overall reduction of at least 3% in fuel costs and 100,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, the owner said.
Fowe uses controlled cavitation to produce stable emulsified fuels or oil blends without the need for additives or chemical stabilisers.
Cavitation is a process during which the static pressure of a liquid reduces to below its vapour pressure, leading to the formation of small vapour-filled cavities.
The technique promotes bubble collapse away from surfaces, providing extremely good mixing while avoiding undesirable polymer bonds and formation of free radicals generated in the bubble vapours, Fowe said.
Engine wear will be reduced for lower maintenance costs.
Scorpio chief executive Emanuele Lauro said: “In terms of financial and environmental benefits, the Fowe system stands out for its clear and immediate advantages.”
Anchor partner
“Requiring little in the way of initial investment and eliminating the need for installation downtime, the Fowe solution presents an ideal pathway to reducing operating expenses and curbing greenhouse gas emissions,” he added.
Fowe CEO Dean Mihalic said recent tests conducted at the Alfa Laval test and training centre in Aalborg, Denmark, indicated potential fuel savings of up to 8.7% for marine four-stroke engines.
“Our technology produces a permanent emulsion with no additives, resulting in cleaner and more complete combustion and significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions,” he explained.
Mihalic described Scorpio as its anchor customer and trusted partner throughout the testing and development process.
