By
Alex Smith |
Qtagg is to carry out an upgrade of the propulsion control system onboard Tallink’s Silja Europa as the ship returns to regular sailing.
Silja Europa is Tallink’s largest cruise vessel, and sailed between Helsinki, Finland, and Tallinn, Estonia until the summer of 2022. Since September 2022, it has been chartered out to the Netherlands and used to house migrants and refugees. Tallink is now preparing the ship to return to regular sailing, and has decided to replace the existing propulsion control system.
Qtagg will supply the EcoPilot voyage optimisation system, with interfaces both at the bridge and in the control room. It will also provide four DEGO IV engine governors, four ASAC actuators with control units, two pitch control units and the ancillary equipment needed for installation.
The governors will be installed in the engine control room, replacing existing control units. The governors are connected to an application server and a system that visualises fuel consumption and provides detailed logging. The actuator control units will be mounted in the engine room, while the pitch control units are installed in the existing cabinet, replacing the current analog rack.
EcoPilot automatically calculates the expected fuel consumption for a voyage, based on the desired arrival time, selected route and current weather reports. The captain will then be able to adjust the arrival or departure times in order to optimise fuel savings. Once the captain then selects a route it is executed through the propulsion control system, and the optimal propeller speed and pitch position is applied over the course of the voyage.
The fuel savings achieved by the system is estimated to be about six per cent, based on its performance on Tallink Isabelle. The resulting reduction in annual carbon dioxide emissions is expected to be 2096 tonnes.