Høglund is commissioned to supply advanced, fully integrated hybrid, automation, and digital solution to two asphalt carriers to be built in Wuhu shipyard, China. The owner, Continental Bitumen, is an integrated procurement, logistics and distribution company supplying bitumen in Europe, Africa and Middle East. The technical manager and operator of the vessels is Tipco Asphalt.

The central part of this delivery is the hybrid electric system, which will be integrated into, monitored, and controlled by Høglund’s IAS (Integrated Automation System) and PMS (Power Management System). Responsible for fuel consumption and emissions monitoring and overall vessel performance is Høglund Ship Performance Monitor.

The design, one of the first of its kind, aims to deliver greater energy efficiency over a wide range of speeds and operational parameters with the installation of a hybrid drive, energy storage battery system and Variable Speed Shaft Generator (VSSG).

The VSSG gives the crew more control over the power supplied to the propeller, with additional generators supplying power to the propeller at different speeds when necessary. The hybrid drive allows excess energy from the propeller shaft to be recovered and re-used for additional power when needed, reducing overall power consumption.

The overall effect of these innovations is that the vessel will be able to operate at greater efficiency over a wider range of speeds and propeller pitches, with a smaller main engine. It also allows the cargo pumps to operate at different speeds, giving additional flexibility in loading and unloading locations.

David Gunaseelan, VP Sales from Høglund, commented: “The growing demand for green infrastructure that we are seeing globally is increasing pressure on the world’s aging fleet of bitumen and asphalt carriers. Innovations in this space not only save fuel but also enable vessels to load and unload at more ports around the world, unlocking operational and commercial flexibility as well as better performance.

“Green legislation such as EEXI and CII is accelerating, but there is still a lot of uncertainty and confusion about the eventual fuel mix that will help shipping meet existing and new environmental criteria. These hybrid and VSSG systems are applicable across all kinds of vessel types and can deliver improved performance and efficiency no matter the type of propulsion.”

Oscar Olav Palacios, Fleet Manager from Tipco, added: “Investing in this new generation of carriers is a critical step for us that highlights our commitment to future-proof our fleet and improve the environmental and efficiency credentials of our vessels.

“By working with Høglund and drawing on their track record of automation and power management systems expertise, we will bolster the energy efficiency and sustainability credentials of our asphalt carriers and substantially increase the flexibility of our operations.

“With an outlook to optimise our fuel efficiency and operational flexibility, we are certain that Høglund’s fully advanced integrated hybrid, automation and digital solutions will be hugely beneficial to our CSR strategy and will reinforce our vision to continuously contribute to the industry’s sustainable development.”