Global automation technology leader Emerson has made a strategic investment in Frugal Technologies, which will use Emerson’s global organization to accelerate sales of its fuel-saving AI technology for ships.

With a control system based on artificial intelligence (AI), Frugal Technologies (Aalborg, Denmark) has helped shipping companies such as Uni-Tankers, Christiania Shipping, and Royal Arctic Line to reduce fuel consumption on their ships by up to 15%.

Now, Frugal Technologies is adding strong international forces to speed up commercial development. Emerson, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, has made a strategic investment in the Denmark-based company, bringing extensive expertise from more than 60 years in the marine industry as a recognized provider of technologies and services to optimize operations, safety, and efficiency on ships.

– There is great potential for class-approved solutions like Frugal Propulsion, which helps shipowners comply with the EEXI requirements and, at the same time, optimize the ship’s CII score. Emerson’s investment will help us accelerate sales, installation, and service worldwide, says Peter Hauschildt, CEO and co-founder of Frugal Technologies.

Class approved OPL solution for EEXI compliance

Frugal Propulsion is an algorithm-based technology that uses sensors and data to automatically optimize the engine and the propeller regarding draught, load, waves, and wind. Since early 2023, Frugal Propulsion has been approved as an “Overridable Power Limitation System (Electronic)” by the classification societies Bureau Veritas, Lloyds, and DNV.

– Frugal Technologies’ mission aligns very well with Emerson’s commitment to drive innovation that supports our customers in their sustainability journey. Our shipping customers demand the best fuel consumption measurements and data available to make better, more informed decisions. Frugal, combined with our technologies, provides an unparalleled value proposition for fuel optimization, says Jakob Nørr, vice president of Emerson.

The Frugal Propulsion system automatically ensures that the engine power is always within the limits indicated by the EEXI calculation for the ship. The system logs and saves all engine data, making it possible at any time to extract detailed reports on the ship’s total energy consumption, as required by the EEXI protocol.

– Our AI calculates the optimum propulsion settings at any time and under any operational conditions. Thus, the system can also benefit when favorable weather conditions make it possible to accelerate the speed without increasing the power. In addition, the system’s accuracy keeps improving during the vessel’s lifetime – increasing fuel and CO2 savings over time. All thanks to our intelligent learning algorithm, explains Peter Hauschildt.