Houlder, the design and engineering consultancy with sustainability at its core, today announced it has secured funding from Innovate UK’s Smart Shipping Acceleration Fund to develop an expanded module for its optimised modelling environment, HOME, that will enable shipowners to develop a roadmap for fleet decarbonisation by modelling the financial implications of using a wide range of energy savings devices in combination with fuel strategies and operating profiles.

The imperative to decarbonise continues to deeply influence decision-making for shipowners, who want to lower vessel emissions while remaining competitive and avoiding being left with stranded assets as carbon regulations continue to tighten. Currently, shipowners lack access to the technology to provide them with analysis that connects the operational impact of energy saving devices to the budget and cost implications of alternative fuels. The new project, led by Houlder, will allow shipowners to sift energy saving device options quickly to understand which will work, eliminate those that do not reach agreed criteria and prioritise the most promising technologies for further analysis.

Houlder will use data from three vessels to validate modules for inclusion in its modelling, including WAPS, air lubrication, hull coating, an update on PTO variable RPM for controllable pitch propellers and alternative fuel. Two of the three vessels for the validation work will be provided by Houlder’s client, Siem Shipping. Three separate studies will analyse optimisation result for energy saving devices, alternative fuels and controllable pitch propellers, quantifying CO2 reduction, OPEX savings and return on investment.

Iebum Shin, Data Analytics Lead at Houlder, commented: “Whether for a newbuild or a retro fit, shipowners will frequently make decisions about which energy savings devices to install on their vessels without a clear understanding of how the technology will perform once it is installed on the vessel and operating at sea. The project will help shipowners move from understanding which devices will work best, to understanding the returns they can expect and making investment decisions accordingly.”

As well as developing the modelling capacity to understand and deliver insight that will help shipowners accurately assess the performance of energy saving devices and impact on energy and carbon costs, the project will see the development of a graphical user interface, allowing Houlder’s team of experts to walk through study results with their clients and adjust inputs to the model in real time to enhance analysis and real-world scenario planning.

Development of modules to expand capability and integrate analysis on suction sails, air lubrication, hull coatings, propeller modifications and real-world savings and emission reduction using AIS data, as well as a broader library of base ships, will be completed in the coming months. Results from three vessel case studies and the delivery of an interface to simplify the experience of users of Houlder’s modelling technology are expected around the end of the first quarter in 2026.