WELLINGTON: Interislander passenger and vehicle ferry ‘Arahura’ will run an auxiliary engine on a fuel oil emulsion for three months, after an initial two-day test in 2013 showed reduced emissions and fuel consumption, reports Dag Pike.
The fuel mix is a watered down version of diesel fuel, developed by Blended Fuel Solutions NZ. Arahura is a 148m ferry built is 1983 and operates the short voyage between the North and South islands in New Zealand. She is shortly due to be replaced by a new ferry.
The emulsion technology allows diesel-oil coated water droplets to be converted into steam, and is claimed to make the small fuel particles burn more efficiently. The emulsion is achieved by an additive blended into the fuel together with water.
“If these trials are successful it looks as though it could reduce our use of fuel and the level of emissions as well as offering a significant financial saving,” said Malcom Sims, the Interislander engineer in charge of the project. “The trial will last for three months and it follows a two day trial back in 2013 which showed reduced fuel consumption and emissions, thus opening the way to this more extensive operational trial.”
The parties involved are also exploring other alternative fuels such as biofuels, but none are yet as commercially advanced as the emulsion technology. Interislander said it would be analysing the data from the trials further with its partners.
“While these are still early days, there is definitely scope for potentially installing the technology across the fleet,” said Sims.
Arahura runs four Wartsila Vassa 12V32 4MW diesel engines, each coupled to a GEC 3800kW generator. Four GEC 3600kW electric motors drive two KaMeWa controllable pitch propellers each with a diameter of 3.6m.
