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Part 1 : The Car Carrier Story "A Reservoir of Innovative Technologies"


On the Horizon

Released in November 2009

We will introduce our next-generation vessels, which will be technically practical in the near future, by building on and refining technologies we have already developed and adopted.

Main features

In port, during loading and unloading:
Achieve zero CO2 emissions by using renewable energy

Under way:
Reduce CO2 emissions by 50%

Notes: A comparison of per unit CO2 emissions of our conventional vessels (PCTC with a capacity of 6,400 standard passenger cars) in the case larger hulls are needed in the future.

CO2 reduction

The following seven elements 1-7 enable a 41% reduction of CO2 emissions. If we see demand for larger vessels, a 50% reduction of CO2 emissions can be achieved with a lager hull, which is element 8.

ISHIN-Ⅰ Optimum Voyage Support System Reduction of wind resistance Reduction of Friction Drag Optimization of hull design Optimization of engine system Optimization of Propulsion Efficiency Use of renewable energy Larger hull

ISHIN-Ⅰ

ISHIN stands for "Innovations in Sustainability backed by Historically proven INtegrated Technologies." It expresses MOL's tradition of technological innovations aimed at ensuring sustainable corporate growth of the company and protecting the environment, regardless of the economic climate.

MOL is already moving toward realizing this vision, designing a hybrid car carrier that uses renewable energy. Based on the key phrase "History holds the key to the future," we will continue our quest for breakthrough technologies.

Voyage illustrations
Optimum Voyage Support System → Reduce CO2 emissions by 5%

This system allows a search tor the fastest and most fuel-efficient route by using the latest marine and terrestrial weather data, while monitoring the ship's operational status and considering vessel performance characteristics that differs by ship type.

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Reduction of wind resistance → Reduce CO2 emissions by 10%

Ship design with wind channels along the upper sides and bow edge fairing
The vessel's bow edge is aerodynamically rounded to reduce pressure from headwinds and beveled along the topsides of the garage deck to help reduce pressure from side winds. Actual service data of the vessel proves that this reduces "leeway" specific to the car carrier -the drift a ship leeward of the course being steered and helps save energy.

Conventional type
Current type

Teardrop ship design
Swirling air currents generated at the stern of the vessel while are reduced by making the stern a teardrop shape, improving propulsion performance. (Patent applied for)

Air flow around teardrop shape stern

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Reduction of Friction Drag → Reduce CO2 emissions by 10%

When paint is applied to the steel surface, micro patterned indentations are formed on the dried paint film which can not be seen by naked eyes. By smoothing such indentations by water stabilized in each concave, friction drag can be reduced (water trapping mechanism). New self-polishing antifouling paint (ship bottom paint) having such mechanism has been adopted for application to the hull of our vessel. The selp-polishing surface of the vessel hull becomes even smoother thanks to the effect of water trapping mechanism.

This ultra-LOW friction coating has been tested on actual ships and a significant effect on fuel efficiency has been verified. We will continue practical studies of the ultra-low friction coating applies to other vessels.

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Optimization of hull design → Reduce CO2 emissions by 3%

We seek optimization of hull design to further improve fuel efficiency, paying particular attention to reassessing the shape below the water surface.

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Optimization of engine system → Reduce CO2 emissions by 4%

The supply of fuel to the main engine is electronically controlled according to the latest available marine weather conditions, and the vessel is operated at the optimum fuel supply rate. In addition, effective thermal energy that has conventionally escaped in the exhaust gas from the main engine, can be recovered(*) to boost fuel efficiency.
At the same time, the onboard electric generator is operated at higher efficiency by combining solar panels and rechargeable batteries, helping optimize the efficiency of the engine system and reduce fuel consumption.

(*) Example of exhaust heat recovery: Power generation using heat from the exhaust system.

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Optimization of Propulsion Efficiency → Reduce CO2 emissions by 17%
二重反転プロペラ
PBCF

The propeller provides the force to push the vessel through the water. A hybrid contra-rotating propeller(*1) drive system, which combines a conventional engine drive system and an electric propulsion system, is adopted.

The vessel is operated without using the main engine and onboard electric generator, relying solely on the electric propulsion system while operating in port.
This achieves zero emissions in port and during loading and unloading, while improving maneuverability.
Another move to boost fuel efficiency is installation of the new-generation PBCF in the front side propeller at the stern. The new-generation PDCF is an updated energy-saving device(*2) developed by MOL and adopted on many vessels.

(*1) Contra-rotating propeller: Propellers are placed in front and back to spin in the opposite direction each other. The efficiency is greatly improved by rear propeller absorbing rotating flow energy of the front propeller.

(*2) PBCF: Propeller Boss Cap Fins. It reduces the hub vortex that forms behind the rotating propeller. Tests have confirmed that the PBCF increases fuel efficiency by 5%, and its energy-saving performance was recognized by the Eco Ship project of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in 2000.

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Use of renewable energy → reduce CO2 emissions by 3%

Solar power generation
Install solar power panels all over the hull to produce up to 500 kW (up to 1,000kW on a lager hull) of electricity.

Rechargeable batteries
Assemble total 15,000kW rechargeable batteries (Lithium ion).

The combination of solar power generation and rechargeable batteries not only achieves greater energy savings compared to the conventional system, but also supplies electricity generated and stored during the voyage while vessel is in port. This is a step toward zero emissions while in port and during loading and unloading.

Heat insulating paint
The top deck of the vessel gets quite hot. Application of heat insulating paint can greatly reduce use of air conditioning systems in the living area and improve the working environment in the garage deck. This paint lowers the temperature of the steel plate from about 80℃ to about 40℃ in the living area.

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Lager hull compatible with new Panama Canal → Reduce CO2 emissions by 15%

Expansion work on the new Panama Canal will be completed in 2014, at which time the canal will accommodate vessels up to 48.8m wide. This will allow an increase in the size of car carrier hulls, as determined by changing market needs.

This will also boost capacity significantly, from the current standard of 6,400 units (small passenger cars), and will also further reduce CO2 emissions per unit transported.

Lager vessels also offer great improvements in overall propulsion performance and fuel efficiency by adopting twin shafts at the stern and a twin skeg (*1) design under the water surface, adopting a hybrid contra-rotating propeller driven system on each shaft, and at the same time de-rating the main engine (*2).

(*1) Twin skeg: A skeg is like a tall fin on an airplane, or the current plate on a ship that has its rudder mounted on the center line. It increases straight propulsion performance. The adoption of a twin skeg design on twin-shaft vessel does not require narrowing of the vessel aft shape, but improves water flow around the stern, and boosts propulsion performance.

(*2) De-rating of main engine: This is a method of using a relatively higher output engine than required, while limiting its range of use. This allows for reduction of fuel consumption by achieving higher maximum combustion pressure.

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