This letter is to confirm that an assessment was carried out by Mark Smurthwaite, a qualified structural engineer (in the discipline of marine engineering), with Bachelor of Engineering (with Honours), Master of Arts by Research, PhD Candidate in Engineering, Environmental Impact Research, University of Central Lancashire School of Engineering.
A survey of the components of the vessel, Pelican 96 (Registry No. 3033) indicate that the vessel performs favourably in several areas concerned with environmental impact.
Compared to other equivalent marine diesel engines from leading manufacturers, Deutz Henan’s 1680HP diesel engine performs favourably in areas concerned with environmental impact. With a fuel consumption rate of 205g/kWh, environmental impact due to emissions and energy depletion are 5% lower than the 215g/kWh of Bauduin12 M26.3 (1650HP) and 36% lower than the 319g/kWh of the MAN V12-1650 (1650HP) marine engine. Furthermore, the engine’s compliance with IMO Tier II regulations ensures that NOx and SOx emissions are limited and periodic revisions of the standard are aimed at continuing to reduce NOx and SOx emissions of compliant engines (Witkowski, 2020). EIAPP certification ensures components fully comply with the applicable regulation 13 of Annex VI of MARPOL.
A comparison between the vessel’s Beijing BeiNei Diesel Engine Co., Ltd manufactured BF6L913C AC Diesel Generator and other ubiquitous generators of similar power (120-138kVA) returns favourable results. Deutz- BF6L913C fuel consumption of 224g/kWh is 32% lower than the 330g/kWh specified by the CIMEX SDG140 138kVA engine.
The use of the innovative X-bow design has been shown to reduce wave-making resistance (Mosaad et al., 2017) and was recommended as the best model in an comparison of three alternative designs (Kiryanto et al., 2020). Experiments on the implementation of the X-bow body form have resulted in a “huge benefit” of lower dynamic pressure at various speeds and reduced resistance (Niklas and Pruszko, 2019). This more efficient design causes less noise, vibration and disturbance to wildlife.
The unrivalled fuel-saving properties of Hempaguard (Hempel A/S) paint, developed against a backdrop of tightening environmental regulations and an increasing push to reduce CO2 emissions, means that, collectively, the owners of these 1000 vessels have reduced their annual bunker bill by more than USD 400 million. This corresponds to a reduction in CO2 emissions of more than three million tonnes every year. In October 2014, Hempaguard was awarded the Shipping Efficiency’s prestigious Environmental Technology award for making “a significant contribution to environmental impact reduction or prevention to ships”.
The vessel is outfitted with a SonicShield Ultrasonic Antifouling System, which uses ultrasonic pulses to deter microorganisms from collecting on the hull. The sound, while being harmless to fish and plant life, effectively arrests the build-up of microorganisms which would attact larger organism such as barnicles. This method of control is preferable to cconventional antibiofouling strategies using biocides which are harmful to the environment (McQuillan et al., 2016).
In summary, the environmental impact of the Pelican 96 vessel is minimal and could not be practically reduced. When compared to similar vessels Pelican 96 performs favourably in terms of local and regional environmental impact due, in part, to installation of efficient and innovative technologies.
Yours Sincerely,
Mark Smurthwaite
School of Engineering
University of Central Lancashire
Email: MSmurthwaite3@uclan.ac.uk
Phone: 00447500420371