Japan has solidified its position as one of the most influential forces in the shipping industry, not only as a major shipbuilder, but also as driver of innovation. As the country pushes towards alternative fuels and decarbonization, more companies are also looking for greater efficiencies. Accelleron is on hand to support.
Turbochargers are all about efficiency. They can boost the output power of an engine in comparison to naturally aspirated alternatives, and this results in substantial fuel consumption and other emission reductions. Accelleron, through Turbo Systems United, its local joint venture with IHI, delivers products and solutions that can further enhance efficiencies as well.
These include digital solutions that can contribute towards decarbonization by giving customers the capability to make data-driven decisions to reduce the over-consumption of resources.
Over the past few months, this has resulted in Accelleron creating partnerships or signing deals with several Japanese companies.
Driving the uptake of digital solutions
Accelleron’s most recent partnership announcement saw an agreement between Turbo Systems United and BEMAC, a Japanese maritime data platform provider. BEMAC provides comprehensive engineering services that encompass everything from ship operations to cargo, creating electrical and information systems used on marine vessels.
As part of the partnership, data gathering and transmission for Accelleron’s digital optimization solutions and data-enabled service agreements will be automated within BEMAC’s MaSSA-One platform, providing seamless connectivity.
This will help to drive the uptake of digital solutions including Tekomar XPERT and Turbo Insights, providing customers with easier access to data-driven performance improvements and cost reductions.
BEMAC Corporate Officer and Device & Communication Segment Manager, Hideyuki Terada explains:
“Our role is to provide the users with the stable operations of the ship IoT platform to utilize the ship data effectively. By combining our standardized infrastructure with Accelleron's digital solutions, we are confident that we are coming one step closer to achieve our ideal of “a ship that never stops”.
Meeting between the management of Furuno and the management of Accelleron at Sea Japan 2024
Simplifying access to turbocharger and engine optimization solutions
Accelleron also announced a partnership between Turbo Systems United and Furuno last month, with the two companies working together to simplify access to turbocharger and engine optimization solutions and digitally enabled services.
Furuno has a leading position in the supply of marine radar systems, with more than 40% market share in the global merchant fleet, as well as delivering a range of other electronic equipment. Under the agreement, the company will promote and enable the use of Accelleron digital solutions through its Furuno Open Platform connectivity solution.
Yoshimasa Wakasa, Executive Director, Senior Vice President, and Head of New Product Sales at Accelleron’s Japanese joint venture company Turbo Systems United, explains:
“The synergy between Accelleron’s digital solutions and Furuno's open platform will help customers of both companies to find greater value from their data, supporting their decarbonization efforts and improving operational efficiency. We are pleased to strengthen our collaboration with Furuno through this agreement.”
Supporting stronger engine performance
Accelleron’s support for Japanese companies in the marine industry isn’t limited to digital solutions, either, with a recent deal resulting in the supply of turbochargers for MAKITA’s first small-bore two-stroke marine engine featuring exhaust gas recirculation (EGR).
MAKITA CORPORATION manufactures marine engines for 10,000 to 40,000 ton class ships, and is one of the world’s biggest small-bore two-stroke engine builders. The latest deal with Accelleron helps to make MAKITA’s engines more efficient. The 6G45ME-C9.7-EGRBP engine, will be the first of its type worldwide to feature EGR bypass, which enables the engine to match EGR operation to engine load to deliver the required NOx emissions reduction.
EGR bypass application at Tier III mode relies on turbocharger efficiency, and the Accelleron A255-L turbocharger contributed MAKITA’s 6G45ME-C9.7-EGRBP engine to fulfil Tier III NOx emissions regulation with a relatively low power demand, contributing to better fuel consumption and therefore lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Helping companies to become more efficient
Japan is already making significant strides towards adopting alternative fuels and achieving decarbonization, but partnerships and deals like these between Accelleron and BEMAC, Furuno, and MAKITA can also make a big difference, helping shipping companies to become more efficient along the way.