Odfjell Management AS is saving money and cutting emissions thanks to ABB Turbocharging’s engine upgrades

With climate change a hot topic, there’s never been a more critical time to concentrate on emissions. We’re seeing the introduction of strict NOx and CO2 emissions legislation, and this has led to fleet operators looking at ways to make their machinery more efficient.

Norway-based Odfjell wants to be a front-runner when it comes to minimizing environmental impact, and the company selected chemical tanker BOW SUN for initial upgrades.

Odfjell started its journey by changing the design of BOW SUN’s propeller, cutting performance in a bid to decrease fuel consumption and lower emissions. ABB Turbocharging then investigated ways to optimize the engine to match new power demands. Bringing ABB Turbocharging on board to manage the project meant that Odfjell could call on a huge range of engineering expertise across multiple areas.

Dealing with a single stakeholder

Identifying Odfjell’s specific needs and the issues the company wanted to solve played a big part in this project’s success. Implementing major engine upgrades on ships is a huge undertaking, generally involving multiple stakeholders including turbocharger and engine makers, classification societies and additional companies or departments. With ABB Turbocharging’s engineering and consulting services, however, Odfjell only had to deal with a single stakeholder for this specific engine upgrade project.

Along with the upgraded propeller, BOW SUN received a tailored engine re-tune designed for low-load optimization and to meet IMO NOx classification. ABB Turbocharging modified the engine’s shims, exhaust, fuel-cam position, VIT parameters, cylinder liner insulation, and upgraded turbocharger components included the nozzle ring and compressor wheel.

The ability for Odfjell to deal with a single point of contact at ABB Turbocharging while these upgrades were carried out not only saved costs for the customer, but it also saved time, with all the necessary engineers on site at the dock when required.

Meeting emissions targets

De-rating the engine for optimal power with the new propeller, along with engine re-tuning and turbocharger upgrades for optimal performance has helped Odfjell to save money on operating costs and to reduce emissions. CO2 emissions have been cut by 3%, while NOx is down by 20%, helping BOW SUN to maintain IMO compliance and meeting IMO Tier I regulations.

The project is the perfect example of how ABB can bring a wide range of expertise together to respond to customer requirements. ABB may be best known for its turbochargers, but working closely with newly acquired Tekomar, our engineers are also fully capable of adding an additional layer of knowledge and providing far more comprehensive solutions and all-in-one service and upgrade packages.

The upgrades to BOW SUN have enabled Odfjell to lower its environmental impact while also saving a significant amount of money, but this is just the starting point in the Norwegian company’s journey to become greener.