CASPER compares ship performance from hull and propeller fouling with a clean, smooth hull and propeller from sea trials. This generates data for speed and fuel consumption due to basic roughness and fouling.

“In CASPER, we treat each ship in our program entirely individually, allowing our customers to fully rely on our work in ship performance analysis as well as benchmarking and recommendations to enhance fleet-wide optimisation,” said Christian Brobeck, managing director, Propulsion Dynamics.

The company says that the IMO's impending Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) regulation should push further demand for the CASPER service, with 2012 having already seen active ships increase by 20 per cent.

Among the vessel operators using the CASPER system is chemical transport company Eitzen, which has been applying the technology since 2008 as the basis for its hull cleaning and propeller polishing programme.

Eitzen has also successfully implemented the CASPER+Trim system, used to improve efficiency in operations and reduce fuel requirements. This trim tool is based on the physical model of the vessel and provides advice on the ideal trim for any speed, weather and loading.

“CASPER+Trim is very straightforward; it provides a very good overview of optimum trim. With this tool we will achieve our new goals for fuel saving,” said Rasmus Kjaer, general technical manager at Eitzen.

“The response from one of our captains after modifying the trim according to the new trim tool was that although the vessel was experiencing rough weather, the consumption reduced immediately and there was a positive response from the chief engineer that as soon as the recommended trim was achieved the load on the main engine decreased.”