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Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanjin Shipping have signed a agreement to embark on a joint R&D program for an integrated energy management system that will systematically manage and analyze the energy consumption of ships in order to reduce fuel consumption by up to 15%.

By combining the technological expertise of Samsung Heavy Industries and the ship and fleet management experience of Hanjin Shipping, the South Korean firms hope that the project will be a win-win partnership that will enable both to overcome the economic slowdown.

VPS (Vessel Portal Service) is a state-of-the-art technology that is designed to minimize fuel consumption through the comprehensive monitoring, analysis and management of factors affecting the fuel efficiency of ships, including the navigation route, trim, engines, motor power and emissions. It combines the functions of a navigation route optimization system, a trim optimization system and an EEOI monitoring and analysis system.

Route optimization is a technology that identifies the optimal route to a destination based on ship performance data and weather data.

If applied to a ship, route optimization is said to be able to reduce fuel consumption by about 6%. Trim optimization can reduce fuel costs by approximately 5%, according to estimates. The software calculates the optimal trim, based on the speed of the ship and the weight of cargo loaded, and then adjusts the trim by moving the location of the ballast water, maximizing efficiency regardless of conditions.

What is Trim?

Trim is the relationship of a ship's hull to the waterline and is one factor that determines the efficiency of a ship. Before signing the new agreement, Samsung Heavy Industries and Hanjin Shipping tested their trim optimization technology through joint R&D programs using 8,000 TEU-class and 10,000 TEU-class container ships.

In addition, the VPS includes an energy efficiency management program with real-time monitoring of EEOI (Energy Efficiency Operation Indicator), a ship performance evaluation and analysis program designed to optimize the speed and RPM of a ship.

By incorporating the EEOI into the VPS, which enables the monitoring of a ship’s navigation status onshore, Samsung Heavy Industries has enabled the onshore integrated management of the energy efficiency of a multiple-vessel fleet by a shipper.

The new joint research program will aim to further improve the performance of VPS by incorporating Hanjin Shipping’s expertise in the area of vessel and fleet management.

What is VPS (Vessel Portal Service)?

VPS is an advanced ship navigation management system developed by Samsung Heavy Industries. It enables the real-time monitoring of various automation devices installed on ships from locations onshore, using a satellite data communications system. It also enables the detection of faults and necessary responses.

The VPS will be applied to a 4,600 TEU-class container ship of Hanjin Shipping, which will be built by Samsung Heavy Industries, in May 2013, and the full-scale test will be conducted by the end of 2016.

Executive Vice President Seung-Myeon Hwangbo of Samsung Heavy Industries said, “As we have our own solution for system configuration, we have a high level of technology independence. We are now able to improve the completeness of the system through joint research with Hanjin Shipping, and verify the long-term effects of actually applying the system to vessels. This cooperation will set a great example of how a domestic shipbuilder and a shipper can work together to overcome the economic recession.”