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Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) and MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd. (MOL Tech) have announced that the fuel-saving Propeller Boss Cap Fins (PBCF), developed by MOL, West Japan Fluid Engineering Laboratory Co., Ltd., and Mikado Japan, Ltd., and sold by MOL Tech, has now been ordered for 2,000 vessels worldwide.

The PBCF is a device that is attached to the propellers of a vessel. According to MOL, it breaks up the hub vortex generated behind the rotating propeller, resulting in a decrease of more than 9,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year due to a 3-5 percent reduction in fuel consumption for a large-scale containership.

Research and development on the PBCF started in 1986, and sales began the following year. Since then an increasing number of shipowners, mainly in Japan, began to adopt the system. By 2006, the 19th year since the start of sales, the PBCF had been ordered for 1,000 vessels. Since then, it has gained worldwide recognition by vessel owners and operators, and the number of ships adopting it has doubled in just five years, reaching the 2,000 vessel milestone this year.

At the Second International Symposium on Marine Propulsors in Hamburg, Germany, in June 2011, UK firm BMT Defence Services Ltd. presented a paper reporting on a before and afterspeed test using an Aframax tanker operated by a major firm, showing fuel savings of nearly 4 percent.

Features of PBCF

1. 3-5% reduction in fuel consumption and a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions.

2. A reduction in propeller torque.

3. Reduced vibration in the stern less underwater noise.

4. Reduced rudder erosion.

5. Installation is simple and straightforward, requiring only the removal of the propeller boss caps and replacement with the PBCF. No hull modification is needed.

6. The PBCF is an integral part of the propeller, with no other moving parts. The PBCF system is custom made, with design optimized for the shape of the vessel's propellers. Lead time is three to four months from order to delivery.

7. It is maintenance free after installation, requiring only inspection and polishing when the vessel is in drydock, and performance does not decline over time.

MOL Group

MOL Group is promoting its next-generation vessel concept called Sempaku ISHIN, and the PBCF is one of its key technologies.

The group's research and development programme looks at various green technologies and aims to promote global environmental protection by helping reduce CO2 emissions from vessels.

MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd.

MOL Techno-Trade, Ltd. is a MOL Group trading company. Its business covers a wide range of fields, including: sales of fuel and lubricants, various ship machinery, ship stores, ship parts, and telecommunication equipment; sales of land-based air conditioning equipment and industrial machinery and equipment; real estate agency and sales; and maintenance of the National Oil Storage Barges.

Its environmental products include heat shield paint and energy-saving lighting fixtures in addition to PBCF. The company also markets safety-related products include scaffolding for inspection of bulk carrier cargo holds and maintenance operations.