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The Rickmers Group is to implement the ABB EMMA Energy Management System, which is provided by ABB, the power and automation technology group.

The system will be used to help the ship management teams at Rickmers operate their ships at a maximum level of energy efficiency in order to save fuel. Facing changing markets and increasing price pressures, Rickmers expects the system to improve profitability and reduce its overall environmental footprint.

"With the implementation of an energy management system aboard our ships, we are setting up Rickmers for sustainability in two ways - increasing energy efficiency means increasing profitability and reducing our carbon footprint at the same time", said Jens Lassen, Managing Director of Rickmers Shipmanagement and Global Head of Rickmers' business unit Maritime Services.

"With current fuel prices, the estimated payback of the system is less than a year" said Mikko Lepistö, responsible for Advisory Systems within ABB's Vessel Information and Control (VICO), an extension of the Marine and Cranes business unit.

"Through industry experience and tests on-board we are certain that our trim optimisation system can help our customers save a substantial amount in fuel consumption and consequently reduce emissions significantly", Lepistö commented.

The Rickmers Group is starting with a group of five ships that are operated by Rickmers-Linie. Rickmers-Linie is a leading global specialist for the ocean transportation of breakbulk, heavylift and project cargoes, and deliveries for large-scale projects.

The installation of the system will be carried out ship by ship and the first system is expected to be commissioned in the third quarter of 2012. The complete system for five ships is expected to be fully operational by the end of year.

The first five ships to be equipped with EMMA will be Rickmers Singapore [pictured], Rickmers New Orleans, Rickmers Jakarta, Rickmers Antwerp and Rickmers Tokyo.