- It was an important step for us to test this brand-new valve under operating conditions, says Rasmus Frimann Nielsen, Global Product Manager for Frese Marine & Industry.
He estimates the fuel saving potential aboard Maersk Cunene to be between 20 and 30 MT per year form this simple valve replacement but is still awaiting results and final numbers from the test.
- We have designed the most energy efficient three-way valve on the market. It complements our dynamic control valves and means that we have the complete package for flow and temperature control in Marine cooling systems, including on large container vessels such as Maersk Cunene, he continues.
Aims to decarbonize logistics
Maersk Cunene is a 4,500-TEU Wafmax type container ship built in 2011. It is part of a fleet of 22 vessels introduced by Maersk Line to serve the growing West African market.
With its length of 250 m, 13.5 m draught and 37 m beam, Maersk Cunene is specifically designed to meet the maximum size allowable in West African ports, thereby achieving peak efficiency.
In line with Maersk’s ambition to decarbonize logistics, this vessel uses 30 percent less fuel per container moved than the industry average on the Asia-Africa trade.
Low leakage and low pressure drop
This makes Frese’s OMEGA Compact the ideal valve for Maersk Cunene’s high temperature freshwater cooling system. The Class IV (0,01%) leakage rate of the OMEGA Compact is unique in the market and is due to Frese’s LeakGuard technology, which prevents internal leakage, even over time.
That way no unnecessary cooling is generated when the ship is in port or operating at low load, which ensures savings on steam and fuel oil consumption.
Where low leakage solutions often result in high pressure drop, Frese has developed a unique valve, that makes this issue a thing of the past.
- The OMEGA Compact is optimized for minimum pressure drop and is therefore market leading in terms of high kV values. For typical marine cooling water systems this will result in 30-50% pump energy savings related to the valve. When you are trying to achieve carbon neutral shipping, you need to have an eye on both the big picture and the smaller details and components in your system, Rasmus Frimann Nielsen explains.
