Manta Marine Technologies (MMT) has secured its fourth hundredth vessel contract for its industry-leading automated propulsion optimization technology system, FuelOpt™. The latest contract is subscription-based and was signed in February 2024 between MMT and J.J. Ugland for an installation onboard their 60,000 DWT bulk carrier, the M.V. Jorita.

Richard Engelhart Bjercke, Chief Commercial Officer at Manta Marine Technologies, said “We are very proud to have signed our 400th FuelOpt™ contract — each of which is a testament to the trust companies and crews have put in us. Our industry is rapidly working towards a greener and more sustainable future, and we are eager to enable that process with a range of solutions that can offer real results that meet operators at their needs while continuing to advance their commercial interests.”

FuelOpt™ allows vessels to achieve steady and predictable shaft power, removing costly variations caused by human operational factors and freeing crew up to focus on other essential tasks. Once the crew enters the desired setpoints and activates the system from the intuitive bridge panel, the system dynamically controls the propulsion output, ensuring that power is always optimised based on the settings defined and changing environmental conditions.

Fuel-agnostic, FuelOpt™ can be utilised on vessels using conventional or alternative fuels, making it a safe choice for ship owners looking to futureproof their investment. The system also integrates easily and assists with fuel and emissions reporting, and can be utilised alongside AI-technologies for routing. For vessels utilising hybrid propulsion technologies, such as wind assisted propulsion, the automated propulsion optimisation system assists the vessel in dynamically maintaining a target state, automating adjustments to account for changes in surrounding conditions while consuming minimal fuel.

The system easily operates onboard vessels with fixed pitch propellers (FPP) — such as the M.V. Jorita — as well as onboard vessels with controllable pitch propellers (CPP) to provide the greatest amount of thrust with the least expenditure of power.

Gordon Eugen Andersen, Technical Manager at Ugland Marine Services, said, “By placing energy-efficiency and lowered emissions at the heart of our commercial strategy, Ugland Marine Services is committed to advancing in line with shipping’s ambitious decarbonisation targets. The installation of FuelOpt™ onboard the M.V. Jorita is a key step in this journey, and we look forward to working closely with Manta Marine Technologies in the future to unlock the full range of benefits associated with this technology.”

Independent testing has confirmed that FuelOpt™ can provide fuel savings of up to 10% and over, making the most of every drop of fuel a vessel uses — a key consideration for operators as fuel costs continue to rise. The maximised and efficient use of fuel also assists operators stay in line with increasingly stringent emissions reductions regulations like the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII).

"We pride ourselves on a collaborative customer experience. We have an expanded fleet performance team to help our customers maximise benefits from our products and services and also work closely with classification societies, such as DNV, to verify savings onboard,” said Bjercke.

Maritime Business World