Effectiveness of High-Precision Ship Thrust Measurement System Verified Through Sea Trials

MITSUI E&S Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Takeyuki Takahashi; hereinafter, "MITSUI E&S") has developed a high-precision Ship Thrust Measurement System (hereinafter, “the System") that accurately measures vessel propulsion performance and can be utilized for fuel efficiency improvement and voyage optimization, and verified its effectiveness through sea trials conducted on a vessel owned by ENEOS Ocean Corporation (Headquarters: Yokohama City, Kanagawa; President: Akira Miyazawa).

Solving Challenges in Vessel Performance Prediction
In the shipping industry, improving fuel efficiency and optimizing vessel performance have become important challenges, driven by the need to comply with Green House Gas (GHG) reduction targets set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) regulations, as well as rising fuel prices and instability in fuel supply routes.
However, vessel performance in actual sea conditions is greatly affected by weather and ocean conditions such as wind and waves. Therefore, conventional analysis methods based on vessel speed and shaft power data have made it difficult to accurately identify the causes of performance changes and to achieve highly accurate performance predictions.
To address these challenges, MITSUI E&S developed its proprietary the System, which accurately measures thrust (the force that propels a vessel forward), a direct indicator for evaluating vessel propulsion performance. The System integrates the design and analysis technologies cultivated through many years as a marine engine manufacturer with advanced sensing technologies. It measures minute strain generated in engine structural components and calculates thrust with a high degree of accuracy. Furthermore, proprietary technologies compensate for disturbances caused by structural deformation and temperature variations, enabling the acquisition of highly reliable thrust data.

Effectiveness Verified in Actual Sea Conditions
The System was installed on the crude oil tanker ENEOS DREAM and underwent sea trials under actual operating conditions. As a result, stable measurement performance and high reproducibility were confirmed under various operating conditions, demonstrating that the System provides performance sufficient for practical application.
By utilizing the System, it becomes possible to quantitatively understand the effects of marine meteorological factors such as wind, waves, and currents on vessel propulsion performance and fuel consumption, which have traditionally been difficult to assess.

Supporting Fuel Efficiency Improvement Through Visualization of Vessel Performance Based on Thrust Measurement Data
Thrust is an important indicator that directly represents vessel propulsion performance. By measuring thrust in actual sea conditions in real time and with high accuracy, the System visualizes vessel performance and enables enhanced understanding of hull condition and more advanced analysis of operational results. This contributes to improved operational prediction accuracy and fuel efficiency.
Following validation by an independent third-party organization, MITSUI E&S plans to commercialize the System. In addition, through collaboration with stakeholders in the shipping industry, including shipowners, ship operators, shipbuilders, and voyage optimization service providers, MITSUI E&S will promote the adoption and standardization of new thrust-based vessel performance evaluation indicators. 
MITSUI E&S will continue to provide solutions that enhance the competitiveness of shipowners and operators while contributing to GHG emission reductions through advanced operational optimization and energy-saving initiatives enabled by the System. 

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