Chemical tanker company MOL Nordic Tankers has agreed a deal to extend a trial of the BunkerPlanner marine fuel management system to its whole global fleet, following a successful pilot test conducted on five vessels at the end of 2018.
The system, sold by 20|20 Marine Energy and BunkerMetric under a recently signed joint marketing agreement, is used to optimise fuel procurement strategies on a vessel-by-vessel basis, to support decisions on optimal product grades and the time and location to lift bunkers.
The software analyses a range of factors that impact bunkering decisions, including fuel price forecasts, trade patterns and routes, vessel speed and fuel consumption, time spent in Emission Control Areas (ECAs), as well as costs related to deviations, port calls and barges.
Using the system’s own simulation and optimisation algorithms, an optimal bunkering plan is then generated for each vessel, specifying the amount of each fuel type to purchase at specific port calls.
“The shipping industry is going through a rapid digitalisation, and it is critical that we embrace these new technologies and innovations to help manage the challenges that we face as the sector evolves,” said Andreas Sund Poulsen, VP Global Operations, MOL Nordic Tankers.
“Access to data that can provide real insights into our fuel procurement strategy, and help us to make informed decisions on how, when and where we buy our fuel in a way that reduces our overall fuel spend is invaluable; particularly as we move into 2020 where the price of fuel will inevitably rise, in conjunction with the added pressures of consistency in product availability and quality.”
A web interface is currently being developed for MOL Nordic Tankers for integration into the company’s other ship management and procurement systems, to further optimise fuel management processes. The BunkerPlanner system is licensed on a per vessel basis.
