Agricultural trader Cargill is to begin a six-month trial with behavioural change systems startup Signol to promote fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions on its chartered cargo ships by supporting captains and crew in making fuel-saving decisions.
The data-led service sets personalised goals for crew members to improve fuel consumption and environmental impact. Signol will work directly with ship manager BSM Hong Kong, which manages the ships’ crews, to roll out the required systems, using crew and vessel management data from BSM-owned software provider MariApps.
The goals will be set for each crew member based on their past behaviour relating to three operational actions with the potential to save fuel: engine maintenance, efficient use of auxiliary engines which generate electricity rather than powering the ship’s movements, and efficient use of the main engine.
Signol’s dashboard will provide crew members with updates on their progress against personal goals, opportunities to feedback on factors affecting their ability to make fuel-saving decisions, and offer data demonstrating their personal impact on fuel savings and emissions avoided.
Cargill has also opted to use charitable donation incentives to further encourage crew members to hit fuel-saving goals.
“Cargill has repeatedly shown its sustainability leadership by implementing a number of initiatives to reduce its shipping emissions,” said Harriet Johnson, Head of Maritime at Signol.
“In order to take advantage of innovations in sustainable fuels, and to effectively meet evolving regulation on shipping’s environmental impact, it’s essential for ship owners, charterers and managers to optimise the fuel efficiency of their vessels – addressing the human factor is key to doing this.”
