Alfa Laval announces the completion of its acquisition of Marine Performance Systems B.V., a Rotterdam-based maritime technology company that has developed the first fluidic air lubrication system on the market. The move will enable Alfa Laval to bring this environment-friendly technology to market contributing significantly towards improving ship efficiency, reducing fuel consumption, and minimizing emissions from ships.
Having acquired a minority stake in Marine Performance Systems B.V(MPS) in the year 2021, Alfa Laval has now taken the final step to fully integrate the company under its own brand. The acquisition will accelerate the advancement and introduction of the patented fluidic air lubrication system, FluidicAL into the market to support vessels to sail sustainably.
A ship’s friction when sailing is the most significant driver of its fuel consumption representing up to 60 per cent of a vessel’s operating expenditures. The advanced fluidic air lubrication system from MPS combines fluidics and air lubrication technologies to offer significant reductions in the ship’s friction when sailing. The system is unique in its use of fluidics to generate micro air bubbles with a high degree of control, maintaining an air layer that covers the full flat bottom area of the vessel for maximum effectiveness. The reduction of frictional resistance working on the ship's hull results in reduced fuel consumption.
With its ability to provide shipowners with numerous benefits in one solution, the fluidic air lubrication technology is expected to have a significant impact on shipping decarbonization. By reducing the friction, air lubrication not only supports emission abatement but provides substantial fuel cost savings and improvement in overall ship efficiency, at a vessel’s normal service speed and a payback period below 3 years.
The patented FluidicAL system requires no structural modifications or vessel recertification, which makes it ideal for retrofitting as well as for newbuilds. Having a minimal footprint and maximum flexibility, the system can be configured and optimised to the specific vessel’s design and operational profile ensuring integration with existing onboard technology seamlessly.
Air lubrication technology is recognized by the International Maritime Organization(IMO) as an “Innovative Energy Efficiency Technology” to lower carbon emissions. The technology supports compliance with Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index(EEXI), Energy Efficiency Design Index(EEDI) and the reduction of carbon intensity to meet IMO's carbon Intensity Indicator(CII) requirements. Besides this, the innovative fluidic air lubrication technology minimizes CO2 emissions thereby helping in limiting CO2 tax.