RINA has granted Approval in Principle to SDARI as the ship designer for an innovative aframax tanker. This vessel is the deliverable of the joint development project, which also includes TMS Tankers as the prospective owner and Wartsila as the engine maker, according to the company's release.
The design boasts a unique propulsion system, replacing the traditional setup of one 2-stroke main engine and three generators with two medium-speed engines. These engines are capable of powering both the vessel's propulsion and hotel load.
This novel arrangement achieves significantly improved fuel efficiency across all speed ranges when compared to today's standard dual-fuel ships.
The design provides a compliance path for shipowners, allowing them to operate close to 2040 without incurring additional costs. At that point, depending on market dynamics, they can choose to either retrofit the engines to the prevailing global fuel or convert the natural gas to hydrogen fuel, capturing carbon atoms as CO2 for storage and disposal ashore.