We4Sea plans to lower CO2 emissions in the shipping sector
The start-up firm We4Sea has developed a smart tool that can be used to reduce the amount of fuel consumed by sea-going vessels thanks to a few minor adaptations to existing ships. The company says now a 100-million-tonne reduction in annual CO2 emissions has become a reality by making more efficient use of fuel in the shipping sector. The innovations were developed by We4Sea's specialists Dan Veen and Michiel Katgert.
We4Sea makes use of existing onboard equipment, like the voyage data recorder (VDR) and sensors. A ship’s fuel efficiency is measured with the aid of the data generated by these devices. After receiving this data, We4Sea uses simulation software to determine what the effect of certain adjustments will be on the vessel’s fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Examples include installing a new propeller and adjusting the ship’s speed.
The company intends to monitor 500 ships by 2019. This will allow We4Sea to reduce CO2 emissions by 100 million tonnes per year. This is equivalent to the emissions of some 12.5 million Dutch households (an average household in the Netherlands is responsible for around 8 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year according to the data published by Milieu Centraal).
To study the potential of their idea, last year Dan and Michiel took part in the LaunchLab programme, organised by the Port Innovation Lab. This partnership between YES!Delft and the Port of Rotterdam Authority helps port-related start-ups to get their ideas off the ground. Among other things, the Port Innovation Lab offers coaching, test facilities and access to a network of possible launching customers and investors.
“As LaunchLab participants, we were expected to talk with as many potential clients as possible. These talks proved important when it came to confirming what we already suspected: fuel efficiency is a real problem, and companies have no idea how they can tackle it,” says Michiel. “We learned how we can position our tool within the market and who our clients are. And after going on to win the LaunchLab, we knew for sure we were on to something,” adds Dan.
