Brazilian mining giant Vale, one of the world’s largest charterers of ore carriers, has been investing heavily in developing more efficient, greener, vessels. It is using Konsberg Digital’s Vessel Insight to confirm the effectiveness of the technologies it is deploying.
After implementing the vessel-to-cloud Vessel Insight technology on Guaibamax bulk carriers in 2020, Vale has now signed with Kongsberg Digital to install Vessel Insight on four Valemax vessels on long-term charter from Asyad Shipping.
The Valemax and Guaibamax classes are considered the largest and most efficient ore carriers in the world as they emit up to 41% less greenhouse gases and transport 2.3 times more than Capesizes. An important goal when developing these vessels was to invest in innovative technologies to make them greener.
Vessel Insight provides instant and easy access to fleet overview, vessel-specific dashboards and analysis tools. Vessel-to-cloud data infrastructure captures and aggregates quality data in a cost-effective and secure way.
Vale is expected to use the data gathered to check and confirm fuel and emissions savings as part of its Ecoshipping program. The program was developed by Vale to foster the adoption of new technologies by the maritime industry with the aim of reducing carbon emissions from shipping. The first two Guaibamax vessels covered by Vessel Insight featured wind-assist rotor sails and hull air lubrication technology, which uses a layer of air bubbles under the hull to increase hydrodynamic efficiency. Now the four Valemax vessels are testing new fuel efficiency technology.
“Vale’s investment in sustainable shipping technology, including efficient Valemax and Guaibamax bulk carriers, positions them as a leader in driving sustainable solutions in the industry. We are thrilled to partner with Vale and provide them with our vessel-to-cloud infrastructure to help monitor fuel and emissions savings and support their efforts towards reducing their carbon footprint. Together, we are working towards a more sustainable future for shipping.”, says Christopher Bergsager, VP growth digital ocean at Kongsberg Digital.
“Vale transports iron ore in the most efficient vessels in the world, but we believe there are still further energy efficient gains to be captured to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Data analytics is key to measuring the performance of the new technologies and making evidence-based strategic decisions. This pioneering project shows our commitment to supporting the shipping industry in fulfilling the ambitions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO),” says Rodrigo Bermelho, shipping technical manager at Vale.
