---

Maersk Line has revealed that it will save 15,000 tonnes of fuel and reduce CO2 emissions by 45,000 tonnes each year, thanks to improvements in the design of 22 new container vessels.

Maersk Maritime Technology was able to increase the vessel’s efficiency by 5.2 percent by testing and implementing an alternate design for the bulb – a bulbous-shaped piece on the bow of the ship, designed to decrease resistance as the ship moves through water.

This is the second time the team at Maersk Maritime Technology has achieved significant savings from a bulb design change.

“We’ve now proved twice in a row that by challenging shipyard designs and combining model tests with operational profiles, we can make major reductions in fuel consumption,” said Troels Posborg, Senior General Manager at Maersk Maritime Technology.

To accomplish the design change, the advanced Maersk Ship Performance System provided a complete historical picture for different shipping routes and generated full operational profiles for the new vessels involved.

Maersk Maritime Technology then designed alternate bulb designs, which were tested by The Hamburg Ship Model Basin, a leading expert in naval design. Maersk Line chose the most efficient design, which will now be implemented in the new vessels.

Earlier this year Maersk Group announced that it had reduced its impact on the environment with a drop of 9 percent in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2008 compared to the previous year. The figure represents a fall of 5 million tonnes, which is said to have been mainly achieved through lower fuel consumption by its ships.