Singapore-based shipbuilding company Strategic Marine has commissioned a study to compare the efficiency of traditional diesel-powered and hybrid-powered crew transfer vessels (CTVs).

Courtesy of Strategic Marine

The study will be conducted by the Maritime Energy and Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence (MESD CoE) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore).

It will assess the difference in energy and emissions profiles between the company-built diesel-powered and hybrid-powered CTVs. Researchers will conduct joint sea trials with Strategic Marine to collect the CTVs’ operational data. According to Strategic Marine, the study will adopt established MESD CoE’s methods for fuel consumption and emission assessments across varying speeds, profiles, and distances.

The company said it believes that the study will serve as a valuable benchmark for shipowners to evaluate their fleet’s energy and emissions performance across various operational profiles, and that will translate into informed decisions when selecting alternative low-carbon energy fleets that meet green regulatory requirements.

Chan Eng Yew, CEO of Strategic Marine, said: “We are happy to bring our expertise in building specialised vessels for offshore crew supply to support MESD CoE’s work in sustainable solutions through this partnership.”

Jasmine Lam, Centre Director, MESD CoE, NTU Singapore, stated: “We are honoured that Strategic Marine has chosen MESD CoE to conduct this study, demonstrating their commitment to knowledge and the promotion of sustainable solutions. We are pleased to support our maritime community as it transits towards a low-carbon future.”

Strategic Marine has been developing and building hybrid CTVs for some time, and its latest venture is a possible deal to build 10 hybrid CTVs for UK-based offshore vessel owner-operator HST Marine.

Chan said: “Our hybrid vessels adopting technology that will help reduce maritime industry greenhouse gas emissions are gaining popularity, and we are glad that they can also contribute to research on sustainability solutions for the industry.”