Stena Teknik
Stena Teknik
Development of technological cutting-edge technology for future ship operation
Stena Teknik assists Stena’s maritime business units with expertise within project management, technical solutions and innovation, in order to increase Stena’s competitiveness and future relevance through the development of safe, effective and sustainable solutions. Stena Teknik plays a central role in the Stena Group’s work to contribute to the shipping sector’s vision of climate-neutral transport. Intensive work is under way in this area to optimise the design of both existing and newly built vessels, in order to increase load capacity, minimise fuel consumption and enable fossil-free operation. Stena Teknik also focuses on developing safety onboard, not least in terms of fire safety. “As Stena’s internal research and development unit, we have an obligation to predict the effects of new environmental legislation, and also to analyse opportunities to reduce energy consumption both offshore and onshore,” says Ron Gerlach, Technical Director, Stena Teknik.
Summary of 2022
Stena Teknik took further steps during the year to consolidate knowledge in the Group. The mission is to operate technical solutions that will make the ship operation of the future more efficient, safer and more sustainable.
NEW TOOL FOR MEASURING FUEL CONSUMPTION
According to Ron Gerlach, we are starting to see the effects of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS), while fuel taxation is increasing and oil is becoming a more expensive fuel. Although electric propulsion and biofuels are currently relatively expensive, such solutions will be more cost effective in the future, compared to oil. Another important tool in reducing both emissions and fuel costs is to work on streamlining, he believes
“We’re currently developing an AI tool in collaboration with Stena IT, which is designed according to our fleet structure and the systems we use. It gives an opportunity to measure and monitor both fuel consumption and emissions in real time – and thereby predict future consumption. This gives Stena’s business units the opportunity to make decisions about how the fleet should be developed and what the best future operating solutions are.
CONTINUOUS ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT FUELS
Stena Teknik works broadly in terms of analysis and evaluation of future fuels, in collaboration with several other players within Stena.
“We keep our eyes and ears open, to see what’s happening on the market. We will be open to different solutions – even though our current focus is mainly on methanol and electrification,” says Ron Gerlach. Methanol is considered an important fuel for reducing the future fossil dependence of shipping. The development of methanol power takes place in partnership with Swiss energy company Proman.
“One of the challenges when it comes to methanol is ensuring that it is produced in a green way. Stena is constantly increasing its demand for green fuel, in order to send a clear signal to producers. We believe that the main development in this area will take place within the next three to four years. This means that we will probably see a real increase in both demand and supply of green methanol after 2025,” says Ron Gerlach.