Eco Marine Power Short-Listed for Ship Efficiency Awards

Eco Marine Power is pleased to announce that it has been named as a finalist in two categories of the inaugural Ship Efficiency Awards 2014. The Ship Efficiency Awards 2014, hosted by Lloyd's Register and organised by Fathom, will recognise and celebrate the organisations and individuals within the maritime sector that excel in efficient operations, implement fresh thinking, offer proven efficiency benefits and technological innovation. Eco Marine Power has been short-listed in the Initiative of the Year category for the Blue Star Delos Renewable Energy Innovation Project and the One to Watch category for the Aquarius MRE System Project.

The Blue Star Delos Renewable Energy Innovation Project will evaluate in stages, a number of innovative solutions developed by Eco Marine Power (EMP) and its strategic partners on-board the "Blue Star Delos" – a modern high speed passenger and car ferry owned and operated by the multi-award winning Greek shipping company - Blue Star Ferries of Athens, Greece - a member of Attica Group.

During the initial stages of the project and in a world first on-board a ship, a marine solar power system using flexible lightweight marine grade panels from Solbian Energie Alternative will be integrated with the Aquarius MAS and real time performance monitoring of the solar power array will be conducted. In addition the fuel oil consumption of the vessel will be logged and emissions data calculated using the Aquarius MAS.

The second award finalist is the Aquarius MRE System Project which is developing an advanced integrated system of rigid sails, solar panels and energy storage modules that will enable ships to tap into renewable energy by harnessing the power provided by the wind and sun.

The array of rigid sails will be automatically positioned by a computer system to best suit the prevailing weather conditions and they will also be able to be lowered and stored when not in use or during storms. The rigid sails are based on EMP's EnergySail technology (Patent Pending).

A prototype of an EnergySail passed feasibility tests in late 2013 at the Aquarius Innovation Lab in Osaka, Japan, and a version suitable for sea trials is currently being prepared.

Reacting to the announcement, Greg Atkinson of Eco Marine Power said "We are very honoured to be a finalist in two categories of the Ship Efficiency Awards along with many other excellent initiatives which are working towards making shipping more sustainable. This year Eco Marine Power is moving our technologies out to sea and being a finalist encourages us to keep pushing forward. We are therefore very grateful to Lloyd’s Register and Fathom for supporting this awards event."

The Director of Fathom, Alison Jarabo, said, "We hope the Ship Efficiency Awards can give prominence to the short-listed nominees striving hard for an improved outcome in both energy efficiency and environmental performance for the maritime industry".

Award winners will be announced at the Ship Efficiency Awards ceremony on Thursday 2nd October, straight after Ship Efficiency: The Event,1-2 October at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London.