MOL patents fuel-saving design

MITSUI OSK Lines has registered its new wind resistance-reducing design for pure car carriers (PCCs) with the Japanese Patent Office. The technology, applied to vessels since March 2003, was developed in cooperation with Universal Shipbuilding Corp. The company has launched six PCCs featuring this new design, starting with the Courageous Ace in March 2003. The shape of conventional car carriers makes them very susceptible to wind pressure, which causes leeway, that is, sideways drift of a vessel. The Courageous Ace’s design reduces this and enhances fuel efficiency. A patent has been pending on this new design. MOL will also license the design to other companies to broaden its use and help reduce the environmental impact of PCC operation. More than a year of voyages by PCCs of the new design proved, as expected, that the design reduces leeway, improves speed, and results in an annual fuel efficiency improvement exceeding 5% over similar PCCs of conventional design, a line spokesman told FTW.