Efficiency upgrades boost ship emissions reductions
The Schottel ControllablePropeller is specially designed for lower-speed operation (Source: Schottel)
In January 2023, the IMO introduced the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) as part of its climate action framework. As compliance with EEXI regulations intensifies, Schottel has announced a new drive to enhance the efficiency of its propellers, providing retrofitted propeller blades for its Schottel ControllablePropeller (SCP) designed for optimised performance under the new operating conditions.
The custom-designed blades are tailored to vessels operating at lower speeds, resulting in a 5% increase in propulsion efficiency and significant reductions in CO2 emissions, fuel consumption, and underwater radiated noise (URN).
As well as addressing the IMO's climate goals, the redesign also forms one of the easier steps in improving efficiency and reducing greenhouse gases from maritime transport by up to 40% by 2030 and zero by 2050.
Schottel is also prioritising URN in its designs, a matter of growing concern in the international community thanks to its deleterious effect on ocean life. Research shows that cavitation caused by collapsing air bubbles around the propeller can reach over 180db, as loud as a rocket launch.
