New hull vane retrofitted on Ava J McCall
The hull vane is responsible for fuel savings of around 10% (Source Hullvane)
TotalEnergies and Seacor Marine have successfully reduced fuel consumption on the fast support vessel (FSV) Ava J McCall through the installation of Hull Vane technology, improving the vessel's hydrodynamic performance. The technology was retrofitted during drydocking in Ivory Coast in late 2022, and since its return to service in 2023, the vessel has achieved an 11% reduction in fuel usage, significantly lowering CO2 emissions.
The 59m-long vessel, designed by Incat Crowther and powered by five water jets producing over 10,000 kW of propulsion power, operates in West Africa, supporting TotalEnergies’ offshore oil field operations in Nigeria. The hull vane was integrated beneath the water jets without altering the vessel’s dimensions or affecting its dynamic positioning (DP2) capabilities.
With the Hull vane retrofit, Ava J McCall now consumes 14% less fuel at 16 knots and 9% less at 21 knots, surpassing the predicted fuel savings from hydrodynamic studies. Over the course of a year, the vessel saved 250,000 litres of diesel and reduced CO2 emissions by 650 tonnes.
“We are constantly looking for ways to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations, and when we found out about Hull Vane, our interest was raised,” said David Flajolet, Marine Specialist at TotalEnergies. “The pilot project we did with Hull Vane has been a success; contrary to most of the decarbonising systems on board vessels, Hull Vane does not require active management from the crew and this is a key point for us. Its ability to be retrofitted for a limited cost and technical complexity make the solution a quick win for TotalEnergies. Further to the return of experience with the Ava J Mc Call, it has been decided to make it mandatory on the future Call for Tender for FSIVs in Nigeria.”
