Real-time, adaptative and innovative energy management solutions to optimise fuel consumption and lower emissions pollutants in waterborne transport (ZEWT Partnership)

Funded projects are expected to deliver:
• AI-enabled monitoring and control systems that enable ship operators to optimize operations, integrate alternative fuels, advanced power conversion, propulsion and heat systems, wind-assisted propulsion, innovative energy storage and other energy efficiency solutions.
• Enhanced supervision, forecasting and real-time control of ship energy needs, energy flows and sea state across diverse operational profiles, including variable and low water levels.
• Adaptable real-time optimization strategies to accommodate both expected and unforeseen operational conditions.
• Calibrated and certified low-cost sensing systems supporting enforcement of GHG, SOx and NOx emission regulations at European and international levels, and reduction of other harmful emissions, underpinned by common procedures, methodologies and reporting frameworks.
• Improved ship design concepts incorporating lessons learned from energy efficiency optimization, accounting for wave characteristics, wind strength, hull biofouling, low water levels and droughts.
• Demonstrated flexibility and scalability of adaptive EMS across vessel types and operational scenarios, validated through simulation and real-world case studies.
• Comprehensive reporting to ZEWT, contributing to the partnership’s KPI targets for zero emission waterborne transport.

Proposals must address all of the following:
• Development, adaptation and integration of real‐time monitoring solutions for ship operating profiles, energy flows and pollutant emissions (GHG, SOx, NOx, methane slip), including assessment of ammonia environmental footprint.
• Advanced AI/ML‐driven monitoring, supervision and forecasting models that leverage internal and external data sources, machine learning and machine reasoning for intelligent vessel performance monitoring, operation optimization and planning.
• Design of centralized or modular ship energy architectures, including micro‐grids, applicable to various commercial ship types, and development of adaptive energy management systems to reduce energy demand and improve energy supply efficiency.
• Simulation‐based demonstration of adaptive EMS flexibility on different vessel types, propulsion systems and environmental scenarios.
• Assessment of design, retrofit and operational control measures via three case studies (IWT, coastal shipping, DSS) focusing on maximizing vessel efficiency under diverse operational and environmental conditions.
• Integration of improved instrumentation and control systems to optimize ship operations while accommodating new fuel types, power conversion, propulsion, heat systems, wind assistance and innovative energy storage solutions.
• Calibration, certification and standardization of sensing systems to enforce GHG, SOx and NOx regulatory frameworks (European and international, e.g. Sulphur Directive, NRMM, MARPOL Annex VI) and support harmonized operational procedures, methodologies and reporting.