Stellar Marine Secures Order From BC Ferries

[Retrovision]

Stellar Marine Secures Order From BC Ferries
Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Stellar Marine has entered into an agreement with BC Ferries to begin the installation of ESP 1000 speed pilots on the major vessels of its fleet, following the evaluation of an ESP 1000 on the Queen of Alberni. BC Ferry Corporation chose Stellar Marine’s ESP 1000 to assist in its efforts to reduce the impact of fuel costs on its operations, as well as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Stellar Marine is a division of Stellar Research Corporation based in Nanaimo BC. The ESP 1000 is an engine control system that uses advanced computer technology to maximize propulsion efficiency while maintaining vessel’s operating requirements. For over 10 years the ESP system has been used on vessels as small as 2,000 hp tugs all the way up to 65,000 hp container ships.

From the Company's Official Page:
www.stellarmarine.com/products.htm

[Curtis]

It's a start. At least they're doing something. Isn't going to lower prices though

[Low Light Mike]

from Nanaimo Daily News:

========================

Ferries go high-tech to save fuel
Nanaimo company's technology saves 60,000 litres a month

Valerie Wilson
The Daily News


Wednesday, June 21, 2006


Technology developed by a Nanaimo company has led to huge fuel savings for B.C. Ferries.

Stellar Marine's Electronic Speed Pilot 1000 was installed on the ferry Queen of Alberni about one year ago.

Ferries spokeswoman :-*Deborah Marshall said it has since reduced fuel burned by the ship by about 60,000 litres a month.

Stellar Marine's president Bob Speed is the man behind the fuel monitoring technology.

"It is very much like the cruise control in your car, however, the similarity changes there because we are talking about a big ship," Speed told the Daily News.

The technology involves two on-board computer systems, GPS and satellites.

Speed said in simple terms, the captain of the vessel inputs on one computer where the ship is going and at what time he wants to arrive.

The second computer then controls things like horsepower, propeller pitch and engine RPMs, taking into account factors like wind speed, currents and fuel burn.

"It makes adjustments to get the most out of the ship that it can, on the least amount of fuel," Speed said.

"We're keeping the (ferry) schedule, but we are going as slow as we can to do it."

So precise is the technology, Speed said the captain and the ship are at the dock at the destination within 15 seconds of the time he requested to arrive at the start of the journey.

"The computer is making all of the adjustments necessary to save fuel, while getting to the destination on time," Speed said.

B.C. Ferries intends to install the ESP 1000 on nine other vessels.

With the aid of GPS and satellites, Stellar Marine can send data to the ship, do tuneups and diagnostic tests on the ESP 1000 from the office located on Shenton Road.

"We can look after the entire fleet from our office," Speed said.

The technology doesn't come cheap, however, and each unit B.C. Ferries orders will have to be custom-built to fit each ship.

"The expenditures that B.C. Ferries is putting out are fairly substantial," Speed said.

"It is not a 95-cent part. But it has a very rapid payback."

He said the company will be able to pay for each ESP 1000 system within about six months of installation, as a result of the fuel savings.

Stellar Marine is the only company in North America that manufactures such technology.

The prototype of the ESP 1000 went to work about 10 years ago and about 40 have been sold to date.

Each unit takes about three months to build.

[e-mail]

© The Daily News (Nanaimo) 2006

[Mike C]

So, nine other vessels:

Queen of Cowichan;
Queen of Coquitlam;
Queen of Surrey;
Queen of Oak Bay;
Spirit of British Columbia;
Spirit of Vancouver Island;
Queen of New Westminster;
Queen of Burnaby;
Queen of Nanaimo?

What about the Super C's?
What about the V class?

[Ferryman]

It's a very expensive system. It wouldn't be worth putting it in the V-Class, if they're going to be gone in two years.....

I'm sure the Super C's will have it too, or at least something similar, as they are being custom built to BCFs standards.

[Retrovision]

Personally delivered?

[Neil]

Oh, nice thought, Graham. A day old Big Mac, Fedexed from London. Delicious.

(Sorry for the diversion.)