Docked at the Quanzhou port in southeast the Chinese mainland's Fujian Province, a very large crude carrier (VLCC) with a deadweight tonnage of 300,000 tonnes has made waves in the maritime industry. This vessel is equipped with a bionic skin propeller, a groundbreaking innovation aimed at enhancing fuel efficiency.
The bionic skin propeller has successfully reduced the crude carrier's fuel consumption by approximately 2 percent, as reported by various media outlets. Experts estimate that over a 2.5-year maintenance cycle, energy savings could reach up to 1.5 percent on average.
These energy savings translate to more than 300 tonnes of fuel saved annually for a VLCC, resulting in direct economic benefits exceeding 1 million yuan (about $140,000) and a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by over 900 tonnes. Such advancements are crucial, considering that sea transportation plays a vital role in global economic activity but is also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions.
The introduction of this bionic technology signifies an urgent push towards breakthroughs in energy conservation and emission reduction for large carriers. It marks a pivotal step in the green transformation of the global marine transport industry.
Historically, large crude carriers relied primarily on thrust generated by propellers to overcome water resistance and propel ships forward. However, the collaboration between researchers from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation Co., Ltd. has paved the way for more sustainable practices.
Inspired by marine creatures like dolphins and sharks, which experience minimal resistance when moving through water due to their skin's micro-structure, flexibility, and mucus secretion, the team developed the bionic dolphin skin. This innovation mimics the dolphin's ability to generate micro-eddy currents that convert sliding friction between the skin and water into rolling friction, effectively minimizing turbulent kinetic energy.
Zeng Zhixiang, a researcher at the institute, explained, \"Different from bionic shark skin, the bionic dolphin skin has a comparatively simpler structure and is more cost-effective.\" The estimated cost of applying the bionic dolphin skin to a propeller is about $20,000.
When installed on a propeller's surface, the bionic skin reduces shear force with water, counteracts reverse thrust, improves propeller efficiency, and lowers energy consumption. Additionally, the bionic flexible drag-reducing material used complies with the International Convention for the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships.
Over approximately 200 days, the bionic dolphin skin-equipped VLCC sailed over 35,000 nautical miles between Chinese coastal ports and major Middle Eastern ports. Building on this success, COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation and the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering plan to implement this technology in more than 100 crude carriers, aiming to deliver substantial economic benefits while effectively reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
