Caledonian MacBrayne is installing an innovative and advanced fuel monitoring systems (FMS) in all ten of its major vessels. The move will lead to significant environmental and economic benefits with a minimum two per cent fall in greenhouse gas emissions and fuel expenditure.
Conservative indications are that fuel savings of more than £0.45 million per annum will be made and CO2 emissions will be cut by some 1,800 tonnes, which is equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 4,285,714 miles driven by an average passenger car, or 645 tonnes of waste sent to landfill. The £0.45 million installation cost will be recouped in a year.
Eight of the ten vessels now have the system installed as part of what is known as Project Ecoship – the remaining two will be fitted during annual maintenance periods.
The first ship to receive the new system was Caledonian Isles on the Ardrossan to Brodick route and data in the first couple of months does support the company’s aims to cut emissions by two per cent.
Indeed figures suggest that the 22-year-old vessel could be on target to save well in excess of the target, alone contributing an annual reduction of 624 tonnes CO2 emission based on current trends.
