Finnlines to retrofit six ships with Promas Lite

MAY 22, 2014 — Rolls-Royce has been contracted to install its Promas Lite propulsion system on four Finnlines ships.

Promas Lite is an integrated propeller and rudder system that increases efficiency and is designed specifically for retrofitting to existing ships.

Finnlines is part of the Grimaldi Group, which has over three years of experience with Rolls-Royce on a series of projects to re-blade propellers to improve efficiency. The efficiency gains and fuel saving benefits created by these projects has led to this latest contract to equip four Finnlines vessels.

In many previous Promas Lite upgrades, the primary goal has been to achieve fuel savings for the customer. Finnlines, however, wished to maximize the efficiency of its vessels while also ensuring the new engine configuration maintained the speeds required on its routes. Successfully striking this balance was key to Rolls-Royce securing the £3.8 million order.

Andrew Marsh, Rolls-Royce, President – Services said: “We are delighted to work together with Finnlines to bring the first installation of Promas Lite to the Baltic Sea. Not only will Finnlines achieve a reduction in fuel consumption but also in NOx emissions, helping the company realise its environmental ambitions.”

Typical fuel savings for Promas Lite range from 5 to 15 per cent, depending on the type of operation and the performance of the existing propeller. For example, the total efficiency improvement in the case of Nordlink, one of the Finnline vessels to be retrofitted with the system, is predicted to range from 19-21% at 20 knots with an estimated payback period of two years. The other three vessels have a speed guarantee.

Emanuele Grimaldi, President and CEO, Finnlines Plc said: “Environmental compliance and cost efficient operations are key factors in the success of Finnlines. The installation of the Promas Lite systems on our modern RO-RO vessels is a major step in the implementation of our strategy. The extensive experience that Rolls-Royce has in this area, together with the retrofit services the company can provide, will greatly help us during the engineering and installation phases of this program.”