Climate-friendly and circular economy optimization of engine economy

What does it take to get the most engine hours out of a marine diesel engine at the lowest possible price and with the lowest possible greenhouse gas emissions? Anlegg og Marine Service has been in the business for nearly 30 years and can help you with this. As specialists in diesel engines, we are competent and willing to advise our current and future customers so that they are in the best possible position to make the decision that is right for them.

There has been a tendency in recent years, possibly exacerbated by difficult economic times during the Corona pandemic, for shipowners to push maintenance intervals beyond the engine manufacturers' recommendations. In the short term, this may seem financially sensible from the owner's point of view, but in the longer term it can be punishing.

Engine manufacturers calculate maintenance intervals to reduce the risk of engine damage, optimize service life, maintain power and keep fuel consumption as low as possible. One of our customers recently conducted a comparison test of two identical engines, one of which was newly overhauled. Using accurate flowmeters, they were able to see that the newly overhauled engine used approximately 15% less diesel than the one that was not overhauled [1]. This also means 15% less greenhouse gas emissions.

A Caterpillar 3512 engine produces 1470kW at 60% load. With such operation, a new engine uses about 180 liters of diesel per hour [2]. Given that an engine with many engine hours uses 15% more diesel and that an overhaul can bring the consumption down to the same as a new one, it will use 27 liters less per hour. If it is operated 4,500 hours a year, consumption is reduced by 121.5 cubic meters of diesel. Burning one cubic meter of diesel produces CO2 emissions of approx. 2,680 kg [3] and NOx emissions of approx. 3 kg [4]. A 15% reduction will thus result in a reduction in emissions of approx. 326 tons of CO2 and 365 kg of NOx over the course of a year. In addition, there will be reduced fuel costs of NOK 1,215,000, given a diesel price of 10,000 per cubic meter.
In other words, newly maintained engines reduce significant costs, both in terms of reduced fuel consumption and taxes related to greenhouse gas emissions.

The basic principle of the circular economy is that the resources used should last as long as possible. Adhering to maintenance intervals also helps to maintain the lifespan of the engine. In AMS, we overhaul and reuse engine parts wherever possible. This is often a cheaper solution for the customer than buying new parts. It also contributes to reduced greenhouse gas emissions as it reduces the need to produce new parts. The production of one kilogram of steel in China results in CO2 emissions of about 2 kilograms [5]. Transporting this from China to the USA by boat contributes a further 0.25 kg [6] of CO2. Then there is the energy consumption for casting and machining to produce the engine part. This is assumed to contribute an additional 1 kg of CO2. Finally, there is transportation from the US to Norway, which also adds emissions to the accounts. As described, there is reason to believe that extracting steel, transporting and manufacturing one kilogram of an engine part can result in CO2 emissions of 3.25 kilograms or more.

One engine part AMS often overhauls and reuses is cylinder heads. A cylinder head for a Caterpillar 3512 weighs 51 kilograms. On a 12-cylinder engine, CO2 emissions are reduced by approximately two tons [7] by reusing vs. buying new cylinder heads. In addition, it is usually considerably cheaper for the customer.

AMS is one of the few companies in Norway to have an engine brake where we can set up and test drive engines before they are handed over to the customer. There we can check and verify that the engine is working properly and that it delivers the right power. If desired, we can measure fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This provides extra peace of mind for the customer.

If you want good engine economy and contribute to reduced emissions, you should maintain the engine manufacturers' recommended maintenance intervals and reuse overhauled parts as much as possible. This is in line with AMS' core competence. This is what we do for our customers - every day.

[1] There are several factors that can affect diesel consumption over time. This can be rectified with an overhaul.

[2] Obtained from Caterpillar handbook "Marine Power Solutions"

[3] Obtained from Chat GPT via the question: How much CO2 is emitted when burning 1000 liters of diesel?

[4] Obtained from Chat GPT via the question: How much NOx is emitted when burning 1000 liters of diesel?

[5] Obtained from Chat GPT via the question: What is the CO2 footprint of 1 kg of steel?

[6] Obtained from Chat GPT via the question: How much CO2 is emitted by shipping one ton of steel by boat from China to the US?

[7] 3.25kg CO2 per kilo engine part (3.25x51x12)