BlueInvest supports 13 Mari innovation for fuel efficiency

The company received coaching through the EU BlueInvest Readiness Assistance Programme and was able to secure more than USD 500,000 in funding.

Maritime transport plays is an important part of the EU economy. At the same time, it is also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. At the EU level, the sector accounts for approximately 3 to 4% of the EU's total CO2 emissions. In 2019, this was over 144 million tonnes of CO2.

The commercial shipping industry needs to operate sustainably,  support cleaner waters, and reduce fuel bills. In fact, fuel costs are the number one expense in the international shipping industry, representing an astounding 50-75% of the total ship operation costs.

To address these challenges, 13 Mari developed a simple, yet effective approach to improve fuel efficiency. They introduced a composite element that reduces "drag," the resistance faced by ships in water. By reducing drag, ships need less energy to move through water, resulting in lower fuel consumption and fewer CO2 emissions.

13 Mari’s solution involves attaching 15-30 composite elements to the ship's hull, each providing a 10% faster water flow and 20% less drag locally. On average, major vessels, such as tankers and container carries, can reduce their drag by 3.7% by introducing the retrofits at the present stage. This can lead to fuel savings of at least 3.7% and an estimated potential annual elimination of 45,000,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.