HULL & PROPELLER
Six-figure savings by well-timed hull cleaning
Monitoring flagged early hull fouling months before dry-docking. A timely cleaning restored performance fast—unlocking over USD 100,000 in net savings.
Identifying the inefficieny
The vessel operated with a high-performance antifouling system and delivered strong efficiency for the first four years of the docking cycle. However, in the final year, performance dropped rapidly.
Around 10 months before drydocking, fuel overconsumption increased steeply, as illustrated in the graph.
Understanding the drivers
Continuous performance monitoring revealed the root causes:
- Accelerating hull fouling towards end of cycle
- Rapid (non-linear) increase in fuel consumption
- Delayed action leading to avoidable costs
The key insight: timing of cleaning is critical to performance and cost control.
From insight to action
Fleet Support Center detected the decline early and engaged with the vessel and superintendent.
A hull cleaning was scheduled 4 months before drydocking, balancing performance gains with paint protection.
This proactive approach stopped further efficiency loss.
Delivering measurable impact
By cleaning the hull at the right time, when the need was identified, net savings*) exceeded 100,000 USD by avoiding unnecessary fuel costs.
Assumptions:
- ~40 tons/day fuel consumption
- 90 days of operation
- Fuel price ~600 USD/ton
- ~3,500 tons fuel consumed
Outcome:
- Total fuel cost: ~2M USD
- By cleaning, the vessel avoided an additional 5–10% increase in fuel consumption
- Savings: 100,000–200,000 USD
- Cleaning cost: ~20,000 USD
Lessons learned
Enabled by continuous monitoring, performance analysis and support, a right-timed hull cleaning delivered net savings exceeding 100,000 USD by preventing unnecessary fuel overconsumption.
*) The savings estimate is based on: Fuel consumption ~40 tons per day, ~90 days of operation after cleaning, Average 10% fuel saving compared to continued performance deterioration, Fuel price ~USD 600/ton (VLSFO/MGO mix) This corresponds to approximately: ~3,500 tons of fuel consumed in the period.
Total fuel cost ~USD 2 million 5–10% savings = USD 100,000–200,000 Typical hull cleaning cost ~USD 20,000
