Liverpool tech venture wins deal with major cruise line

A Liverpool firm is to see its ‘revolutionary’ technology to improve fuel efficiency installed on a 99,000-tonne cruise vessel.

Armada Technologies, based in Rodney Street, has secured a deal with leading holiday operator TUI Cruises. TUI is one of the bigger players in the cruise market, operating 18 vessels under its Mein Schiff, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Marella Cruises brands.

Under the agreement Armada will install its passive air lubrication system (PALS) on Mein Schiff 6, a 99,000-tonne, 15-deck vessel with capacity for 2,534 passengers. PALS is designed to reduce hull resistance and improve fuel efficiency.

Armada is a partner of Liverpool John Moores University’s Global Centre for Maritime Innovation. The PALS system has been extensively tested with LJMU engineers and reduces drag on ships by up to 38.8%, significantly cutting fuel consumption.

Cutting emissions and pollution is one of the maritime industry’s most pressing priorities as maritime transport accounts for about 3% of all greenhouse gas emissions – the sixth-largest greenhouse gas emitter worldwide.

Alex Routledge, chief executive of Armada, said: “Our mission is to lead the charge in reducing the impact of maritime operations. Our work with LJMU provides the scientific validation that our water injection capability is a robust solution for the entire hull, including vertical sides.

“When combined with the real-world data we are currently gathering from the Kool Husky, we are building a complete picture of a second-generation air lubrication system that delivers true environmental benefits without the power drain of compressors.”

TUI Cruises will utilise Armada’s second-generation PALS, which functions without the need for air compressors.

Using the vessel’s forward motion and surrounding water flow, PALS generates a fine air–water mixture that reduces hull resistance, and minimises auxiliary power use.

Testing with LJMU was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Department for Transport through the UK National Clean Maritime Research Hub.

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Professor Eddie Blanco-Davis at LJMU’s Global Centre for Maritime Innovation, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Armada, a local Liverpool firm, on vital efficiency and fuel-consumption technologies.

“The finding that drag reduction can be maintained with varying plate orientation suggests that this technology can potentially deliver notable energy savings across non-idealised scenarios and varying conditions.”