ENERGY EFFICIENCY ASSESSMENT OF INLAND VESSELS VIA OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS OF MARINE ENGINES
https://doi.org/10.33815/2313-4763.2026.1.32.020-032
Abstract
The study addresses the assessment of energy efficiency of inland vessels in service, with main engine operational parameters as the physical basis for the calculation. The research targets self-propelled cargo vessels and push-tow convoys of the Danube inland waterway system, where the operational regulatory framework remains incomplete. The objective is to substantiate a diagnostics-informed assessment method and compare it with two established approaches – the University of Belgrade method and the DST (Duisburg) method – both derived from the maritime EEDI. The methodology combines parametric diagnostics of the main internal combustion engine under real operating conditions with phase-by-phase voyage decomposition covering deep-water navigation, shallow-water passage, shoal manoeuvring, and split-convoy operations. For each phase, refined engine load characteristics – specific fuel consumption as a function of effective power and shaft speed – are obtained from in-cylinder indication and vibration diagnostics with statistical processing. The scientific novelty consists in the first-time integration of parametric diagnostics results into energy efficiency calculation for inland vessels, together with an explicit distinction between transport distance and actual vessel track – a distinction ignored by existing methods and particularly consequential for large Danube convoys. The approach yields a reliable operational (Attained) indicator that eliminates the systematic error introduced by averaged nameplate SFC values. Practical applications include in-service monitoring, CESNI-aligned regulatory reporting, and retrofit decision support. The method has been verified for a self-propelled vessel with a five-barge convoy under Danube conditions.
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