ENERGY EFFICIENCY STRATEGIES FOR OFFSHORE VESSELS WITH DYNAMIC POSITIONING SYSTEMS

The maritime and offshore sectors are under increasing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with European Union regulations. Starting from January 2025, the revised EU Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) framework extends its scope to offshore vessels above 400 Gross Tonnage. In this context, energy efficiency has come increasingly into focus of operational team of offshore vessels equipped with Dynamic Positioning (DP) systems. Aiming to identify the strategies to optimise fuel consumption and to improve energy efficiency in DP operations, the authors adopted a simulation-based approach using Kongsberg K-POS simulator. This research study analyses the performance of a DP-equipped vessel under varying environmental conditions, system settings, and operational modes. The results highlight several practical pathways for reducing energy consumption: lower gain, the use of green mode, and the optimisation of vessel heading relative to external forces. The conclusions confirm that strategic adjustments to DP system parameters and vessel orientation can yield meaningful reductions in fuel consumption and emissions, thereby lowering operational costs and supporting compliance with EU MRV requirements. This research demonstrates the utility of simulator-based analysis in evaluating energy efficiency strategies and provides practical insights for offshore operators seeking to improve sustainability and compliance to EU regulations.