Marine fuel management

Marine fuel management (MFM) is a multi-level approach to measuring, monitoring, and reporting fuel usage on a boat or ship, with the goals of reducing fuel usage, increasing operational efficiency, and improving fleet management. MFM has grown in importance due to the rising costs of marine fuel and increasing government oversight of the pollution generated by the world's shipping fleet. Effective MFM requires that you know: How much fuel is likely to be used How much fuel is used How the fuel was used What things impact fuel usage And by how much Manual methods of measuring fuel usage, i.e. fuel tank dipping or sounding, typically do not tell how much fuel was used: Traveling versus idling while in port or on station By a specific engine (port versus starboard, for example) Performing one job versus another By crew A versus crew B on similar voyages Without a clear understanding of how fuel is being used, there is no operational baseline from which to compare any kind of fuel conservation tool or activity. Without a baseline, there is no way to determine if conservation strategies are actually working. MFM allows a fleet owner to track actual fuel consumption and relate fuel consumption to the work performed by the vessel. It supports the analysis of the effectiveness of operating strategies and helps develop a clearer understanding of how well a vessel uses its fuel. Operational Performance Engineering and Maintenance Management Management Oversight Operational performance includes those functional areas that impact the actual performance of a vessel or fleet. It includes fuel monitoring, inventory control, accounting, and engine throttle management. Many marine vessels do not provide a way for captain and crew to measure and monitor fuel usage while underway. An optimum system onboard would include the ability to instantaneously monitor fuel burn rates from the wheelhouse. Individual engine and generator burn rates would be included, as well as fuel tank levels.