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Energy optimization, from first look to verified result
We assess the vessel, model the case on your own numbers, engineer the unit around your tank, install it and then measure whether it did what we said it would.
Services
Six things we do, and one thing we do not
We do not quote a saving percentage before we have seen the ship. Everything below exists to replace guesswork with vessel specific numbers.
Heat loss and steam assessment
A structured review of tank arrangement, coil layout, insulation condition, typical oil temperatures and the share of boiler output currently going into tank heating.
ROI and CO2 modelling
A transparent, spreadsheet level model: fuel price, days at sea, boiler load, carbon cost and installation scope. Every assumption is visible and yours to challenge.
System selection and engineering
Choosing between the standard system, the low tank variant, the bulkhead mounted unit or newbuild integration, then dimensioning the shield, coils and suction line to the tank.
Prefabrication and installation support
Steel sections prepared ashore and sized to pass through existing tank access, with an installation sequence planned around a yard period or a planned stay.
Pilot measurement and verification
Instrumenting the vessel before and after: steam to HFO tanks, condensate return, boiler consumption and fuel data, with Coriolis mass flow metering where accuracy matters.
Documentation and reporting
Technical documentation for class and safety review, plus a written verification report you can put in front of charterers, auditors, lenders or your own board.
What we do not do: promise a fixed percentage saving before assessment, or ask you to change how your fuel and automation systems are operated. If EFH is not a good fit for a particular vessel, we would rather say so early.
Six steps from first contact to a documented result
The sequence is deliberately front loaded with analysis. By the time steel is cut, both sides should already agree on what the vessel is spending and what the system is expected to change.
Steps 1 and 2 can usually be completed from documentation you already have: general arrangement, tank plan, heating diagram and a year of bunker records.
01
Assess the vessel
Tank arrangement, coil layout, insulation, operating profile and trade pattern. We establish where the heat is going and how much of the boiler output it represents.
02
Model the energy and the money
Steam demand, boiler fuel, CO2 exposure and installation scope are turned into an ROI model with the assumptions written on the face of it.
03
Select and dimension the system
Shield geometry, heated volume, coil capacity and suction arrangement are sized to the tank, including cases with restricted height or difficult access.
04
Prefabricate and install
Steel sections are built ashore and assembled inside the tank, sized to pass through existing openings. Class and safety documentation runs in parallel.
05
Operate on demand
Heating starts when a transfer is required and stops when it ends. Temperature inside the shield is monitored and the pump runs once the oil is ready. The bulk of the tank stays cold.
06
Measure and verify
Before and after data on steam, condensate, boiler consumption and fuel is compared and written up, which is the basis for a documented saving rather than a claimed one.
Pilot programme
What we measure, and why it settles the argument
A pilot installation exists to produce evidence. We instrument the vessel before installation, operate through a representative period, and compare like with like.
- Steam consumption to HFO tanks, the direct measure of what heating is drawing.
- Condensate measurement, a practical cross check on steam actually delivered to the coils.
- Boiler fuel consumption, translating steam saved into fuel and cost saved.
- Coriolis mass flow metering, where the commercial stakes justify high accuracy data.
Proof
Technical proof of concept on a working vessel
Fuel
Documented reduction in fuel consumption
CO2
Emission reduction derived from measured fuel data
Case
A financial result that can be audited, not asserted
We are actively looking for pilot partners. If you operate a suitable vessel and are willing to let us measure it properly, we would like to talk.
The questions technical managers actually ask
Does EFH interfere with our existing fuel or automation systems?
No. The system is designed to be separate from the vessel existing fuel and control systems. It has its own heating coils, its own suction line and simple local temperature control. Nothing in the existing automation philosophy needs to be re engineered, and a fault in EFH cannot propagate into systems that matter for propulsion.
What actually happens inside the convection shield?
The shield is an enclosure placed over the heating coils inside the tank. As the coils heat the oil within it, the warm oil is held under the shield instead of rising and mixing into the full tank volume. Suction is taken from the top, inside the shield, so the oil being pumped is the oil that has been heated. The cold oil around the shield is drawn in gradually to replace what leaves.
How cold can the rest of the tank actually be?
The design intent is that the bulk of the tank can sit far closer to the temperature of its surroundings than conventional practice allows, because it no longer has to be pumpable at any moment. How close depends on the fuel grade, the tank position in the hull, the surrounding sea and air temperature and the operating pattern. This is one of the things a vessel assessment is for, and one of the things a pilot measures.
Do we still need days of pre heating before transferring from a tank?
That is precisely the constraint EFH is designed to remove. Because only the volume inside the shield has to reach temperature, the system is intended to make oil available for transfer without warming the entire tank first. The practical lead time depends on coil capacity and heated volume, which are dimensioned during engineering.
Can it be retrofitted, or is it only for newbuilds?
Both. The standard system, the low tank variant and the bulkhead mounted unit are all intended for retrofit, using prefabricated steel sections sized to pass through existing tank access. For newbuilds the heating strategy can be designed in from the start, which usually gives the cleanest and cheapest installation.
What kind of ROI should we expect?
EFH is designed to deliver a fast return by removing unnecessary steam and boiler consumption from continuous tank heating. On vessels with high heating demand, the combination of fuel savings, CO2 cost and operational flexibility can make the payback period attractive. We will not put a specific figure on your vessel before assessment, and any figure we do give will come with its assumptions attached.
Does it work with high wax fuels?
Fuels with high wax content are one of the cases the concept is aimed at, since they are exactly the fuels that make continuous heating feel unavoidable. The heated volume and coil capacity are dimensioned to the fuel in question during engineering, and fuel properties form part of the assessment.
How is the technology protected, and how do you handle our data?
EFH is a patented system. The inventions, know how and patents are owned by Englan AS and Englan Fuel Heating AS. Technical material shared during commercial dialogue is treated as confidential in both directions, including any vessel, consumption or commercial data you share with us for assessment.
Send us a tank plan and a year of bunker records
That is usually enough for a first, honest read on whether tank heating is costing you enough to be worth doing something about.