- Achieves Greater Energy Efficiency and Advances Efforts to Protect Biodiversity
HONG KONG, Feb. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Mr. Nobu SU, a leading member of Asia's shipping industry, and the Chairman of TMT Co., Ltd. ("TMT") has registered a patent in the Republic of Liberia for a hybrid technology that he developed, and which enables a variety of vessels, including bulk carriers, tankers, PCTC and LNG ships to enhance fuel consumption.
The innovation, known as Hybrid Ship, consists of a conventionally driven main propeller and an electrically driven duct propeller, the different sailing mode allows reduction in fuel consumption, particularly when a vessel is travelling with minimum ballast.
The registration of a patent with the Liberia Industrial Property Office is of particular significance given the fact that Liberia is the world's largest shipping nation for registration. Granted on January 13, 2014 for a period of 20 years, this is the first of several patents that will be pursued by Mr. SU and his partners.Presently, patents for Hybrid Ship have been filed with 25 shipping nations.
With regards to the registration of patents, Mr. SU said, "I believe that most of the patents pending will eventually be registered, as the technology complements the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Ballast Water Management Convention, which aims to control the ecological, economic and health problems resulting from the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens via ballast water. With the Hybrid Ship technology, a vessel requires minimum ballast water, and therefore reduces the risk of transferring contaminated water from one location to another, which has already led to a severe damage to biodiversity."
Mr. SU has allowed the Hybrid Ship technology to be installed in vessels owned by his companies. He is presently offering the duct propeller technology to his peers for retrofitting; thereby enabling them to benefit from greater energy efficiency while concurrently protecting the marine environment.
