Installing a demand-based ventilation system is the most effective method to reduce fuel use and carbon emissions in cruise ships, said Halton in a press release.

The company, specializing in air solutions and the ventilation of galleys in cruise ships, has worked with Hvacon on retrofit turn-key vessel ventilation systems since 2020.

According to Halton, the market for retrofit HVAC upgrades is booming with tightening IMO regulations. Ventilation typically accounts for about 30 percent of energy use in large cruise ships, second only to propulsion.

However, implementing a demand-based ventilation system can reduce consumption by a third, the company added.

“Based on our data, a retrofit demand-based ventilation system lowers fuel consumption by about 10 percent. A large liner can burn between 150 and 250 tons of fuel each day, making this very significant,” said Claes Fog Boelge, CEO of Hvacon.

“The payback period for the investment is less than two years. There is no way to gain bigger cost savings on a passenger ship, except maybe for reducing cruise speed, which is not a realistic scenario,” added Boelge.

According to the press release, a large passenger vessel can have a dozen galleys and 1,500 to 2,000 cabins, all equipped with ventilation systems that operate at full capacity around the clock. In contrast, demand-based systems operate as needed.

“In galleys, smart hoods detect cocking activities with an infrared sensor to monitor the temperatures of cooking surfaces and the temperature of exhaust air,” said Boelge.

The goal is to always ensure the right amount of ventilation, whether idling or during various cooking activities. Occupancy detection delivers real-time data on whether passengers are in the cabin or elsewhere on the ship, the press release said.

Balcony door sensors prevent unnecessary cooling when the door is open. The load can be moved to other areas when less energy is used in the cabins.

Susanna Ahonen, sales team manager at Halton, said that the demand for retrofit ventilation systems is booming.

“In many ships, ventilation equipment is simply reaching the end of its lifecycle. The green transition is proceeding quickly in the industry. Sustainable solutions are becoming more valued, and regulatory pressure from the International Maritime Organization and other institutions is increasing quickly,” Ahonen added.