New Zealand Ferry Company accelerates profits by slowing down

Fullers Group a NZ Tourism Com- pany actually followed through on an initiative identified by the Tourism Energy Efficiency Program (TEEP.) The financial rewards on the Waiheke Island service are staggering.

The savings identified are prima- rily associated with operating ves- sels at a slightly slower speed when appropriate, applying new technology foul release coatings on vessels and propellers, and im- proving the efficiency of lighting.

The TEEP energy audit found that Fullers already had good energy efficiency measures in place given the constraints of maintain- ing a high-speed ferry service with a fixed schedule. But, its annual energy bill could be reduced by over a quarter of a million dollars (about 7% of its annual energy bill) and carbon emissions cut by 715 tonnes.

The total cost of implementing the energy efficiency improve- ments recommended by the TEEP energy audit was less than $150,000. The savings will recover that investment within six months.

CEO Douglas Hudson says ”We are pleased with the outcome of the audit and it’s heartening to see evidence that our efforts are already making good progress. In terms of vessel fuel efficiency, the audit identified the design and condition of propellers as some of the most important factors. New propellers have recently been purchased for some of the vessels and their effect on performance will determine the decision whether to upgrade propellers on other vessels. We are also already using antifouling systems with great results and recognise the opportunity to trial some of the upgraded, more advanced prod- ucts,” says Mr Hudson.

The audits found on average each business could save 15% of energy consumption and 15% of energy costs by introducing a va- riety of measures around things like heating, lighting, water use, and changing energy plans or providers. Often the return on in- vestment is less than a year.

Tourism is one of New Zealand’s top foreign exchange earners, worth $59 million per day. Their environment is the primary reason that international travellers visit. Energy efficiency has been just one of the avenues that the in- dustry is engaging with, along with waste, water, community and conservation initiatives.

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