AET has completed its 2025–26 Eagle H-Class retrofit programme with the successful upgrade of the Eagle Hydra, marking the first full fleet deployment of Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) technology. Combined with advanced hull coatings and Propeller Boss Cap Fins, the multi-layered efficiency package is projected to deliver rapid payback and significant annual fuel savings.
Singapore | July 24, 2026 – AET has achieved a key milestone in its ongoing decarbonisation roadmap with the successful completion of energy-efficiency retrofits on the Eagle Hydra. As the final vessel in AET’s Eagle H-Class retrofit programme for 2025–26, the project wraps up the first full fleet deployment of Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) technology.
Delivered through close collaboration with MISC Marine, onboard vessel teams, and technical project partners, the milestone underscores AET’s strategy of combining proven, scalable engineering measures to drive down fuel consumption and emissions across its existing tonnage.
VFD Integration: Unlocking Rapid Payback and Aux-Power Savings
The centerpiece of the Eagle Hydra modernization is the full integration of VFD units across major auxiliary energy consumers, including engine room ventilation fans and cooling water pumps.
By automatically adjusting motor speeds to match actual operational demand rather than running continuously at full load, the VFD installation is projected to:
- Deliver close to 150 tonnes of annual fuel savings per vessel.
- Achieve a rapid capital payback period of approximately two years through fuel cost reductions.
- Deliver corresponding cuts in greenhouse gas (GHG) and local exhaust emissions.
Building on this success, AET is scaling the application of VFD units across the broader fleet, with four additional vessel deployments already scheduled for 2026.
A Multi-Layered Efficiency Package
Beyond the engine room ventilation and pump upgrades, the Eagle Hydra underwent a comprehensive suite of hydrodynamic and frictional enhancements during its shipyard stay:
- Propeller Boss Cap Fin (PBCF): This marks the fifth PBCF installation across AET’s Eagle H-Class fleet for 2025–26, engineered to eliminate hub vortex losses and enhance propeller efficiency.
- X-GIT Graphene Propeller Coating: Applied to protect and preserve blade smoothness, mitigating surface roughness, friction, and cavitation-induced degradation over the operational cycle.
- Low-Friction Hull Coating: Paired with the propeller solutions to minimize overall hydrodynamic drag and maintain optimal vessel performance between drydock intervals.
Scaling Tier-One Retrofits for Fleet Decarbonization
As maritime environmental regulations tighten globally, shipowners face mounting pressure to optimize existing assets alongside adopting future-fuel newbuilds. AET’s structured retrofit campaign demonstrates how targeted, tier-one mechanical and hydrodynamic upgrades can yield immediate operational gains.
By systematically pairing electrical optimizations like VFDs with advanced flow-control devices and nano-enhanced coatings, AET continues to validate a commercially viable pathway toward long-term fleet decarbonization.
About AET
AET is a leading provider of global shipping solutions, specializing in the transportation of crude oil and refined petroleum products. As a wholly owned subsidiary of the Malaysian energy logistics giant MISC Berhad, AET operates a young and technologically advanced fleet designed to meet the evolving needs of the global energy sector.
Fleet and Global Presence
Headquartered in Singapore, AET maintains a robust international footprint with commercial and operational hubs in Malaysia, the US, the UK, Norway, Brazil, and Uruguay. The company’s diverse fleet includes:
- Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs)
- Suezmaxes
- Aframaxes (including dual-fuel vessels like Eagle Brasilia)
- Dynamic Positioning Shuttle Tankers (DPSTs)
Core Purpose
Central to AET’s business is a commitment to sustainability and operational excellence. By investing in modern fleet technology and alternative fuels, AET plays a key role in supporting global energy logistics while leading the industry toward a net-zero future.
Source: AET