Georgia Ports find diesel additive to cut fuel burn 5pc

THE Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has announced that its diesel additive study yielded a five-per cent reduction in fuel consumption, as well as drastically decreased emissions.

"We undertook this study as a proactive effort to reduce our environmental footprint," said GPA executive director Curtis Foltz. "As we expand our operations to accommodate increased cargo, we continue to look for ways to improve efficiencies and operate in an even more environmentally-friendly manner."

GPA's engineering staff commissioned a study to determine whether a fuel additive would be effective in reducing pollutant emissions and increasing engine fuel efficiency for its diesel equipment fleet. The test studied two of the most widely used container-handling equipment at the Port of Savannah.

"We were pleasantly surprised to see these dramatic results said GPA's senior director of engineering and facilities maintenance Wilson Tillotson. "With the large-scale nature of this study, we are confident the additive will yield an improvement in fuel efficiency and a significant reduction in emissions."

The results of the study indicated a five per cent decrease in fuel consumption; reductions in particulate matter averaging up to 71 per cent, while nitrogen dioxide decreased by as much as 20 per cent and carbon monoxide decreased an average of 19 per cent.

"We plan to continue using fuel additives for all diesel consumed on GPA property," said Mr Tillotson.

Through the GPA's crane electrification initiative, use of refrigerated container racks, the upcoming RTG repower project and use of fuel additives, the Port of Savannah expects to lower annual fuel consumption by more than 4.5 million gallons.
(Source:www.schednet.com)