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data which allows him to purchase the precise amount of fuel at the best possible price to make their next port-of-call. Want more? An upgrade to FloNET networking capa- bilities with GPS link and DataLog software will provide even more accurate monitoring of real?time fuel consump- tion to  ne?tune engine RPM and propeller pitch settings to match prevailing sea states, achieving even greater re- ductions in fuel usage. KRALAccording to Christoph Tschegg, CEO of KRAL-USA, Inc., operators want remote monitoring for different rea- sons. Since KRAL?s core competencies involve measure- ment ? extremely accurate measurement ? their output satis es a myriad of requirements. This could involve any number of variables. ?Someone else is paying for fuel ? a charter, for example. They want an accurate record of consumption. Someone else might be focused solely on optimum fuel economy. Still others might want to know exactly when it is time to clean the hull or get an accu-rate picture of how much fuel is being saved by that shiny new hull coating. Did the paint job provide the savings the coating manufacturer promised? Or, in the immedi- ate wake of an engine overhaul, before and after measure- ments can determine if the problem really has been  xed.? KRAL fuel meters provide real time operational feed- back to Masters who need to know what speed will pro- duce the best fuel economy. For the bigger picture, shore- side personnel get data necessary to round out reporting for Ship Energy Ef ciency Management Plan (SEEMP) requirements. KRAL monitoring systems can be tied into other systems, provided as a display for the Master or Chief Engineer, made a part of a larger data acquisition scheme or connected to of ces. KRAL?s Tschegg adds, ?To get con-  rmation of savings, you must substantiate those claims and to do that, you need to measure to a very accurate extent. That involves fuel in, and out of an engine, using a positive displacement meter.? KRAL only measures fuel consumption. Data is tem- perature compensated and provided in real time. Their equipment is technology, communications and engine agnostic. And, it can be used to combine data with ?We need to understand the complete situation on board. Constant communications are available and should be exploited. This can be as simple or as complicated as you want,? said Captain Eric Clarke, Managing Director, Imtech Marine USA. FLEET OPTIMIZATION www.marinelink.com MN 39MN November2013 Layout 32-49.indd 39MN November2013 Layout 32-49.indd 3910/28/2013 3:20:03 PM10/28/2013 3:20:03 PM