Dutch maritime software company Arkitech has deployed its HVAC optimization platform across twelve MSC Cruises vessels, achieving average fuel savings of 1.5% per vessel. That translates to roughly one tonne of fuel saved per vessel per day, without hardware modifications or dry-docking.
The results arrive as cruise operators face a tightening regulatory window. CII thresholds steepen annually, the EU ETS now prices maritime CO2 directly, and large-scale retrofits cannot be delivered at the pace regulation demands. HVAC optimization sits within that context as one of the few measures that can be deployed fleet-wide in months.
Stefano Aiello, Energy Efficiency Manager at MSC Cruises: "Arkitech has allowed us to reduce HVAC energy consumption by 9 to 12% on the vessels where it is deployed, without affecting passenger comfort or operational reliability. For us, the value is twofold: immediate fuel savings and a tool that helps us and our onboard teams manage HVAC performance more consistently across the fleet."
Deployment
The rollout began in 2024 with MSC Magnifica and expanded to twelve vessels across three ship classes: Musica, Fantasia, and Seaside. Arkitech’s platform connects to the vessel’s existing HVAC automation through an onboard edge computer, requires no modifications to installed machinery, and is installed while the vessel remains in service.
Across the twelve-vessel deployment, the average reduction in HVAC energy consumption is 10.7%. This corresponds to 1,500 to 2,000 MWh saved per vessel annually, or roughly 1,000 tonnes of CO2 avoided per vessel per year.
What comes next
“With twelve ships now in operation, we have shown that HVAC optimization can function as a standardized tool for fleet-wide efficiency” says Sander Huijer, CEO of Arkitech. “We are now developing additional modules and a broader orchestration model. Although we are still in the early stages of validation, we already see potential to reach 3-4% total fuel savings per vessel.
