The SAFeCRAFT project is dedicated to advancing the safety and adoption of Sustainable Alternative Fuels (SAFs) in maritime transport. By integrating, validating, and demonstrating SAFs on board oceangoing vessels, the project seeks to address critical challenges regarding their safety, technological maturity, and economic viability.
In Task 2.4 of the SAFeCRAFT project, NTUA plays an important part in identifying Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and using the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method to assess the functional features of SAFs.
These solutions include various technologies and methods for integrating SAFs into ship designs and operations. Thus, KPIs are chosen that encompass essential areas such as environmental impact, solution adaptability, regulatory compliance, commercial uptake, technical performance, energy efficiency, and safety, among others. The KPIs serve as metrics against which the performance and viability of various SAFs are measured, ensuring alignment with SAFeCRAFT project objectives and stakeholder expectations.
The QFD method is meticulously chosen for its capability to systematically evaluate KPIs across three main dimensions:
The importance rating per KPI, which helps prioritize each KPI based on its relevance and impact on the project’s success. The difficulty level for each functional feature of the project, identifying challenges and complexities associated with achieving each functional requirement.
The strength of the relationship between KPIs and functional features, which facilitates an understanding on how changes in project features affect KPI performance, thus enabling optimized decision-making and resource allocation.
The implementation of the QFD method significantly enhances decision-making processes making it feasible to rank the importance of the functional features of SAF solutions.
The impact of using QFD extends beyond the SAFeCRAFT project’s lifespan, offering a robust approach that allows stakeholders to evaluate the applicability and scalability of the SAF solutions developed. This method not only supports strategic project decisions but also aids in assessing the long-term sustainability and market readiness of SAFs, ensuring their broader applicability in the maritime transport sector.
