Virtual Fuel Meter Cut Ship Monitoring Costs
Maritime operators can replace expensive physical hardware with software-based systems to track fuel consumption.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Remote Work
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Cetasol has commercialized a virtual mass flowmeter that uses engine data to track fuel consumption. The system offers a lower-cost alternative to traditional sensors for fleet operators.
Why it matters
The technology allows ship owners to optimize maintenance and uptime at a fraction of the capital expenditure required by physical flow meters. This shift enables smaller operators to deploy digital monitoring across their fleets.
The system costs up to 10,000 euros compared to physical units reaching 200,000 euros, representing a 90 percent savings in capital expenditure. The platform currently tracks over 300 vessels across 60 customers.
The players
Cetasol
A 25-employee maritime technology firm that develops digital monitoring and cloud-based fleet management solutions.
The details
The virtual mass flowmeter functions by creating a cloud digital twin that integrates engine temperatures, speeds, and pressures from onboard sensors. Installation of the software-based meter takes between one and two days per vessel. The onboard units operate under ISO 27001 security standards to manage data transmission.
Timeline
Cetasol was founded in 2021.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore study is expected to conclude in late 2026.
Market Landscape
The transition toward software-based monitoring reflects a broader industry move to digitize mechanical performance tracking. This technology follows a pattern set by the adoption of ISO 27001 standards in maritime digital infrastructure to ensure secure data reporting.
Fleet operators should weigh the capital savings of virtual meters against the accuracy profile of their existing physical hardware. Managers should monitor the upcoming Singapore study results to validate long-term accumulated error rates for their own maintenance planning.
The takeaway
Virtual monitoring systems provide a lower-barrier entry for fleets seeking to manage engine maintenance via digital twins. Operators should track the performance of these software-based solutions against legacy hardware to determine if the 97 to 99.5 percent accuracy range meets internal KPIs.
What happens next
Results from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore study are expected to be published by late 2026.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest innovations in digital fleet management in our Remote Work section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Riviera.
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