How to Reduce the Operational Cost of Your High-Speed Vessel

Updated 24 November 2025. 

High-speed vessels (HSV) operate in a highly competitive market. With increasing fuel prices, stricter emission requirements and growing expectations for uptime, reducing operational expenditure (OPEX) is more important than ever.

This article outlines the key areas where operators can achieve substantial and lasting cost reductions, especially through smarter propulsion choices, energy efficiency and structured maintenance.

What is Operational Cost (OPEX)?

In maritime economics, we distinguish between:

• CAPEX – the cost of acquiring, upgrading and equipping a vessel

• OPEX – the ongoing operational expenses required to keep the vessel running

Over a vessel’s lifetime, OPEX typically exceeds CAPEX several times. This makes technology decisions that reduce operational cost — especially propulsion choices — extremely valuable.

For high-speed vessels, the main OPEX components are:

• Fuel (often 40–60% of total OPEX)
• Maintenance
• Salary
• Insurance and other financial costs

Since labour and insurance offer limited cost-saving potential, the greatest opportunities lie in fuel efficiency and maintenance optimization. Both are strongly linked to the propulsion system and how the vessel is operated.

Suggested reading: What is important when selecting propulsion technology?

Key Strategies to Reduce the Operational Cost of High-Speed Vessels

The vessel type and its operating profile is a good starting point when considering the optimal propulsion system. If your vessel is hired to do jobs that require several different operating profiles, it is crucial that your system is both adaptable and flexible, thus allowing you to spend as much time as possible on the actual job, and less time on supporting activities.

Choosing the wrong propulsion system can lead to lower speed, damage, noise and poor operating/fuel economy. Consequently, the propulsion system of any vessel is considered an important investment that can substantially reduce operational costs.

The goal of such an investment, should therefore be to get into a positive-design circle, by ensuring that you can operate in a way that reduces costs and are left with a vessel optimized for its specific purpose.

In the next section we will discuss the four main areas that you need to evaluate in order to reduce OPEX.

1. Fuel-Efficiency

One of the biggest components of the OPEX is fuel cost. In fact, it can cover as much as 50% of the total OPEX. Consequently, there is a huge potential for costs savings within this area alone – and the bigger the fleet, the more you can save. In addition, decreasing the fuel consumption also reduces the environmental footprint with the same percentage.

How to Improve Fuel Efficiency

Choose a propulsion system tailored to the vessel’s operating profile

A fit-for-purpose propulsion system ensures that the vessel operates at optimal load across all speeds. Poorly matched systems cause:

• Higher fuel consumption
• Reduced speed
• Increased wear
• Poor manoeuvrability

Minimize energy demand in hybrid and electric vessels

Even zero-emission vessels depend on stored or generated energy. Reducing consumption means:

• Fewer battery modules needed
• Lower onboard weight
• Reduced CAPEX
• Increased range

Predictive and real-time energy management

Modern fast-craft operators increasingly adopt:

• Real-time pitch or trim optimization
• Route and weather-based voyage planning
• Continuous monitoring of engine load, fuel burn and power demand

2. Planned Maintenance & Service Network

Maintenance is a major driver of OPEX — not only in cost, but also in downtime.

Reduce maintenance-related OPEX by focusing on:

A fit-for-purpose maintenance schedule

Align service intervals with the vessel’s duty cycle. Over-servicing wastes resources; under-servicing increases risk.

Ease of maintenance

Choose propulsion solutions with:

• Easy access to critical components
• Modular systems
• Readily available spare parts

This reduces time spent on routine tasks and avoids costly delays.

A strong and responsive service network

In the case of unexpected downtime, access to skilled field engineers and specialized workshops is crucial. Delays in support significantly increase both cost and lost operational hours.

3. Product Maturity and Proven Technology

Selecting a propulsion system with documented performance and reliability lowers the risk of unexpected failures.

Key considerations:

• Proven installations across similar vessel types
• A track record of high uptime
• Predictable performance characteristics
• Stable and well-understood maintenance needs

While new technology can be attractive, immature solutions often introduce uncertainty, higher maintenance needs and increased training requirements.

4. Education and Crew Competence

Even the best-designed vessel can perform poorly when operated incorrectly.

Typical examples of competence-driven inefficiencies:

• Running too high on RPM for the required speed
• Incorrect handling of CP (controllable pitch) propellers
• Suboptimal trim
• Poor understanding of hybrid power modes

Training programs and continuous competence development contribute directly to lower OPEX by ensuring that the vessel is operated at optimal efficiency.

Best practice:

Establish a systematic competence framework that includes onboarding, annual refreshers and training on new technologies or vessel features.

Read more: Potential fuel saving in converting from Water Jet to CPP

Next Steps – the OPEX Selection Matrix

To summarize we have created an OPEX selection matrix, where you can use these key targets and related questions to support your quest for reduced operational costs.