Measuring the performance of individual vessels through key performance indicators: energy, safety, daily running costs and cooperation has led to Maersk Line generating savings of almost $90 million in energy costs over three years.

Maersk says that its monitoring has increased its fleet's propulsion efficiency and saved 160,000 tons of fuel – amounting to a savings of $90 million – since 2009. This figure does not include savings from other energy initiatives such as trim optimization or basic load reduction, the shipping firm says.

Maersk says that it agrees with the "If you can't measure something, you can't control it. If you can't control it, you can't improve it," belief, and has extended its KPI process across its Maersk vessels, supply service and tanker fleets. Each of the KPIs will be rated on a monthly basis and merged into an overall KPI score for each charter owner. More owners will be added on an ongoing basis, Maersk says.