Load profile

A load profile is the time distribution of a plant’s demand, electrical or propulsion, across an operating cycle, used to size and select machinery and to predict fuel use and emissions. An electrical load profile shows the share of time spent at sea, maneuvering, in port, and cargo handling, driving the generator number and rating chosen in the load analysis. A main-engine load profile, the spread of running hours by percent MCR, sets the SFOC and CII expectation and informs derating decisions such as EPL. Realistic profiles avoid oversizing and the part-load fuel penalty.