TECHNICAL CLASS
ABS simplifies new fuel pathways for shipowners Amid a welter of competing voices discussing how to improve shipping’s environmental performance – often including solutions that are still far from commercial availability – ABS director of Global Sustainability, Georgios Plevrakis, believes the focus should be ‘on what owners can do in the shorter term to begin to manage the transition to a carbon neutral future.’ ABS has identified three fuel pathways potentially open to shipping, he explains: ‘The first can be defined as ‘LNG or light gas’, using generally light, small molecule fuels with high energy content, but more demanding, mainly cryogenic fuel supply systems and storage. This group includes the relatively mature methane (as LNG) solution leading towards bio-derived or synthetic methane, and ultimately to hydrogen as fuel. ‘The second pathway is defined as ‘LPG/ Methanol’, by using generally heavier,
more complex molecules with lower energy content, but with less demanding fuel supply and storage requirements than the light gas pathway. This group includes LPG, methanol and ethanol, leading to bio-derived or synthetic LPG/methanol and ultimately to ammonia. ‘The third pathway hinges on bio/ synthetic fuels that are derived from renewable sources and can produce liquid fuels. These fuels have similar properties to diesel oil and thus are much less demanding in terms of new infrastructure and technologies onboard and can be utilised with minimal changes to current ship designs. ABS points out that selection of the most appropriate fuel pathway and related technology should include considerations of vessel size and design, as well as evaluation of whether lower or higher energy content fuels will best match its operational profile. ‘Shipowners can take some steps to
future-proof their vessels, starting with designs that assume the greater use of electrical propulsion to reduce the fuel consumption,’ says Plevrakis. ‘This philosophy assumes Georgios Plevrakis that the electricity can be produced from any fuel pathway and can be used for propulsion or power generation onboard, using batteries or fuel cells for full or partial load operation. ‘At ABS, we see our role as a continuum by supporting the industry in understanding the nature of this challenge. ABS is fuel and technology agnostic; we are working with owners and shipyards to identify the right path for their specific vessels and business case to deliver safe, practical, and simple solutions.’
Lloyd’s Register celebrates 150 years in China Lloyd’s Register used the occasion of the 40-year anniversary edition of Marintec China in Shanghai last December to underscore its own 150-year anniversary of doing business in China, signing a raft of agreements with Chinese shipyards and their development partners involving fuel efficient future vessel designs. Notable deals included Approval in Principal (AiP) issued to China Merchants Energy Shipping (CMES), CNOOC Gas and Power Group, Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co (DSIC), and Gaztransport and Technigaz SA (GTT) for the development of the first efficient LNG-fuelled VLCC. CMES technical director Wu Jianyi commented during the ceremony that his company was committed to preparing to meet the IMO 2030 target of GHG reduction, while CNOOC officials confirmed the Chinese oil major was planning to build four international LNG bunkering stations along the Chinese coast. AiP was also issued by Lloyd’s Register to DSIC and MAN Energy Solutions for an ammonia-fuelled 23,000teu ULCS concept design, the first ammonia as fuel design of its kind in China. Other AiPs went to the following yards and their development partners: Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding (SWS) for a dual-fuel VLCC (300,000dwt) tanker and
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LR signs AIP for LNG-fuelled VLCC design at Marintec China
capesize (180,000dwt) bulker; COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Co (COSCO Zhoushan) for a dual-fuel aframax tanker; DSIC for a 175,000cu mtr LNG carrier; Penglai Zhoushan Jinglu Ship Industry Co for a 88,000dwt bulk carrier; as well as to SDARI (Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute) for its 180,000dwt zero carbon bulk carrier design. Digital Twin READY approval was meanwhile issued for a smart-vessel operation and maintenance system (SOMS) jointly developed by the CSSC Systems Engineering Research Institute (SERI) and ZhenDui Industrial Artificial Intelligence (ZDIAI), while LR also signed an MoU with China’s biggest shipbuilding group, China State Shipbuilfding Corp (CSSC), to
jointly study, research and develop marine equipment and technology. ‘We are very privileged to have worked in China for 150 years, creating strong partnerships with customers across the supply chain to solve challenges through innovation,’ said Mark Darley, LR’s North Asia president. ‘This is evident through the range of AiPs we granted [at Marintec China] on future-focused designs which will in time transform the shipping industry.’ Separately, in January LR announced a joint development project with MISC Berhad, Samsung Heavy Industries and MAN Energy Solutions to develop an ammonia-fuelled tanker to support shipping’s drive towards a decarbonised future.
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