Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 13, 2015
31 Maritime
New tech may cool the earth with bubbles Stories by Funmi Coker New studies have buttressed the fact that shipping could play a counteracting role in mitigating the effects of global warming, by cooling the earth with smaller and more reflective bubbles. The theory joins the painting of roofs white and injecting salt into clouds in the field of geoengineering, using man-made fixes to reverse the effects of climate change. The object is to increase the albedo – the co-efficient of reflected sunlight – in order that more of the sun’s rays travel back into space, rather than being absorbed, cooling the earth. Smaller bubbles – about 10 to 100 times smaller, or 1 micron - behind a ship would lead to a brighter and longer-lasting wake, increasing albedo from around 0.02 to approximately 0.2. If implemented aboard 32,000 large ships, could reduce the surface temperature by around 0.5°C – equivalent to a carbon offset of 85.2bn tonnes, according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calculations. Most importantly, the technology already exists, and is already being used aboard ships, albeit for a different purpose – air lubrication systems such as the one on aboard bulk carrier Soyo. “I understand that for the existing air lubrication system the size of the bubbles is 1mm,
a bit larger than would really be needed for geoengineering,” Julia Crook from Leeds University and author of the study, said. “There are commercially available bubble generators that generate 1 micron bubbles and used for various applications including research.
New ship technology
Tanker spills notches new five year low
Oil leak The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF) has reported a new fiveyear low in oil spills from tankers, as the average for 2010-2014 falls to 1.8 large spills per year. In 2014 the federation recorded one large oil spill (over 700 tonnes) of around 3,000 tonnes
“For the air lubrication system you want the bubbles to stay under the ship hull as much as possible but for geoengineering you want the bubbles trailing the ship or out to the sides. For air lubrication 1mm bubbles works but for geoengineering you need them to be smaller.”
of bitumen in the South China sea, and four medium spills (over 7 tonnes) totalling seven spills over 7 tonnes. “For the last two and a half decades the average number of incidents involving oil spills from tankers has progressively halved, with the current figures showing the lowest yet, at less than two per year,” ITOPF stated in a press release. “Interestingly, a number of tanker incidents reported in the media in 2014 involved fire and explosion, where potentially significant quantities of cargoes and bunker fuel burned. The cargoes involved included condensate, diesels and fuel oils.”
Ballast water treatment system Ballast Water Treatment (BWT) specialist, Optimarin and Goltens, a leading provider of engineering and installation solutions for the shipping industry signed a non-exclusive worldwide agreement for retrofitting Optimarin’s Ballast System (OBS). The deal provides shipowners with a complete BWT package, offering them BWT technology, alongside first-class engineering and installation services across the globe. Optimarin and Goltens have a lengthy and successful track record of collaboration. Since first working together in 2011, the duo have installed, or are in the process of installing, a total of 54 retrofitted BWT systems on a broad variety of vessels up to 60,000 dwt. However, this is the first time they have signed a concrete understanding - a move that, according to Optimarin CEO Tore Andersen, provides customers with a new level of reassurance ahead of the ratification of the IMO’s BWM convention. “With nations representing 32.54 per cent of global tonnage having now ratified the treaty, the 35% target needed to enforce it is within touching distance,” Mr Andersen stated. “That will trigger a wave of demand for compliant BWT systems, and shipowners need to plan to ensure their vessels are catered for - on time, with systems and engi-
Optimarin, Goltens sign worldwide deal neering solutions they can trust. “This agreement with Goltens gives our customers complete peace of mind, while providing us with a global partner to meet the needs of large, diverse and geographically scattered fleets. It is real a competitive edge.” Goltens provides a comprehensive menu of services for Optimarin clients, centred on a proven retrofit process that utilises precision 3D laser scanning and modelling as the basis for detailed design, prefabrication and streamlined system installation. A global network of offices can also handle all class approval and after-sales servicing duties. Andersen says it is a level of customised service and ‘hands on’ expertise that minimises vessel downtime, while maximising technical results. Jurrien Baretta, Business Development Manager at Goltens, agreed. “We are here to cure any customer headaches related to BWT and Optimarin is a very important partner for us,” she noted. “We have developed an excellent technical understanding of Optimarin’s system through our extensive project experience with their product. Together we can ensure that customers get solutions that are tailor made for individual vessel requirements, within the best possible time and cost parameters for their businesses,’’ she added.
World’s largest vessel to undergo final assembly in Rotherdam For its final assembly, the largest vessel in the world, heavy lift and pipelayer Pieter Schelte, has arrived in Rotterdam in the inner lake of Maasvlakte 2. Under construction since 2007, the 382 m long and 124 m wide Peter Schelte will be largest vessel ever built once completed, with a 48,000 tonne topside capacity, a 25,000 tonne jacket lift capacity, and a 2,000 tonne pipelay tension capacity. Work undertaken at Rotterdam is to include installation of a set of 65m long support beams, amongst other work, estimated to cost around 700m ($826m) and involving 440 different Dutch
firms. Rotterdam Port Authority maintains that the geography of the region, especially the plots of water on Maasvlakte 2, can be “put to good use” for the dismantling of oil and gas platforms, construction of wind farms and demobilisation proj-
World’s biggest ship
ects. “The arrival of the Pieter Schelte in Rotterdam is in line with Port Authority policy, which is geared towards strengthening the Rotterdam offshore sector further,” said Rotterdam Port Authority ceo Allard Castelein.