WINTER 2020
PORT POSITIONS
A country-by-country guide to the use of scrubbers
MOVING ON
How shipowners can ensure a speedy return to service
ALTERNATIVE ACTION Is ammonia the answer to the zero-carbon dilemma?
Supporting publication of
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1
FROM THE EDITOR
JUST WHERE ARE WE HEADING?
Ian Cochran, Editor, Clean Shipping International
You have to be living on another planet if you are not aware that the de-carbonisation in shipping debate is in full swing. However, we are still a long way off. As one expert put it: “There is no winning solution at present.” Regulations will need to be developed and it will be an expensive challenge. In the past few months, Clean Shipping International has received reports from at least three classification societies, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a major trading house and the International Energy Agency (IEA), to name but a few. At the IMO, seemingly under fire from all sides by the European Union, a new concept for a collaborative global ecosystem of maritime transport de-carbonisation initiatives was jointly introduced with the Singapore authorities last September. Called “NextGEN”, it aims to facilitate information sharing on de-carbonisation initiatives across many stakeholders – including IMO Member States, NGOs, industry and academia – to identify opportunities and gaps for decarbonisation in the global shipping community; and create important networks and platforms for collaboration across these initiatives. Further discussions are envisaged at the forthcoming Future of Shipping conference in Singapore to be held in February, 2021. In addition next year, dedicated workshops will be organised by the IMO and supported by Singapore. Turning to DNV GL, the classification society’s fourth edition of its Maritime Forecast to 2050 was unveiled a couple of months ago and made interesting reading. A range of scenarios was taken into consideration, outlining the potential risks of a particular fuel choice. The 30 scenarios chosen result in widely different outcomes for the fuel mix in the fleet. Taking no de-carbonisation ambitions, very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), marine gas oil (MGO) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) dominate. While under the decarbonisation pathways, in 2050 a variety of carbon-neutral fuels will hold between 60% and 100% market share. It was hard to identify clear winners among the many different fuel options, the report said. Fossil LNG will gain a significant share until regulations tighten in 2030 or 2040. BioMGO, e-MGO, bio-LNG and e-LNG emerge as drop-in fuels for existing ships. By 2050, in the different scenarios, e-ammonia, blue ammonia and bio-methanol
C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Winter 2020
often end up with a strong share of the market and are the most promising carbonneutral fuels in the long term. A somewhat surprising result from the model is the relative limited uptake of hydrogen as a fuel, given all the rhetoric now surrounding this — which is growing louder. DNV GL explained that this was down to both the estimated price for the fuel and the investment costs for the engine and fuel systems. However, hydrogen will play an integral role as a building block in the production of several carbonneutral fuels, such as e-ammonia, blue ammonia and e-methanol, all of which gain significant uptake under the de-carbonisation pathways. The 30 scenarios mentioned model16 different fuel types and 10 fuel technology systems. The fuels originate from three primary energy sources: renewable electricity to produce electro-fuels; sustainable biomass to make bio-fuels; and fossil fuels to make both conventional fuels and blue fuels. It was predicted that fossil VLSFO/MGO and LNG will be in rapid decline by midcentury, or even phased out in the most ambitious decarbonisation scenarios. The uptake of carbon-neutral fuel picks up in the late 2030s or mid-2040s, reaching between 60% and 100% of the fuel mix in 2050. E-ammonia, blue ammonia and bio-methanol were the most promising carbon-neutral fuels in the long run in a de-carbonisation trajectory, DNV GL said, adding that it was hard to judge the eventual winner just yet. Analysing how particular fuel-technology alternatives perform commercially in each scenario, using a newbuilding panamax bulk carrier as a case study, showed that installing a dual-fuel LNG engine and fuel system is consistently the most robust choice. Carbon-neutral fuels uptake will not happen until a clear and robust regulatory framework is put in place, which must ensure global availability of large volumes of carbonneutral fuels, enable their safe use and incentivise their uptake while retaining a level playing field, DNV GL stressed. This debate will rage on among the stakeholders involved, including regulators, shipowners, operators, plus fuel suppliers, engine designers and many others affected. Clean Shipping International will continue to deliver the latest opinions, regulations and technology, as we reach the various stages in the quest for a carbon-free future.
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Editor: Ian Cochran iancochran74@ gmail.com WINTER
Project Director: Jonathon Ferris Jonathon.ferris@ csi-newsonline.com
2020
Sub-editor: Samantha Robinson sam.robinson.journalist@ gmail.com
TIONS PORT POSIun try guide A country-by-co rubbers to the use of sc
Publisher: Bill Robinson publisher@ csi-newsonline.com
MOVING ONcan ensure How shipowners n to service a speedy retur
E ACTION ALTERNATIV answer to
Chief Executive: Ian Adams ian.adams@ cleanshippingalliance2020.org
Is ammonia the dilemma? the zero-carbon
Designer: Justin Ives justindesign@ live.co.uk
Published by Maritime AMC, Clean Shipping International supports the Clean Shipping Alliance 2020. The views expressed in Clean Shipping International are not necessarily those of Maritime AMC or the Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 unless expressly stated as such and disclaim any responsibility for errors or omissions or their consequences or for advertisements contained in this magazine and has no legal responsibility to deal with them.
ion of
Supporting publicat
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CSI WInter 2020
15:42
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Day One
New technologies for green ships: advanced wash water filtration, WESP for black smoke and PM abatement, water fuel emulsion for NOx, PM and fuel consumption reduction.
1 FROM THE EDITOR
43 PROFILE
As the decarbonisation debate continues, a clear solution is yet to emerge.
Companies in Norway have united to develop flexible fuel cell technology.
7 WELCOME Ian Adams, Executive Director Clean Shipping Alliance 2020.
46 » p8
48 REGULATIONS
8 LEADING EDGE
Law firm Watson Farley Williams gives guidance on IHM Enforcement.
A round-up of the recent virtual IMO MEPC 75 meeting.
51 ALTERNATIVE FUELS
12 EGCS The International Maritime Organization delays its washwater rulings meeting.
Daphne Technology on re-thinking expectations around EGCS.
Classification society ABS has published a White Paper on the merits of ammonia. » p20
55
BW LPG’s VLGC BW Gemini looks set to be a pioneer in decarbonisation.
15
Why good maintenance of ships prevents significant downtime.
20
In conversation with Alberto Di Cecio, Director, Marine Business Unit, Ecospray.
57 ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
25
Anders Skibdal, CEO of PureteQ, discusses recent industry moves.
More and more shipowners are seeing the benefits of battery power.
32
North P&I gives guidance on scrubber use worldwide.
» p41
59
ABB Marine & Ports has seen increasing interest in its shipboard electrical systems.
62 DE-CARBONISATION
39 BALLAST WATER Why shipowners who have followed best practice may end up unfairly penalised
The Sea Cargo Charter lays the foundations for a zero emissions shipping industry.
41 COATINGS
IBC LAST WORD
How hull coating solutions can deliver impressive fuel savings.
» p57
C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Winter 2020
Stena Bulk’s Erik Hånell on why the industry must be pragmatic and visionary.
5
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7
WELCOME
MEETINGS OF MINDS
Ian Adams Executive Director, Clean Shipping Alliance 2020
Welcome to the latest edition of Clean Shipping International. I hope that all our readers are keeping safe during these difficult times in which we find ourselves. Since the last edition of the magazine, we have seen several meetings held at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). When I say “held”, it is probably more accurate to say “hosted”. Over the past nine months or so, everyone has become more familiar with the various software packages designed to enable virtual meetings and conferences. I have spoken at many events and, while they are all similar, each has its own distinct features. IMO has selected KUDO, a platform that facilitates the use of simultaneous translation. My first experience of this came during the joint meeting of all the committees. This was chaired by the chairman of the Marine Safety Committee (MSC) Bradley Groves, who hails from Australia. Unfortunately, as many of you will already know, the system did not initially work very well, resulting in the abandonment of the first day. Over time, the platform has become more stable and the most recent meeting the 75th session of the Maritime Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) went well with fewer problems. The main issue, though, was the amount of time available for the discussions. During a “normal” meeting at IMO, the plenary session consists of four sessions with a total of five hours spent in the debating chamber, along with a further three hours where coffee, lunch and — most important of all
— the opportunity to persuade (or coerce!) delegates to your way of thinking. The irascible His Excellency Captain Ian Finley, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Cook Islands to the IMO, pointed out that the virtual meetings only allowed for three hours of debate, interrupted by a 15-minute comfort break. This, coupled with the fact that the meeting remained a five-day duration, meant that there was no possibility of completing the agenda. Captain Finley’s words proved to be very prophetic with many items being held over until MEPC 76, including the report on the environmental impact assessment of discharge water from exhaust gas cleaning systems. Over the next three pages, you will see a full report of the outcome of MEPC 75. Meanwhile, I have had the honour to be your Executive Director for the past two years. We have experienced the excitement of seeing a new entity established, to raise its profile and to facilitate its influence on regulators, fellow associations, press and the general population. We have held conferences in London, Singapore and Brussels. I myself have spoken at more than 50 events, sometimes during lockdown at more than one a day. As many of you are aware, I am standing down as Executive Director and Poul Woodall has been appointed Executive Director Designate. I would like to take this opportunity to wish Poul good luck and, to the Clean Shipping Alliance, good fortune as you continue the good fight. Farewell! For more information, visit: cleanshippingalliance2020.org
“We have
experienced the
excitement
of seeing a new entity
established
and to raise its profile”
C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Winter 2020
8
LEADING EDGE
We take a brief look at the work that took place at the International Maritime Organization’s recent MEPC 75 meeting
IMO AGREES STRATEGY At November’s virtual meeting of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 75) meeting, several draft amendments to MARPOL Annex VI were approved. However, most items under Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency banners were postponed to mid-June 2021 — MEPC 76 — including adoption of the revised Guidelines for Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (resolution MEPC.259(68)). The amendments that were approved concerned mandatory goal-based technical and operational measures to reduce shipping’s carbon intensity, for possible adoption at MEPC 76. If adopted, these amendments would enter into force on 1 January, 2023. They took the form of a two-part approach to address both technical and operational aspects of limiting GHG emissions: 1. EEXI (Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index): similar to current regulations on EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Index), the EEXI regulations will establish a Required
EEXI for specified ship types, and an Attained EEXI to be calculated for each ship. The calculation of Required EEXI will utilise the existing EEDI reference lines, with a table of reduction factors specific to the EEXI calculation. Guidelines on the method of calculation of the EEXI, for use in calculating a vessel’s Attained EEXI, will be developed prior to entry into force of these amendments. 2. Annual Operational CII (Carbon Intensity Indicator): new regulations will be introduced to establish a Required Annual Operational CII for specified ship types, and an Attained Annual Operational CII to be calculated for each ship.
REVISED SEEMP
Using the existing framework of the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP), on or before 1 January, 2023 ships of 5,000 gross tonnage and above will need to revise their SEEMP to include: c. a) Description of the methodology to be used to calculate the ships Attained Annual Operational CII, and the process
C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Winter 2020
9
LEADING EDGE
that will be used to report this value to the Administration d. b) Required Annual Operational CII for the next three years e. c) Implementation plan documenting how the Required Annual Operational CII will be achieved during the next three years f. d) Procedure for self-evaluation and improvement. The Confirmation of Compliance (CoC) and Statement of Compliance (SoC), which are associated with fuel oil consumption reporting (Regulation 22A) will be modified to also address the “Operational Carbon Intensity Rating”, both of which must be reported annually to the Administration. This will require new CoC and SoC documents when these amendments enter into force. Each year, the Attained Annual CII shall be documented and verified against the Required Annual CII to determine an operational carbon intensity rating of A, B, C, D or E, indicating a major superior, minor superior, moderate, minor inferior, or inferior performance level for a vessel. A ship rated D for three consecutive years or rated as E, shall develop a plan of corrective actions to achieve the required annual operational CII. The corrective action plan is to be included in SEEMP. Guidelines on this rating system, and on the calculation of the Required and
Attained Annual Operational CII, are planned to be developed prior to entry into force of these amendments. Written into the text of the amendments is a requirement for a review of their effectiveness that is to be completed by 1 January, 2026 to determine if any further amendments are necessary. The Committee also approved the terms of reference for the conduct of a Comprehensive Impact Assessment of the short-term GHG reduction measures in the MARPOL Annex VI amendment. As the IMO Secretariat initiates this assessment, a Steering Committee will be established to oversee this work. A final report on this Comprehensive Impact Assessment will be submitted to MEPC 76 for consideration. Work began at the 7th session of the Inter-Sessional Working Group on Greenhouse Gases (ISWG-GHG 7) to address the numerous guidance documents needed in order to implement the approved short-term measures on GHG reduction, for both EEXI and Operational CII. A correspondence group was established to carry on this work on the Development of Technical Guidelines on Carbon Intensity Reduction, which will be submitted to ISWG-GHG 8 in May, 2021 for review, and subsequently to MEPC 76 in June, 2021 for approval.
C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Winter 2020
MARPOL ANNEX VI AMENDMENTS
The Committee adopted Resolution MEPC.324(75) containing amendments to regulations 1, 2, 14, 18, 20 21 and appendices I and VI of MARPOL Annex VI which: a. Provide definitions of sulphur content, low flashpoint fuel, MARPOL delivered sample, in-use sample and on board sample. b. Require mandatory reporting of required and attained EEDI and other relevant information for ships subject to Regulation 21 (required EEDI). c. Accelerate EEDI Phase 3 in 2022 (from 2025) and increase the reduction factors for specific ship types/sizes. d. Amend the EEDI reference line parameters for bulk carriers. e. Amend the Supplement of the IAPP Certificate for confirmation of the designated sampling point. f. Simplify the verification procedure in appendix VI of MARPOL annex VI for the “MARPOL delivered fuel oil sample” and to add verification procedures for the “in-use sample” and the “on board sample”. These amendments are anticipated to enter into force on 1 April, 2022. On board sampling was also addressed and Circular MEPC.1/ Circ.889, “2020 Guidelines for On Board Sampling of Fuel Oil Intended to be Use or Carried for Use On Board a Ship” was approved. This was created in order to provide guidance on the unique aspects of sampling fuel oil which may not be currently in use but is intended to be used. In support of an ongoing monitoring programme, the Committee adopted Resolution MEPC.326(75) providing updates to the guidelines. They clarify that three categories should be used for monitoring — fuel oil not exceeding 0.10%, fuel oil not exceeding 0.50% but above 0.10% and fuel oil exceeding 0.50%. The basis of monitoring is the calculation, on an annual basis, of the average sulphur content of residual fuel and distillate fuel in each of these three categories.
10
The Committee also adopted amendments to the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) to necessitate a commissioning test at the time of system installation, which will be considered a requirement of the Initial or Additional Survey granting issuance of certification reflecting D-2 compliance.
AMENDMENTS TO AFS CONVENTION
Draft amendments to Annexes 1 and 4 of the International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-Fouling Systems on Ships (AFS Convention) were approved, which establish controls on the use of cybutryne as an anti-fouling system. Cybutryne has been observed to demonstrate leaching into surrounding waters and thereby harming aquatic life. The AFS Annex 1 amendment establishes controls, which prohibit from applying or re-applying antifouling systems containing cybutryne as of 1 January, 2023.
CE DELFT REPORT
Meanwhile, CE Delft produced a discussion paper on the merits of exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS), which was in part related to the IMO’s Fourth Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Study, the text of which was agreed at MEPC 75. The study found that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with using an EGCS, or scrubber, vary between 1.5% and 3% for a number of representative ships. In many cases, the emissions caused by producing low sulphur fuels for these ships were higher, depending on the quality of the fuel, the refinery and the crude oil slate. This is the main conclusion from CE Delft’s report — “Comparison of CO2 emissions of MARPOL Annex VI compliance options in 2020” — recently published by CE Delft and commissioned by three major EGCS suppliers: Alfa Laval in co-operation with Yara Marine and Wärtsilä. In practice, there are two options to comply with the MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14:
LEADING EDGE
1. Using an EGCS in combination with fuel oils with a sulphur content that is higher than 0.5% or 0.1%. 2. Using fuel oil with a sulphur content of 0.5% (VLSFO), respectively 0.1% or less (ULSFO). Both options result in an increase of well-to-wake CO2 emissions thus: a. An EGCS requires energy, which is generated by engines running on fuel oil and thus generate CO2. In addition, there are emissions associated with manufacturing scrubbers and emissions from the seawater. b. Desulphurisation in a refinery requires hydrogen, which is generally produced from methane, thus emitting CO2 in the process, as well as energy. The report quantified and compared the CO2 footprint of both options. Using an EGCS results in an increase of CO2 emissions of between 1.5% and 3% for a range of representative ships, while desulphurisation inevitably leads to an improvement of the fuel quality in terms of aromatics content and viscosity. The increase of emissions associated with desulphurisation in a refinery are higher than 1% and in many cases multiple times higher, depending on the quality improvement of the fuel, the refinery layout and the crude used.
CE Delft’s Aviation and Maritime Specialist, Manager Mobility & Transport, Jasper Faber, explains: “This study provides a comprehensive overview of the climate impacts of different options to reduce sulphur emissions. It shows that in many cases, the carbon footprint of using a scrubber is lower than lowsulphur fuels.” Shipping emissions are forecast to increase by up to 50% until 2050, relative to 2018. They have increased from 977m tonnes in 2012 to 1,076m tonnes in 2018 — a 9.6% increase. However, the sector’s carbon intensity has improved by about 11% during this period, but the activity growth was larger than the efficiency gains. While the impacts of the covid-19 pandemic will probably cause a decline in emissions in 2020, they are not expected to significantly affect the forecasts for the next few decades. This study, led by CE Delft, was prepared for the IMO by an international consortium, comprising 10 consultancies, research institutes and universities from four continents. Clean Shipping International intends to take an in-depth look at these aspects by talking with industry stakeholders ahead of MEPC 76.
C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Winter 2020
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12
EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS
Time constraints meant that the International Maritime Organization’s MEPC 75 meeting on exhaust gas cleaning systems washwater regulations had to be postponed — but BIMCO has some good news...
SCRUBBER DEBATE STILL OPEN At the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 75th Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 75) meeting, which was held remotely and some nine months late due to the pandemic, Agenda item No 5 was to cover the approval of the revised 2020 “Guidelines for Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems”, among other issues. In addition, the approval of a draft revised MEPC circular on “Guidance on indication of ongoing compliance in the case of the failure of a single monitoring instrument, and recommended actions to take if the exhaust gas cleaning system (EGCS) fails to meet the provisions of the EGCS Guidelines”, was to be formalised. In the build up to February’s IMO 7th Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 7), a review of the 2015 Guidelines on EGCS was undertaken. This sub-committee looked into washwater discharge standards, as part of its remit. The Sub-Committee duly completed the 2015 Guidelines revision ready to be
submitted to MEPC 75 for adoption, which should have been completed in March. These revisions focused upon the uniform application of the guidelines, in light of recent technical developments and experience gathered from approvals and operation of alternative compliance systems. With respect to evaluating and harmonising rules and guidance on the discharge of liquid effluents from EGCS, the Sub-Committee agreed to recommend the following scope of work to MEPC 75: » Risk assessment (development of risk assessment guidelines for the evaluation of possible harmful effects of the discharge water from EGCS, taking into account existing methods and mathematical models). » Impact assessment (to consider developing impact assessment guidelines). » Delivery of EGCS residues (developing guidance on delivery of EGCS residues to port reception facilities, regarding
C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Winter 2020
13
EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS
160 100%
Number of ships
120
100% 86%
85%
80%
100 80
60%
54%
60
40%
34%
40
20%
20 0
Share of sub-sector deliveries
140
120%
4% Valemax Deliveries
VLOC
Capesize
Panamax
of which with a scrubber
Handymax
Handysize
0%
Percentage share (RH-axis)
Source: BIMCO, Clarksons
volumes and composition of residues). » Regulatory matters (including assessing state of technology for EGCS discharge water treatment and control, identifying possible regulatory measures, developing a database of local/regional restrictions/conditions on the discharge water from EGCS). » Database of substances (establishing a database of substances identified in EGCS discharge water, covering physicochemical data, ecotoxicological data and toxicological data, leading to relevant endpoints for risk assessment purposes). These Guidelines were expected to be applied to new EGCS installed at a date still to be decided. The original completion target date for final approval was to be 2021. However, this will now have to put back, probably by another year. Adding to the problem,
worldwide ports are increasingly banning the discharge of scrubber washwater in their waters (see P??).
LARGE BULKERS
Turning to vessel EGCS takeup, despite the arguments for and against, the good news is that large bulk carrier owners and operators are now favouring the fitting of EGCS, according to a report from BIMCO. While only three handysize bulkers were delivered from newbuilding yards with a scrubber fitted in 2020 (up the end of November), one in three handymax types came out of the shipyards with a system installed. However, most scrubber-fitted newbuilding bulkers delivered were in the panamax sector. Some 81 units out of 150 delivered — or 54% — were scrubber fitted during the first 11 months of 2020. Taking larger bulkers in the capesize, very large ore carriers
C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Winter 2020
(VLOCs) and valemaxes ranges, the share of scrubber fitted ships was between 85% and 100%. In just 13 out of the 96 ships that burn the most fuel, the shipowner opted for very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), instead of fitting a scrubber and using cheaper heavy fuel oil (HFO). “Clearly, the marine bunker fuel price spread between low sulphur fuels and heavy sulphur fuels has been lower than initially expected,” explained Peter Sand, BIMCO’s chief shipping analyst. “Currently at $72 per tonne in Singapore (at the end of November), the spread is a far cry from the pre-IMO 2020 average of $185 per tonne seen between 1 August and 31 December, 2019. “It is still worthwhile mentioning that 2020 year-to-date average spot market earnings for a scrubber-fitted capesizes have exceeded that of a non-scrubber fitted vessels by $2,818 per day (+27%).”
14
COMPANY PROFILE
OPSIS: EFFICIENT MARINE MONITORING Operating conditions on board vessels call for special measures to comply with regulations and expectations. OPSIS leads the way in marine monitoring, delivering a range of systems and solutions, in particular for continuous emissions monitoring (CEM) and process control. MARPOL conventions mean a reduction in sulphur emissions from marine engines. An often-preferred method to manage this is to install sulphur scrubbers in the exhaust system, but the scrubber efficiency then has to be proved by continuous monitoring of the emissions. This is done by calculating the ratio between SO2 and CO2 concentration in the exhaust gas. Emissions monitoring can be a challenge since the exhaust gas is usually both wet and corrosive. However, OPSIS’ system M800 handles
this efficiently thanks to its in-situ monitoring method. Furthermore, a single gas analyser is enough to measure the concentration of both gases, while a single gas analyser is enough to monitor the gas concentrations in multiple gas ducts, in parallel. This results in a very costefficient solution. M800 can also be extended to measure nitric oxides emissions under the MARPOL conventions, still using a single gas analyser and still in multiple gas ducts if required. Within the field of process control, it is, in particular, the OPSIS oxygen monitor that has been a hit within the industry, for example successfully applied to monitor and control inert gas generators. Thanks to the design of the OPSIS range of products, the systems for marine monitoring are extremely
reliable and require only minimal maintenance, resulting in very low operational costs. Calibration is easily made with closed cells. All OPSIS systems have been tested and approved by Bureau Veritas, DNV-GL, RINA, and Lloyd’s Register among others.
For more information, contact: OPSIS AB Box 244 SE-244 02 Furulund Sweden Tel: +46 46 72 25 00 E-mail: info@opsis.se opsis.se
Prove Your Scrubber is Working ► Non-contact in situ SO2 and CO2 gas monitoring ► Easy calibration with closed cells ► Tested and approved by DNV-GL, Bureau Veritas, and Lloyds Register ► 100s of installations worldwide Contact us to learn more! Scan and watch our video about marine monitoring with OPSIS M800. Read more on www.opsis.se • E-mail: info@opsis.se • Phone: +46 46 72 25 00
C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Winter 2020
15
EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS
Mitigating the risks on scrubber systems and ensuring ships suffer no significant downtime is of paramount importance, says Verolme Special Equipment, which has moved into the scrubber maintenance market
MAINTAINING WORKING ORDER Maintenance is key to any marine equipment fitted on board a vessel to ensure operational efficiency. This includes exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS/ scrubbers), which if they fail to operate correctly in and around a port area will quickly alert Port State Control, leading to a possible detention and the vessel going off hire. Failures of the scrubber systems’ critical areas when at sea may cause even more danger and the shut down of important systems. However, one company that has set up a global scrubber service, repair and maintenance division to alleviate these problems is Dutch manufacturer Verolme Special Equipment, which now operates a scrubber service department under the auspices of its Verolme Maritime and Services Division. The company operated the largest newbuilding yard in Holland since the 1960s, at Botlek, near Rozenburg on the Nieuwe Waterweg. Now based at nearby Moerdijk, Verolme has become a manufacturer
C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Winter 2020
and specialist in welding high-grade alloys, hence its entry into the scrubber manufacturing and maintenance sector. Working on installed scrubber systems on board vessels was a natural move and the maintenance, servicing and repair of installed scrubber systems is now one of the company’s main activities. This is facilitated by Verolme’s maritime origins, recent maritime projects, geographical position and strategically placed workshops. Verolme’s scrubber expert and head of the Maritime and Service Division, Willem Kemps, tells Clean Shipping International that the company performs a lot of emergency repairs. These often include cracks and corrosion problems in the scrubber body, connected process/ drain piping or exhaust gas inlet and outlet ducts. As these can cause leaks, shipowners require prompt repairs. Most of the time, the emergency repairs are temporary solutions and Verolme will often conduct preparatory work ahead of resolving the problem permanently during the next port call. Kemps admits that this
16
EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS
A scrubber system seen outside the Verolme facility in Moerdijk, strategically positioned close to the Moerdijk Port and in between Antwerp and Rotterdam Ports
is quite a challenge under the current covid-19 travel restrictions. To cover much of the world’s shipping routes, Verolme has three strategically placed sites, where the company’s own personnel and equipment are based. The areas covered are: » EU: undertaken in Moerdijk, from where engineers can travel to one of the nearby ports, such as Rotterdam, Antwerp, Le Havre and German ports in a day, with additional travel time to Spain, Portugal and Italy. Northern Europe will be covered by a new facilities in Tallinn, Estonia. » ASIA: Singapore — for vessels on Asian routes. » AMERICAS: Miami/Houston — for the US and large cruise ship operator fleets. More locations are planned and will be available when current covid-19 travel restrictions allow training and staffing. Although the company does not install scrubber systems, it undertakes alloy modifications yard support services with fully equipped workshop containers, which were located at four Chinese shipyards during the scrubber retrofit boom last year.
“To reduce scrubber downtime and repair needs and, therefore, costs, risk analysis and data-based initiatives are prescribed to develop a fit-forpurpose inspection and maintenance programme for an installation”
Verolme offers a complete package for mechanical service agreements, from scrubber health checks to preventive and corrective maintenance, design modifications and repairs, including overboard pipe replacements. Kemps explains that Verolme manufactures scrubbers for various original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), therefore it has qualified welders and technicians available to perform scrubber service activities, as well as all welding procedures necessary for the alloys used in scrubber systems. Through undertaking many service tasks down the years, the company has a good knowledge of specific problems by scrubber type and make, he says. Although Verolme’s main scrubber clients for equipment still under warranty tend to be OEM’s, more owners and operators are taking up the services. When it comes to the scrubber manufacturing, newbuilding and retrofit sector, Kemps says that the explosive growth of the scrubber market seen in 2019 came to a halt at the beginning of this year, due to covid-19 and a narrowing fuel pricing differential.
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The scrubber systems installed in the past year are still under warranty and an increasing number of systems are — or will be — out of warranty soon, which means the focus on risk management and trouble-free, wellmaintained systems is increasing. Regarding OEMs, global management agreements are in place to maximise the scrubber’s operational life. They cover inspections, preventive maintenance, repairs and re-conditioning for all major scrubber types and brands. To reduce scrubber downtime and repair needs and, therefore, costs, risk analysis and data-based initiatives are prescribed to develop a fit-forpurpose inspection and maintenance programme for an installation. Data-driven scrubber maintenance includes the baseline measurement, scoring table, identifying functional failures, building a database, decision support and the provision of a decision support dashboard. All of the repair and service work is undertaken to ensure compliance with both local and international emissions regulations by optimising the equipment’s reliability and efficiency while in operation, Kemps explains.
At the end of the warranty period, an experienced engineer can be sent to undertake a scrubber system performance check, plus baseline and periodical inspections to assess the overall status of the system, suggest possible corrective actions or maintenance operations to maintain the equipment’s required performance and high efficiency standards over time, the company explained.
CRITICAL COMPONENTS
Through the servicing of many scrubber systems, the company has identified critical components, which are: » Exhaust gas inlet and outlet ducts » Process and drain water pipe spools and flange connections between GRE piping and scrubber » Overboard pipes » Scrubber tower’s body in places with high stress » All elements subject to excessive vibration » Closed loop alloy heat exchangers (titanium) and holding tanks. Kemps also adds that Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 members are advising those shipowners that are looking
to install marine exhaust gas cleaning systems as a way of meeting global sulphur cap requirements to ensure that manufacturers, shipyards and installers are using quality, highend materials. Based on the collective experience gained from over 3,000 EGCS installations, CSA 2020 members found that the quality of materials and coatings used is the most important factor in optimising EGCS safety and averting any corrosion problems during operations.
AVOIDING RISK
Risks can be mitigated by investing in quality materials, established suppliers and experienced installers, and by optimising machinery space layouts, Verolme says, quoting CSA 2020. Shipowners with a global service agreement in place, which guarantees quick intervention teams for trouble shooting and temporary repairs, are provided with a preventive and corrective maintenance system with periodical inspections of critical parts. As a result, they will be able to mitigate risks on scrubber systems and maximise system uptime.
PIPING
For piping replacements and maintenance, Verolme has developed its own spool specification for process and drain piping in this highly corrosive environment, based on a careful selection of durable materials and a robust design. With a highly accurate fabrication and a smart installation design, Verolme says it is able to guarantee a risk free system. For overboard piping, the same material selection criteria should apply; resulting in acid- and chloride-resistant alloys. Protective coating application flaws, or damage during installation or operation will result in corrosion and subsequent leaks. Verolme provides an approved, in-house developed robust overboard pipe solution. Redundancy and risk mitigation is based on the selection of most durable materials, robust design and a special abrasive and acid-resistant coating.
Yard welding of one of the Verolme designed and fabricated overboard pipes during a scrubber retrofit
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COMPANY PROFILE
CR OCEAN ENGINEERING: SCRUBBERS TO SUIT ALL With roots that go back to 1917, CR Ocean Engineering (CROE) was estabblished to meet the maritime industry’s growing demand for emission- reduction technology, a compliance requirement from MARPOL Annex VI. In January 2020, a stricter limit came into effect, limiting sulphur content to a maximum of 0.5% in marine fuels globally, as part of the race against time to reduce the shipping industry’s emissions.
The CROE® maritime exhaust gas emissions cleaning systems (scrubbers) meet that challenge by reducing the ship’s sulphur (SO2) emissions to a level that meets both the 0.1% or the 0.5% SO2 ceilings even when content of bunker fuel is 3.5% SO2 or higher. Additionally, scrubbers have been proven to have a significantly lower CO2 footprint than using low sulphur fuels.
CROE® Marine ccrubber installation
CROE develops In-Line, U-Type, and Side-Entry scrubbers. These scrubbers, which can be retrofitted into existing vessels or manufactured in newbuilds, allow shipowners to meet MARPOL Annex VI compliance requirements without the expense of switching to low-sulphur fuel, which is costlier, less reliable and far less available. CROE® state-of-the-art scrubbers are available in three standard configurations, customisable to a ship’s requirements: » Open-loop (hybrid ready): oncethrough scrubber using sea water » Closed-loop: a recirculating scrubber using freshwater with caustic » Hybrid: a combination of both designs for maximum flexibility CROE scrubbers normally replace silencers. Due to their small size, compact configuration and flexibility of design, CROE systems are perfect for both new-builds and retrofits. Features of CROE scrubbing systems include: » Option of bottom entry I-Type, side entry L-Type or our U-Type entry designs to better fit any funnel configuration and simplify engine exhaust gas duct with or without a bypass. » Strategically configured exhaust gas inlet and scrubber drainage to eliminate any potential water backflow to the engine. » Eliminated circulation water storage from bottom of scrubber vessel to a separate tank at a lower elevation to reduce weight at the higher elevations, improving stability. » Alloy construction (external and internal) to extend the life of the system and to allow the exhaust gas to travel through the scrubber system at high temperatures in case of dry-run conditions without a bypass. » Used proprietary internals designed specifically to increase contact area with lower liquid flows to save on
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COMPANY PROFILE
typical pumping costs associated with some scrubber designs. » Proprietary Caustic-Assist™ feature for Open-Loop assist operating in low alkalinity areas. We are aware that a handful of ports have implemented restrictions on the use of open-loop scrubbers, as some countries fear that the pollutants will be released into the ocean. But several independent studies have shown that this discharge is not harmful to the sea or the sea life. Furthermore, burning low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) — in addition to becoming far more expensive as renewed industry activity will increase demand of an already scarce commodity — can increase, rather than decrease, the ship’s environmental impact for CO2 and PM2.5. A recent note in manifoldtimes. com extensively quotes a study published last year by the independent Norwegian research organisation SINTEF, which confirmed that burning high-sulphur fuel oil with a scrubber has a lower carbon footprint than using LSFO. So, an increase of LSFO production worldwide can actually create more damage in the long run than cleaning the emissions via a scrubber. Additionally, when using marine gas oil MGO or LSFO the emissions of particulate (soot) are still an issue.
Actually, it has been shown in studies that the particulate from MGO and LSFO is even more dangerous than that from heavy fuel oil (HFO) because it is finer and penetrates the lungs more deeply. HFO in combination with a properly designed scrubber will not have such issues. The problem with emission of soot and SO2 is with human lungs and not the sea. We remain convinced that as shipping re-emerges with renewed economic activity, the price differential will again be affected by the unavoidable market laws of supply and demand. Because of the economic slow-down, refineries did not upgrade to produce the higher-quality low-sulphur bunker fuel. Therefore, supply will once again become a challenge and the spread become a factor. For more information on this topic, take a look at the article in manifoldtimes.com. CROE has established a number of strategic alliances around the world, making it a well-established global player. Most recently, CROE partnered with Oberlin Filter to provide an easilyintegrated wash-water filtration system to remove sludge in a non-hazardous dry form, streamlining the process to discharge extremely clean water filtrate back in the body of water. As the recovery unfolds, at CROE we’ll continue helping our clients to
Dry cake of solids discharged from filter
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speed up yard work, reducing to the maximum a process. To this end, our side entry and Venturi designs allow for greater prefabrication prior to the ship arriving at the site. These designs also allow for installations where the funnels are very tight and the scrubber has to be installed outside the funnel. Marine scrubbers are here to stay — and CR Ocean Engineering will continue doing what we do best: clean industrial emissions for a greener, more habitable planet.
CR Ocean Engineering, LLC is based in New Jersey, US. Chief Executive Officer: Sam W Croll, III President and COO: Nick Confuorto Technology Director: Dominique Philibert For more information, contact: Nick Confuorto Tel: +1 (973) 455-0005, extension 110 Email: nconfuorto@croceanx.com croceanx.com
Scrubber purge: 1000 ppm / 1100 NTU Clean Filtrate: 15 ppm / 10 NTU / < 25 PAH
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EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS
We talk to marine technology company Ecospray’s Director, Marine Business Unit about the firm’s approach to the marketing, supply and manufacturing of exhaust gas cleaning systems in today’s tough marketplace
MEETING THE EGCS CHALLENGES
Alberto Di Cecio Director, Marine Business Unit, Ecospray
“Ecospray has always been involved in the development of a wide variety of environmental solutions for many different industries,” says Alberto Di Cecio, director Marine Business Unit at Ecospray. “This background gives us the possibility to implement and optimise cross-sector technologies, with significant advantages in terms of know-how. The current focus is mainly ‘beyond compliance’ technologies, that is systems aimed to further improve the exhaust and discharge water quality from several perspectives: particulate matter, hydrocarbons, CO, NOx and heavy metals.” He explained that Ecospray can supply both complete packages, for both newbuildings and retrofits, and also specific technologies that can be integrated into existing EGCS. In general, all of the company’s technologies are suitable for two-stroke and four-stroke engines, in a wide range of engines size and regardless of the ship’s type. Regarding size, when Ecospray’s EGCS programme started in 2012, the main targets
were small- to mid-size four-stroke engines (4-16MW), but in the subsequent years, the market expanded and consequently the demand for larger systems to be fitted on large two-stroke engines for commercial vessels, such as capesize bulk carriers, VLCCs and 20,000 TEU container vessels. This year has brought many challenges to the marine EGCS industry, partly depending on the reduced VLSFO/HFO fuel spread. However, Di Cecio says that this did not significantly affect the company’s market share between newbuilding and retrofit projects. “There was a quite constant split of 15% and 85%, respectively,“ he explains. For equipment installations, the company relies on both internal resources and on partnering with engineering companies, depending on the project’s location, timeframe and technical specifications.
SERVICE PACKAGE
Ecospray also offers a service package, that focuses on supporting customers both for operational needs and for the entire system’s lifecycle once installed on board.
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Service packages can be customised according to the customer’s needs and even extended at a later stage, Di Cecio says. “With a customer-orientated philosophy in mind — and thanks to the experience gathered during about 600 system installations worldwide — the range of services that we offer is quite broad, from technical assistance and real time assistance, that includes data collection and monitoring, to training activities and spares and consumables management,” he says. “We think that our customers have just to focus solely on their core business. At Ecospray, we can cover the entire environmental value chain, and be the ‘one stop shop’ for training, upgrading, financing and maintenance needs.” One of the main development areas over the past five years has been the remote monitoring of the equipment using diagnostics when in operation, for instance for predictive maintenance purposes. “This has proved an efficient and cost-effective tool for our customers,” Di Cecio stresses. For example, the Ecospray Operation Centre (EsOC), uses a dedicated EGCS real-time monitoring and diagnostics software that collects, stores and analyses data from individual components, sub-systems and automation and is proactive with regards to the equipment’s operation and maintenance. Training is an important aspect of ECGS operations, Di Cecio says. Ecospray’s objective is to allow its clients to focus just on their businesses. Therefore, the company provides a wide range of training courses to prepare the ship operators to manage an EGCS, increasing the systems’ reliability, usage rates and their performances. “We offer competence-orientated training programmes, including live training, available both in Europe and Far East, online — very convenient in 2020 due to the global pandemic situation — and training pills, which are short and efficient sessions focused on specific items. “We have developed different training modules, covering basic aspects — regulations and compliance
rules, system overview, maintenance, troubleshooting, operations control with real-life scenarios, fine tuning, hands-on familiarisation with equipment, calibration, spares replacement, and so on,” he adds. Ecospray has dedicated spare centres covering the three main global maritime trade areas — Europe, North America, Asia — plus certified partners with available service engineers in many locations worldwide. The company will also offer its customers the option of a full-scale maintenance programme to coincide with the five-year survey cycle. However, Di Cecio says; “This is an option that we offer to our customers, even though we typically recommend more frequent health check surveys and item-specific maintenance in order to keep the EGCS in good shape.” To deal with the amount of cabling and piping maintenance, Di Cecio says that this does really depend on the quality of the engineering and the installation. “If both are carried out properly ensuring high quality standard, typically there are no particular maintenance problems,” he explains. Turning to the need for piping coatings, both externally and internally, this depends on the choice of materials. “With the most common ones (GREGRP, or high corrosion resistance stainless steels), usually there is no need for specific coating. Particular attention needs to be paid to the hull area surrounding the overboard(s), where a coating is definitely needed and must be carefully selected and applied,” he explained. Ecospray is also able to offer a customer a financial package. Di Cecio says: The company offers a range of financial solutions for clients, since we think that this can alleviate their financial burden (particularly during challenging times like 2020) and facilitate the choice of installing EGCSs on board their vessels. “The current economic scenario has urged us to rethink our strategy from the ground up. The environmental technology market is very capital intensive. That’s why we worked to offer innovative financing options
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and positive cash-flow plans for our solutions. Those financial products were introduced to our clients starting from last summer, and we observed a constantly increasing interest towards this type of solution. “At the same time, we are working to skip one generation of technological evolution, since our goal has always been to offer remarkable innovations ready in record time,” he concludes.
An Ecospray scrubber is installed
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COMPANY PROFILE
MUNTERS: A WORLDLEADING SUPPLIER OF CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
Munters is a global leader in innovative, energy-efficient and sustainable climate solutions for mission-critical processes. We offer innovative, efficient and sustainable solutions for customers in many different industries where controlling temperature and humidity is mission-critical. Our solutions reduce customers’ climate and environmental impact through lower resource consumption and in the process contribute to cleaner air, higher efficiency and reduced carbon emissions. Sustainability is an important part of Munters’ business strategy and value creation. Munters Euroform GmbH is the specialist within the group for Droplet Separation Solutions. Munters Mist Eliminators help anywhere liquids and gases need to be separated. Based in Aachen, Germany since 1955, Munters Euroform has become the market leader in the field of Mist Elimination, serving a huge variety of markets and applications. One of those applications is flue gas cleaning for land-based coalfired power stations. Munters Mist Eliminator Solutions help to clean harmful chemicals and partials from the process. The solution has been tried and tested for decades, with great success. Munters is considered the global market leader in the field, with its design now considered the industry
standard and inspiring many others to try and build the equivalent. It was this flue-gas desulphurisation (FGD) experience that allowed Munters to step into exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS). Starting as early as 2012, Munters Euroform started working with well-known scrubber manufacturers on offering the most efficient mist elimination possible. Space savings and low-pressure drop are more important on marine EGCSs compared with land-based FGD installations. It is for this reason that most marine scrubber demisters we supply are actually custom made into a round-cut design. At the basis of the design lies our most effective DV270 standard block of 610x403 mm. Together with our engineers, we make the most efficient design for round-cut demisters. By using the round cut rather than sticking to the standard rectangular blocks, we avoid loss of blind spaces, increase the effective area, reduce the flow speed and lower the pressure drop, allowing the scrubber tower to be as small as possible to save space on board and reduce cost in general.
The basis of Munters’ solution is our proven profile design, the DV270. This profile has been used in land-based FGD for decades and has been made marine proof by using higher grades of alloys, improving assembly methods, adapting welding instructions and integrating locking profiles, all to cope with the aggressive application, high temperatures and increased vibrations on board. The DV270 droplet separator is a vane-type separator for vertical flow. The gas flow charged with liquid droplets flows through the separator chambers, which have been designed for maximum effect on the gas flow. Because of this configuration, inertial forces act on the droplets. The droplets impinge on to the profiles, where they form a liquid film, which is subsequently drained off as a result of gravity. V-shaped impressions on the separator plates ensure that the liquid is drained off in the correct manner and returns to the gas flow.
TECHNICAL SOLUTION
A faulty demister will allow sulphur laden droplets to enter the atmosphere. Therefore, it is important to ensure scrubbers stay in perfect condition and continue to meet the regulations.
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FEATURES OF THE DV270 DROPLET SEPARATOR
THE FUTURE
Although the marine EGCS market is now in something of a slump due to the covid-19 pandemic, we believe that heavy fuel oil with scrubber technology will remain a relevant fuel option for shipowners for years to come. In the meantime Munters is also developing its presence in new technologies on the pathway to further decarbonise the shipping industry.
» The most established droplet separator for vertical flow scrubber applications. » Extremely low pressure loss. » Suitable for nnewbuilds and retrofits. » Available in the following materials: 254 SMO, Duplex 1.4462 and many other high alloys upon request. » Standard rectangular block 610 x 403mm. Height is 193mm. » Custom made into circular cut for round scrubber towers.
ABOUT US
OTHER APPLICATIONS
With almost 1,800 individual systems supplied, we hold a significant market share for demisters for marine EGC systems.
MASS TRANSFER / TOWER PACKING / RANDOM PACKING
While the demisters are the core product for Munters Euroform, some marine EGC systems may also use packed beds in their towers. Over the past few years, Munters has been providing its Medal-Pak® tower packing to many vessels. Munters carries a variety of packing styles, available in many materials options to meet specific application criteria. Land-based experience has allowed quick adaptation to marine conditions. Packed towers have been in existence for more than a century and many improvements have been developed in order to maximise column performance. In order to derive enhanced yields from a packed tower, well-matched components must be selected and installed to optimise distillation, absorption or stripping performance.
Air intake Next to our marine EGCS programme, Munters also has a wide selection of air intake solutions, ranging from single stage mist eliminators to multi-stage solutions that remove not only droplets, but also particles and salt. For the most demanding weather conditions, Munters DFH heated mist eliminators are ideal. Our clients include cruise ships, mega yachts, merchant marine vessels and navy ships. Varying demand between practical, robust and aesthetical, Munters can meet them all. For more information, visit: munters.com/en/solutions/mistelimination-and-gas-liquid-separation/ De-humidification At sea and in coastal climates, the battle against unwanted moisture is endless. A maritime environment can be very damaging to cargo and to ships’ installations. Moisture and salt will cause severe corrosion, and issues such as condensation will also be very common. Within the shipbuilding industry, Munters dehumidifiers are also used for protection against corrosion and condensation during sandblasting and painting. The Munters desiccant dehumidifier is an ideal solution for all moisturerelated issues.
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Munters has around 3,100 employees carrying out manufacturing and sales in more than 30 countries. Munters Group AB reports annual net sales of about SEK7bn and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.
CONTACTS
For sales and technical support on improving your scrubber performance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our Marine Team consist of Markus Karbach, Managing Director of Munters Euroform GmbH, and Tom Kokkeler, Marine Sales Manager. For more information, contact: Tom.kokkeler@munters.com Tel: +31 615953698 Email: mist-elimination@munters.com Tel:+49 24189000 munters.com
Munters Euroform GmbH is an associate member of the
Also you may find us through
Our Munters Euroform I.D is: 252642
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EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS
Clean Shipping International talks with Anders Skibdal, CEO of scrubber manufacturer PureteQ, on how his company has been preparing for all eventualities in the industry
STREAMLINING THE SERVICE
Anders Skibdal, CEO, PureteQ
As CEO of Denmark-based scrubber manufacturer PureteQ, Anders Skibdal is keen to address the controversy over open loop scrubbers, explaining that all of PureteQ’s open loop installations are prepared for an upgrade to hybrid mode. “Some of our customers have shown interest in upgrading to hybrid. We have got quite a few requests for other brand scrubbers to upgrade to hybrid, but so far it is merely talk, as the industry is waiting to see the EU’s stance,” he says. Another type of scrubber that is widely discussed is the dry version. However, Skibdal says that, in PureteQ’s opinion, it will be hard to implement dry scrubbers on ships, due to technical limitations. “The uptake of dry scrubbers has so far been very low. One of the reasons is that they produce quite a lot of bi-product that must be stored on board and disposed of on land and they also require quite a lot of reactant material to be stored on the ship,” he explains. “This reactant is sensitive to moist conditions, which makes it harder to store in a maritime environment. I am sure that
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in time dry scrubbers will be optimised for shipping, maybe creating a small niche for such technology. Benefits are obviously that no water treatment is necessary and there are no emissions to sea, but it comes with a cost,” he says. Turning to commercial matters, from a purely short-term financial perspective the scrubber business case is currently weaker, Skibdal says. The pay-back time (ROI) of a capesize bulker in today’s market is somewhere between two and three years, which is quite attractive, but previously it has been down to less than one year. The ROI is also influenced by the fact that the total cost of installation, including scrubber equipment scope, yard work, naval architecture and off-hire costs, have increased. “When you evaluate the total cost of installation over a period of time, you will discover that it has increased dramatically during the past three years,” he says. “While we are waiting for the world to return to some kind of normality, we as scrubber manufacturers are committed to redesigning our systems to streamline the
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EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS installation of our products at the yard, thus attempting to reduce the total cost of installation. “We even include more effort and risks to ourselves at no additional cost to the shipowner to reach this goal. In PureteQ, we have since day one been able to install the scrubber systems on capes in 15 days from arrival to departure without any preparation work being done ahead of arrival – but it very much depends on the yard and the shipowner’s representation there,” he adds. “We are convinced that when the balance between supply and demand of oil products is restored, we will see a beneficial span between heavy fuel oil and very low sulphur fuel oil. “With more than 40,000 ships in the global merchant fleet that are candidates for scrubbers, there is still a very large retrofit market if you compare this to DNV GL’s claim that 4,000 ships have scrubbers installed. We do, however, believe that the main market will be new ships,” he explains. Safety is another concern when considering the fitting of a scrubber. Skibdal claims that the PureteQ scrubber system is one of the safest systems in the market. The system has been designed with extensive safety measures, beyond normal industry standards, to ensure continuous easy operation and to avoid malfunctioning, that is that water from the scrubber system can accidentally enter the engine exhaust piping or the engine room, he says. Some examples are: » All scrubber towers have two drainpipes. Each drainpipe has 100% capacity, so even if a drain is blocked, the washwater will still flow freely. This is also a great advantage in rough seas as the towers are more easily drained. » Each drainpipe is equipped with a hard-wired level switch. If water is detected in either of the two drainpipes, the scrubber pumps are stopped immediately. The two-drain pipe set-up also ensures redundant level switch functionality
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» A water catch system with a level switch is installed as an extra safety measure. If for any reason water runs back towards the engine, the water will flow into this system and activate a level switch. This will shut down the scrubber pumps. » The scrubber tower has a built-in reservoir in the bottom part. This is enough to hold any water in the system, while it is being shut down. » Manual emergency stops are placed in the engine control room, on the bridge and on the scrubber panel for manual shut down. » Flow sensors are installed. If a pipe should break ahead of the flow sensor, the system will shut down. » A pressure sensor is installed at the top of the riser pipe for the scrubber tower. If a pressure pipe should become damaged or break, pressure will be reduced, and the system will shut down. » A scrubber control system is connected to the overboard valve as a standard, so that the scrubber pumps will shut down if the valve is not completely open. » A bilge level switch is recommended on all scrubber systems and some class societies even demand this safety measure. In the event of the bilge tank being full, again the scrubber system shuts down. Another important aspect to be considered is after sales. Here, Skibdal says that a PureteQ service agreement is designed to meet shipowners’ specific needs based on the ship’s operational pattern and crew proficiency level. While most shipowners prefer predictive and condition-based maintenance to minimise costs, PureteQ offers a tailor-made service agreement based on the actual conditions. “You only pay for what you get. This model has been well-received among our customers,” he says. This form of agreement is quite attractive compared to the typical agreements in the industry, as they are generally very costly upfront due to the fact that service providers charge for the full service scope, including a risk premium, since it is hard to predict exactly how much service a specific vessel will require, Skibdal explains.
It can vary a lot and is based on many parameters, such as installation quality, crew proficiency, sailing pattern, and so on. Most shipowners opt for service agreements at the end of the warranty period, with maybe 10-15% opting beforehand, he says. As for remote accessibility, the company only accesses the system remotely upon requests from the ship, as the data belongs to the shipowner. This is possible to do anywhere with a stable internet connection. PureteQ’s scrubber control system logs hundreds of datasets every second to ensure energy efficiency, while minimising carbon footprint. Together with the safe remote access, this enables service engineers to assist crews in trouble shooting and the replacement of parts, as well as data mining to predict the need for maintenance activity, thus reducing opex on the system.
“Remote access also provides for real-time reporting of the system’s environmental and technical performance”
Remote access also provides for real-time reporting of the system’s environmental and technical performance, as well as reporting to the flag state, port state, coast guard, and so on. “If you have to choose I would say that today the greatest value of remote access is training of new crews and supporting these crews in maintaining systems in MARPOL compliance in times where
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it is not possible to send engineers. After all, it is much more cost efficient to support remotely, than having to dispatch service engineers to the ship,” he stresses. After every installation, one or two PureteQ engineers perform crew training. In case of a crew change, PureteQ offers training sessions and customers with a service agreement have beneficial prices. For certified maintenance, PureteQ dispatches a service engineer to assist, while other maintenance tasks are performed by the crew. “We have a 24/7 service desk that is manned with professional marine service engineers to assist crew around the world and, of course, we also dispatch engineers for urgent jobs from our subsidiaries in Europe and in the Far East,” Skibdal says. PureteQ also services quite a few other scrubber brands and the numbers are growing steadily. As for statutory reporting, the company currently assists with flag state and US Coast Guard reporting for customers who have requested this service. Soon, these features will be integrated into the control system. “We expect to be able to roll this out together with environmental performance numbers within the next six months,” he says. When it comes to installations, Skibdal explains that the company does not become involved in delivering turnkey projects, so installations are always carried out by the shipyard. During installation, PureteQ will take an active part in the shipowners’ project organisation. The quality of the installation will be evaluated from large components to cable glands and the shipowner will be advised on errors during installation, so that they may be corrected in time. An in-house water monitoring system has also been developed, where data can be read and parameters set remotely. Some maintenance needs to be undertaken on-site, such as cleaning the filters. The ships’ crew have been trained for these activities, and if they have any doubts, PureteQ will support them, either remotely or on-site, depending on their preferences, Skibdal concludes.
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IRON PUMP: THE BREAKTHROUGH The breakthough in the marine pump sector came back in 1912 when a new type of cooling water pump was developed for Denmark’s largest shipyard. IRON Pump A/S developed and patented a wing pump, which was installed in the world’s first ocean going diesel motor vessel, MS Selandia. Over the following years, the excellent qualities of IRON Pump became well known to most northern European shipyards, where it became one of the leading suppliers of pumps. Climate change and International Maritime Organization regulations call for new technologies and, based on the newest engineering tools and design requirements, new pump programmes suitable for specific applications have been developed.
IRON Pump A/S CEO, Anders Frimodt-Møller
Meet the EGC Regulations with IRON Pump Customized Marine Water Pumps Designed for your Scrubber system Choose the IRON Pump E-Series for reduced weight and smaller footprint. • • • •
IRON Pump Manufactured in Denmark since 1906
Quality Vertical/Inline centrifugal pump Easy service with Top-pull-Out Genuine spare parts for excellent operation and long life Manufactured in accordance with ISO 9001 & 14001 – and in compliance with EU Directive 2009/125/EC.
Select your scrubber pump on-line and get your package of engineering details, dimensions, and documentation right away. IRON Pump A/S www.ironpump.com Contact: newsales@ironpump.dk Telephone +45 44 91 67 88
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COMPANY PROFILE
“Throughout the past years we have focused on our environmental footprint and especially on the efficiency and power consumption of the pumps,” says IRON Pump CEO Anders Frimodt-Møller. “To obtain the highest efficiency with the pumps, you need to run them and the system to perfection. To do this, we have worked very hard and have obtained a vast knowledge of various applications, such as exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS)/scrubber and ballast water systems. “Currently, there is a lot of focus on scrubber operation. The scrubber environment and performance is tough and wrong choices can damage the pumps very easily. We have designed, and specified our scrubber pumps based on our prior experience with EGCS to advise and support our customers to obtain the best performance.” The top entry DHB pumps are well known in the industry and have been configured and optimised to withstand the scrubber environment.
only add value for our customers, but also cement IRON Pump as a reliable source of know-how and a preferred pump supplier.”
IRON PUMP ADVANTAGES
SELECT YOUR SCRUBBER PUMP ON-LINE.
Speed is vital in the highly competitive EGCS market. This not only applies to the actual lead time of the final product, but also when it comes to availability and quality of the engineering details. “This December, we launch our online platform, which offers customers a fast and precise walk-through the application parameters, as well as a catalogue of accessories and features,” says Frimodt-Møller. “This platform enables a quick selection of pump, motor and certificates, together with a package of engineering details, dimensions and documentation. We believe that this new initiative will not
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» » » » » » »
High efficiency Vast knowledge and know-how Top customer service Competitive pricing Original spare parts Worldwide after sales support Danish quality, manufactured in Denmark
For more information, contact: Generatorvej 10 2860 Søborg Denmark Tel: +45 4491 6788 Email: newsales@ironpump.dk ironpump.com
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COMPANY PROFILE
FIBERDUR®: THE EXPERT IN FIBRE REINFORCED PIPE SYSTEMS Fiberdur® is a reliable supplier of glass fibre reinforced piping (GRP) systems, with more than 55 years of experience in designing and manufacturing. Fiberdur® is active in the industrial, marine, and oil and gas application fields. With dedicated employees and with a wide range of referenced applications and projects, we deliver a complete advisory, development and production service. It is our mission to come up with a modern reliable solution and to deliver advanced products to our customers worldwide.
SHIPBUILDING AND MAINTENANCE
The marine environment is, by its nature, highly corrosive. Any dry dock operation is a cost matter for both shipowners and operating companies. Glass fibre reinforced pipe systems provide a state-of-the-art solution against corrosion. Fibermarine® pipe systems combine the longestablished benefits of composite materials including light weight, ease of installation and excellent service life-time. The construction of Fiberdur® pipe systems has been proven to last over the entire life-time of the ship.
SOLUTIONS TO YOUR NEEDS
GRE/GRVE pipe systems can be delivered as prefabricated spools. Prefabrication can be carried out in our factory or by qualified contractors worldwide. The pipe sections are prepared according to isometrics. Special fittings can be designed and manufactured to meet the specific requirements of the shipbuilding industry. One big benefit of Fiberdur prefabrication is that it is a customer-orientated solution. We can supply a tailored solution for special parts such as manifolds and strainers/ mudboxes exactly in accordance with customer drawings.
OUR PRODUCTS
For the shipbuilding industry, Fiberdur® offers two resin systems: » GRE (glass fibre reinforced epoxy) » GRVE (glass fibre reinforced vinylester) » Fiberdur® pipe systems are produced as filament wound, in diameters ranging from 25mm to 2,000mm and in section lengths up to 10m. Whenever larger diameters are required, special project approvals can be supplied and certificated according to class requirements. Fibermarine® pipe systems are available in rated pressure classes up to 16 bar. Beside the standard pipe systems
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COMPANY PROFILE
» Flame Spread according to ASTM D 635 » Flame Spread according to IMO Resolution A.653 (16) » Smoke and Toxicity test as conducted by QINETIQ In addition to that, Fiberdur® has got a high availability of Fibermarine products due to a huge stock and logistics capacity which guarantees short-term deliveries.
TRAINING, SUPERVISION AND QUALITY
other configurations of internal and external pressure can be designed on customer request. Fibermarine® pipe systems are suitable for a wide range of applications as for example: » Seawater cooling lines » Seawater bilge and ballast water (including BWT systems) » Fire-fighting lines » Condensate lines » Sounding and ventilation lines » Black and grey water lines » Potable water lines » Tank cleaning lines » Jet-water lines » Crude oil washing lines » Heeling lines » Scrubber lines » Pool drainage lines » Cargo lines » Inert gas » Sewage » Sanitary drains and auxilary lines
range, fully prefabricated in house, technical support, along with detailed engineering, supervision,training, project specific documentation, installation, prefabrication and instruction manuals.
Fibermarine® pipe systems offer a wide range of jointing systems, which include adhesive bonding, lamination, flange type (collar/loose flange and heavy duty flange), rubber seal lock joint as well as mechanical couplings are available and also approved. Fibermarine® pipe systems can also be offered as a complete
Fibermarine® pipe systems can be applied on board ships as per IMO resolution A.753 (18) Fire Endurance test Level 3. The following standards are applicable: » FTP Code for Fire Test Procedure » Fire Endurance L3 according to IMO Resolution A.753 (18)
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Correct installation of GRE/GRVE material is an important point. Due to this reason, Fiberdur® has its own supervisor and trainer team, which can provide different solutions. Clients can receive complete installation training (bonding and lamination) through our trainer team, including a theoretical as well as a practical part. After a successful examination, your staff receives an official Fiberdur® installation certificate and is qualified to install pipes and fittings. Furthermore we can provide you with Fiberdur® supervision on-board during your installation. This option will lead to an easy, fast and successful installation of our Fibermarine® products.
For more information, contact: TPR Fiberdur GmbH & Co. KG. Headquarter: Galileo-Allee 6 52457 Aldenhoven Germany Phone: +49 24 64 / 972 - 0 Fax: +49 24 64 / 972 - 115 Mail: info@fiberdur.com fiberdur.com
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EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS
The subject of scrubbers – particularly of the open-loop type – stokes quite a lot of emotion and has polarised opinion, says North P&I’s Loss Prevention Executive Alvin Forster
GUIDANCE ON SCRUBBER USE WORLDWIDE
North’s Loss Prevention Executive Alvin Forster
The Club has provided members with advice on how to best protect themselves if choosing scrubbers, such as what to look out for with installation and operation and any potential impact on charterparty terms. At the start of this year, the business case for scrubbers did seem attractive — the cost differential between high-sulphur residuals and sulphur-compliant fuel was consistent with what many predicted. There were suggestions that the increasing number of ports and sea areas banning the use of open-loop scrubbers would make them less attractive from a financial point of view, but when you consider that the majority of a vessel’s fuel consumption is outside of these restricted areas, it was unlikely to be too much of a discouragement to a shipowner. Then, of course, the covid-19 pandemic happened and this price differential became slim. But as 2020 has told us, who knows what to expect over the next five-10 years,
especially with regard to fuel prices. One particular challenge we face is trying to keep up with the changes in regulations on open-loop use. North relies heavily on its correspondent network to keep the Club up to date on any new restrictions in their countries, but sometimes it is difficult to have clarity on a country’s position, especially if a referenced regulation does not specifically address scrubbers or uses all-encompassing vague terms such as “contaminated discharges”. Or where it isn’t formally prohibited, but merely “not advised”. Apart from advising some members on scrubber installation contracts, North has had little involvement in scrubberrelated claims and incidents. There have been a small number of instances related to warranty issues, such as equipment defects, cracks on components, brackets, and so on. However, following discussions with Dockspec Marine, which has shared its experience in scrubbers, more might be expected.
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EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS
North hasn’t yet seen any claims relating to non-compliant scrubber operation with regard to the IMO2020 sulphur cap. There is a risk of shipowners incurring fines by port states if the vessel operates with a defective or non-operational scrubber, but that hasn’t materialised, as far as the Club knows. Of course, covid-19 has meant a much-reduced port state control presence, so it might be argued that any non-compliances would not be picked up, due to less inspections, but it could also be an early indicator of their reliability. Ports around the world are looking at the impact of scrubber use in their waters. A number of ports and regions have already said that they will not allow the discharge of washwater from scrubbers. North has produced a roundup of its understanding of the positions taken by ports that have or will prohibit the use of scrubbers, or have placed conditions upon their use.
“Covid-19 has meant a muchreduced port state control presence, so it might be argued that any non-compliances would not be picked up, due to less inspections, but it could also be an early indicator of their reliability”
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COUNTRY ROUNDUP
This information is for guidance only, as the guidelines are constantly changing. ARGENTINA – Yes: the prohibition previously in place has been suspended. However, IT&L Legal Consultants advise that this resolution took effect from 3 October, 2020 and warned that this suspension is provisional and the restrictions have not been permanently overturned. AUSTRALIA – Yes: according to AMSA Marine Notice 05/2019, washwater testing should be conducted upon commissioning of the EGCS and repeated every 12 months, as a minimum, for a period of two years. Ships may be told not to discharge EGCS washwater in Australian waters if this data, or evidence that samples have been taken for analysis, cannot be provided to AMSA before arrival at the first Australian port. BAHRAIN – No: open loop operations are not allowed in port or at anchor. However, open loop operations are allowed in Bahraini territorial waters and exclusive economic zone (EEZ). BELGIUM – No: Belgian federal law states that discharge is only allowed in coastal and open seawaters when at least three nautical miles off the coast. BERMUDA – Yes: ships equipped with EGCS will have o seek prior approval from the Environmental Authority before they are used in Bermuda’s territorial waters. Washwater and residue from the EGCS shall be not disposed of in Bermuda or discharged into Bermuda’s waters, but shall be stored on board the ship until outside of Bermuda’s waters. BRAZIL (EXCEPT VALE TERMINALS) – Yes: P&I Club correspondents Brazmar advised on 23 July, 2020 that the Directorate of Ports and Coasts (DPC)/Navy had changed the previous guidance and that the discharge of washwater from open loop and/or hybrid EGCS is allowed within Brazilian jurisdictional waters until the competent environmental authority has the opportunity to better assess the situation. BRAZIL (VALE PORTS AND TERMINALS) – No: EGCS washwater discharge is not allowed while operating in its Brazilian ports and terminals. Vale recommends that vessels should be changed over to compliant fuel before entering contiguous zone or coastal waters, 24 nautical miles from coastline. PR CHINA (INLAND RIVER EMISSION CONTROL AREAS) – No: China MSA guidance prohibits the discharge of water washings from open loop scrubbers in certain areas. The prohibited areas are: » Inland river Emission Control Areas. » Port areas within coastal ECAs. » Bohai Sea – the sea area within lines connecting the junction point of shorelines of Dandong, Dalian and shorelines of Yantai, Weihai. Ships are required to keep accurate records of the stowage and disposal of the washwater. If a vessel is not able to store the washwater, it is required to switch to low sulphur fuel (not exceeding 0.5%) prior to entering the above areas. EGYPT PORTS AND SUEZ CANAL – No: The Suez Canal Authority puts no conditions or restrictions on marine fuels until Egypt ratifies MARPOL Annex VI and as such, the IMO sulphur cap is not in force. In addition, washwater from open-loop scrubbers is not permitted to be discharged during a canal transit. As for the ports, Kalimbassieris Maritime Egypt has advised that the discharge of open loop scrubber washwater is not permitted in Egyptian territorial waters.
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ESTONIA – Restricted: restrictions are in place on discharging chemical EGCS washwater, including in enclosed ports and estuaries. Exceptions for discharge into the sea are made if the ship operator can demonstrate that the washwater meets international requirements, required PH levels and does not cause adverse effects on human health or the environment. The use of closed-loop EGCS is permitted in Estonian territorial waters and ports, if it meets the relevant requirements and is certified, however discharging of the washwater is not permitted. GERMANY (INLAND WATERWAYS, CANALS AND PORTS WITHIN INLAND WATERWAYS) – No: EGCS discharge is not permitted during navigation on the Rhine and other inland waterways (CDNI Convention). Restrictions apply to all inland waterways intended for general traffic except for the German part of Lake Constance and the stretch of the Rhine upstream of Rheinfelden. GIBRALTAR – No: closed loop scrubbers are permitted in Gibraltar waters, as are hybrid scrubbers operating in closed loop mode. Open loop scrubber are temporarily not permitted until the Gibraltar government gives a definitive policy decision with regards to the use of open loop scrubbers. HONG KONG – Yes: a ban on EGCS washwater is not listed. However Hong Kong regulation LN 135 of 2018 states that an exemption from use of non-compliant fuel is granted if the authorities are satisfied with the abatement technology used to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions. INDIA (ADANI PORTS) – No: Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone has issued a circular advising that the discharge of washwater from open-loop scrubbers is prohibited. However, vessels fitted with hybrid scrubbers should switch over to closed loop mode of operations before entering port limits, while those fitted with closed loop scrubbers can continue using the systems. The above was due to come into force on 1November, 2020. IRELAND (DUBLIN AND WATERFORD) – No: the Port of Dublin has issued a Notice to Mariners No 37 of 2018 Prohibition on the Discharge of Exhaust Gas Scrubber Washwater, as has the Port of Waterford. LATVIA: conflicting advice has been received. P&I Correspondents Pandi Balt Ltd advised in August, 2018 that washwater discharges are currently allowed under regulations but are likely to be prohibited in future. LITHUANIA: again conflicting advice has been received. We understand that the Lithuanian authorities are studying whether EGCS washwater discharges have serious impact on the marine environment. When the results become clear, conclusions will be provided.
EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS
MALAYSIA – No: Malaysia shipping notice MSN 07/2019 prohibits the use of open loop scrubbers within 12 nautical miles from land. Vessels calling at Malaysian ports must operate in closed loop mode or change over to compliant fuel before arriving. NEW ZEALAND – Yes: however, it is discouraged as per Maritime NZ (MNZ) issue “Guidance on the Use of Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (Scrubbers) for Ports, Regional Authorities and Ships”. This guidance is non-statutory, but MNZ encourages the industry to implement measures until studies currently underway in respect of the use of scrubbers have been completed. MNZ requested that all ships carrying scrubbers and operating in New Zealand’s territorial waters engage with the relevant port and regional authorities, and as a precautionary measure, where possible, they avoid discharging scrubber effluent close to shore by utilising alternate options. NORWAY (THE WORLD HERITAGE FJORDS SEA AREAS OF GEIRANGERFJORD AND NÆRØYFJORD) – Restricted: The World Heritage Fjord sea areas of Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord restrict the use of open loop scrubbers, but not closed loop systems. OMAN – No: open-loop scrubber discharge is not permitted in Oman territorial waters. PAKISTAN (PORT OF KARACHI AND PORT BIN QASIM) – No: the Pakistan Ministry of Maritime Affairs (Ports and Shipping) has prohibited the discharge of washwater from open loop scrubbers. If closed loop scrubbers are not in use then compliant fuel should be used and changed over before arriving in port waters. PANAMA (PORTS AND CANAL) – No: the use of open loop scrubbers or hybrid scrubbers in open loop mode is prohibited in Panama Canal waters. PORTUGAL – No: the use of open loop scrubbers is not allowed from entry of the ship into the port, along the port channel and at berth (moored), until the ship leaves the port. Only closed loop operations are currently allowed. SAUDI ARABIA PORTS – No: Saudi Port Authorities have now banned scrubber washwater discharges from open loop EGCS systems in Saudi ports until an environmental standard is issued. SINGAPORE – No: a ban on the use of open loop scrubbers took effect on 1 January, 2020. SPAIN (ALGECIRAS, CARTAGENA, HUELVA) – No: the use of open loop scrubbers is prohibited at the Spanish ports of Algeciras, Cartagena and Huelva. At present, no other Spanish ports have imposed a ban.
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SWEDEN (STOCKHOLM, TRELLEBORG AND PETROPORT, STENUNGSUND) – No: while there is no nationwide ban in Swedish waters on the use of open loop scrubbers, some ports have placed local restrictions, for example: » Stockholm — North’s correspondents advised that there is an open loop scrubber ban in Stockholm. » Trelleborg — Chalmers University in Gothenburg advised of a ban of open loop scrubbers in Trelleborg. » Petroport, Stenungsund — Vessels calling at the port are not allowed to use open loop system scrubbers. US (CALIFORNIAN PORTS AND WATERS) – No: the Californian ARB OGV regulations stipulate only distillate fuels can be used to comply with the 0.1% sulphur limit. A changeover to compliant distillate fuel (marine gasoil or marine diesel oil) must be made prior to entering Californian waters. US (CONNECTICUT PORTS AND WATERS) – No: discharge of exhaust gas scrubber washwater into Connecticut waters from any vessel is prohibited. US (HAWAII PORTS AND WATERS) – Yes: conditional — the State of Hawaii (Clean Water Branch) issued “Blanket Section 401” Water Quality Criteria (WQC). This covers 27 categories of effluent discharge from an applicable vessel (including EGCS washwater) that have received the best control or treatment into waters of the State of Hawaii incidental to the normal operation of the applicable vessels. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (ABU DHABI PORTS) – Yes: conditional. — Abu Dhabi Ports company (ADPC) policy is: » Sludge generated from exhaust gas scrubber washwater discharge must not be discharged into port waters. » Exhaust gas scrubber washwater discharge may only be discharged in port waters if free from pollutants. » Any exhaust gas scrubber sludge should be discharged from a vessel to an ADPC licensed waste disposal contractor. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (FUJAIRAH) – No: Notice to Mariners No. 252 from the Port Fujairah prohibits use of open loop scrubbers in its waters.
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WASHWATER MONITORS FOR MARINE SCRUBBER SYSTEMS: TECHNICAL CHALLENGES IN MEASURING PAH-VALUES Scrubber systems produce washwater that can be discharged to sea. Before discharging, the scrubber washwater needs to meet certain environmental criteria. Therefore, washwater monitors are part of scrubber systems and pH-level, PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) concentration, turbidity and temperature are checked. Temperature, pH and turbidity measurements are well known and monitored according to international standards. However, less is known about PAH measurements. PAH refers to a group of molecules with two or more fused aromatic rings. PAHs are a natural part of petroleum and, in addition, are formed as byproducts of fuel combustion. Therefore, they are present in exhaust gases and can be transferred from the exhaust gas to the washwater in the scrubbing process. Since PAHs are known environmental contaminants, the PAH concentration in washwater needs to be monitored continuously and kept below specific limits before discharging washwater to sea. The limits are set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to ensure environmental protection of the sea. Various techniques allow the determination of PAH concentration, the most precise method being gas chromatography (GC). While GC is a well-known laboratory method, it is not suitable for continuous online monitoring and, therefore, not an option for scrubber washwater monitors. However, optical techniques allow online monitoring and are therefore employed in scrubber washwater monitors. In most cases, PAH-monitors use ultraviolet (UV) fluorescence techniques, in which scrubber washwater is excited with UV light and resulting fluorescence from possible
contaminants is detected. For practical and cost reasons, the discrimination of different PAHs is not required. However, wavelength ranges for UV excitation and fluorescence detection are chosen such that they correspond well to absorption and fluorescence spectra of one specific PAH, namely phenanthrene (Fig. 1). Phenanthrene is one of the most prevalent PAHs in exhaust gases and, therefore, the IMO decided to use it as an indicator PAH for the total amount of PAHs. Hence, IMO requires that PAH-monitors are calibrated with phenanthrene. The measured fluorescence signals are then indicated as phenanthrene-equivalent concentration values PAHphe, and washwater discharge concentration limits are given by the IMO in PAHphe. It must be mentioned that even with phenanthrene-specific wavelength ranges for the excitation and fluorescence light, detected fluorescence signals originate not solely from phenanthrene, but can also have contributions from other
PAH compounds, such as naphthalene, dibenzothiophene, and so on, and derivatives thereof (Fig. 1). Hence, with the definition of PAHphe, the required optical monitors can indicate values that are different from the PAH concentrations measured with GC methods. The GC values are often taken for comparison with and verification of the PAH washwater monitors. To understand the differences between the two techniques, a few aspects of the GC technique will be explained here. For accurate concentration measurements with GC, the GC instrument must be calibrated with the expected substances. Often, an international standard solution called 16 EPA-PAHs is used for PAH calibrations. Examples of the 16 PAHs in this standard solution include naphthalene, fluorene, phenanthrene, and so on, but no derivatives of these parent PAH substances. PAH derivatives such as methyl-phenanthrene or -naphthalene distinguish themselves from the parent
Fig. 1: Normalised absorption (dashed lines) and fluorescence (solid lines) spectra of naphthalene (dark blue), phenanthrene (light blue), and dibenzothiophene (grey). Since the absorption and fluorescence spectra of phenanthrene overlap partly with those of other substances (naphthalene and dibenzothiophene spectra are shown here exemplarily), measured fluorescence signals always contain contributions from non-phenanthrene substances. Therefore, PAH-monitors do not display phenanthrene concentrations but phenanthrene-equivalent concentrations PAHphe.
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compound by one or more methyl groups. Such derivatives are present in similar concentrations as their parent compounds in fuels and exhaust gases and, therefore, in scrubber washwaters. Although GC can discriminate derivatives from parent compounds, they are often not quantified in GC laboratory reports, since the instrument is not calibrated for these substances. In contrast, fluorescence techniques employed in washwater monitors cannot distinguish derivates from their parent compounds because their optical properties are very similar to the parent compounds. Hence, washwater monitors record fluorescence signals from phenanthrene and all its derivates and indicate these signals as PAHphe concentrations. As a result, PAHphe values of PAH washwater monitors are generally higher than phenanthrene concentrations in washwater samples measured by GC. It must be noted that the IMO has defined limits for PAHphe values and not for phenanthrene concentrations. The gap between online measurements of PAH washwater monitors and laboratory measurements by GC methods can be even larger, because GC measurements are not online, but washwater samples must be taken on board the ship and transported to laboratories for GC analysis. In this process, PAH concentrations in the washwater samples can decrease when water samples are not stored properly and not measured within a few days. After all, IMO guidelines require PAH measurements to be taken continuously and conducted with optical techniques and, therefore, PAHphe values are the relevant values that must be within the IMO limits and not GC laboratory values of phenanthrene concentrations. With the required optical techniques for online monitoring, several challenges arise for manufacturers of PAH washwater monitors. One general challenge for optical measurements of fluids is the contamination or fouling of optical elements that are in contact with the fluid. Such contamination can affect the optical measurements and either needs to be avoided or quantified. If contamination can be measured properly, then instruments can account for it. Most scrubber systems have two
monitors for washwater measurements: one before the water enters the scrubber and a second one after the scrubber process before discharge to sea. Since most scrubbers work with seawater, fouling of optical elements in contact with seawater is an issue for both washwater monitors. In addition, contamination with additional substances from the scrubber process can occur when monitoring the washwater after the scrubber process. Optical windows that are often used to separate the measurement chamber with the washwater from other optical elements are prone to contaminate within days or weeks. As a result, the transmission of UV excitation light and the fluorescence of PAHs are reduced, and lower signals will be detected. Hence, if this window fouling is not quantified and taken into account properly, such monitors will display incorrect PAHphe values that are too low. Proper correction for optical window fouling can be challenging. Therefore, device designs that completely omit contact between washwater and optical elements are more reliable. For example, the washwater monitors of SIGRIST-PHOTOMETER AG apply a socalled non-contact free-fall technique, in which the washwater falls in a free jet through the instrument while measurements are taken (Fig. 2). With this design fouling and contamination of optical elements is omitted and optical measurements are reliable over extended time periods. In addition, no regular cleaning of optical elements is necessary.
Fig. 2: Non-contact free-fall setup in PAH and turbidity instruments of SIGRISTPHOTOMETER AG. Both instruments are employed in the SIGRIST washwater monitor system ScrubberGuard.
Another challenge with optical PAH measurements is optical absorption and scattering in scrubber washwater. Optical absorption and scattering can attenuate the UV light that excites PAH molecules in the washwater and reduce the detected fluorescence that results from these excited PAH molecules. Both effects lead to a lower detected optical signal. If not corrected properly, the indicated PAHphe values will be lower than actual values. Whether absorption and scattering play a role depends on the concentrations of absorbing and scattering substances in the washwater and the optical path length L (Fig. 3).
Fig. 3: The UV excitation beam (blue) travels through the washwater (grey) to excite PAH molecules. Absorption within the washwater (optical path length L) can reduce the UV light significantly (a). The reduction is negligible for short layer thicknesses (b) as can be found in the system displayed in Fig. 2.
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The exciting UV light travels through a certain distance (layer thickness) within the washwater. If pollutants are present in the washwater the UV excitation light generates fluorescence light that itself has to travel through washwater before it reaches the optical detector. The shorter the involved path lengths of excitation and fluorescence lights, the smaller the signal reduction from absorption and scattering. Correcting the measured signal for absorption and scattering effects can be challenging. Some washwater monitor systems use turbidity measurements to correct the detected signal for scattering effects. IMO guidelines require turbidity measurements using optical scattering methods according to ISO 7027. The applied scattering wavelength is 860nm, defined by the norm, which is very different from the UV fluorescence measurements at wavelengths below 400nm. Therefore, turbidity measurements can only provide an indication of light scattering in the washwater, however, precise correction of PAHphe values for scattering effects in the UV wavelength range is not possible. Turbidity measurements are even less suited to account for absorption effects. Molecular absorption occurs primarily in narrow wavelength ranges that are specific to the substances. Scrubber washwater often has pronounced absorption bands in the UV that can be associated with SOx and PAHs from the scrubber process (Fig. 4). Such UV absorption that cannot be detected with turbidity monitors, leads to deviations (reductions) of the measured signals in PAH monitors. Since absorption is governed by an exponential law, the deviation in percent is given by the formula 100∙(1-e^(-a∙L)), in which a is the absorption coefficient and L is the thickness of the probed washwater layer. For small absorption coefficients the deviation is approximately 100∙a∙L, that is increases linearly with L. For example, an absorption coefficient of 1 1/m results in a reduction of the measured signal of 1% with a layer thickness
COMPANY PROFILE
Fig. 4: Absorbance spectra of scrubber washwater showing significant UV absorption below 400nm, specifically below 300 nm, where most PAH washwater monitors excite the washwater. Compared to UV absorption, absorption in the visible and near infrared wavelength range (not shown here) is negligible. Therefore, optical techniques using visible or near infrared light are not able to quantify absorption in the UV wavelength range.
L=0.01m=1cm and 5% with L=5 cm. Therefore, PAH washwater monitors with a smaller L provide more accurate readings than such with larger L. This is particularly relevant for washwaters with high levels of SOx and PAHs. As shown in Fig. 2, the PAH monitor from SIGRIST-PHOTOMETER AG samples a washwater jet with a diameter of less than 1cm, which is distinctly less than other PAH-monitors with optical path lengths of more than 5cm. Therefore, the SIGRIST instruments indicate reliable PAHphe values even at higher concentrations of washwater contaminants, in the range of IMO PAHphe limits, where it is most relevant for seawater pollution prevention. In conclusion, online washwater monitors that are part of exhaust gas cleaning systems or scrubbers are regulated by IMO guidelines and, therefore, PAH measurements have a specific meaning in the context of scrubber washwater monitoring. Online PAH washwater monitors that are compliant with IMO guidelines record so-called PAHphe values that are different from PAH values measured with standard laboratory techniques such as gas chromatography. It is the PAHphe values which are relevant, and which must be within
the accepted limits in order to be compliant with IMO guidelines. Online measurements of PAHphe values rely on optical techniques that bring along several challenges, for example fouling of optical elements or optical absorptions in the washwater. Employing proper engineering and system design ensure correct PAHphe measurements and, therefore, contribute to the environmental protection of seawater. Marc Achermann, Head of R&D
FIND OUT MORE
We would be pleased to show you the possible applications on site or assist you with your projects. Our large network of sales and service partners provides competent advice worldwide and supports you locally in the practical use and service of our ScrubberGuard. For more information, contact: SIGRIST-PHOTOMETER AG Hofurlistrasse 1 CH-6373 Ennetbürgen Switzerland Tel:+41 41 624 54 65 Email: FelixJoller@photometer.com photometer.com
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BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Shipowners who have diligently followed best practice may find themselves unfairly penalised when it comes to Ballast Water Management Systems
BEWARE BALLAST BOOBY TRAPS
Adam Jolliffe, Senior Sales Manager, Maritime, Chelsea Technologies
Shipowners who have invested in Ballast Water Management Systems (BWMS) rightly expect that they’ll deliver reliable, simple regulatory compliance. These systems often represent millions of dollars’ worth of capex and come with International Maritime Organization (IMO) or US Coast Guard (USCG) certifications that validate their effectiveness. However, shipowners have consistently found it difficult to ensure that their system treats water to the correct standard and many have found themselves noncompliant and out of pocket, despite diligently following the manufacturer’s best practice recommendations. This is not an acceptable risk. Having a non-compliant IMO or USCG BWMS means that you are subject to fines and sanctions that can effectively render you unable to trade. In the US, failure to comply to the USCG standard brings with it fines of $35,000 per day and criminal liability for those who “knowingly” violate the law. As things stand today, there is no IMO requirement for a
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BWMS to be tested upon installation and, in my experience, it’s all too common for errors to creep in during the installation process. These errors may render a BWMS incapable of treating ballast water at all, or reduce its effectiveness to the extent that it does not meet the IMO’s D-2 minimum standard. Indeed, some estimate that more than a fifth of BWMS do not treat water to the required standard upon their installation. If a BWMS does not work as designed when it is delivered on board, it will represent a compliance risk throughout its lifecycle. A shipowner might only discover that a ship’s system has never worked correctly when a regulator takes enforcement action, leaving them with sizeable fines, legal liability and numerous additional off-hire costs. Fortunately, it’s looking likely that this reality will change at the 75th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 75), when it’s widely anticipated that new commissioning testing rules will be adopted. These commissioning testing
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standards — expected to come into force in 2021 — would harmonise regulation for signatories of the Ballast Water Management Convention and see every BWMS installation tested before delivery, with failed tests triggering diagnostic and repair work until the system passes. This process relies entirely on fast and accurate indicative testing, which can deliver this practical assurance to shipowners and other key stakeholders.
BEYOND INSTALLATION
Thorough and practical commissioning test standards will have a real impact for shipowners, and represent a vital step in reducing unreasonable risks. However, this does not guarantee operational compliance, and a significant number of issues will persist. Last year, the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) released its “Best practices for Operations of Ballast Water Management Systems” report, which included a significant survey of shipowners. Some 59% of respondents reported operational problems with their BWMS, and 6% reported completely inoperable systems. There are more than 100 BWMS models on the market, with each operated differently. This understandably creates challenges with training and human factors, especially as crew move between ships and encounter new systems. Some units from the same manufacturer that seem visually similar are operated differently, while they are unlikely to provide useable data to show if they are being operated incorrectly. There is no requirement for seafarers or shipowners to monitor the complex data produced by a BWMS, while the information measured may look normal, despite non-compliance. In some cases, issues with filters, electrodes, or other components can cause a system to stop treating ballast water to the acceptable level without providing any indication. As a system ages, these issues become exponentially more likely. As the regulations mature further,
BALLAST WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
compliance will be fully enforced. Robust compliance testing standards will be adopted by the IMO and the USCG, and those who are not operationally compliant will face enforcement actions — potentially even if they have followed current best practice to the letter.
“The technical and regulatory challenge posed by ballast water management has caused unforeseen issues across the industry,and opened up unfair hidden risks for shipowners” CONTINUOUS TESTING
Shipowners need to be confident that their vessels are compliant with regulations and the only consistently reliable way to do that is with the right tools and technology. Similarly, it is important that ships are not accidentally transporting invasive species in inadequately treated ballast water for the regulations to have the ecological effect they were designed to. The only way to provide these tools is through the data provided by ongoing indicative monitoring. This should be the fundamental cornerstone of any shipowner’s approach to ballast water management, as well as the approach regulators take
going forwards. Ongoing monitoring processes could take several forms. One method, which is already being adopted by some, entails contracting out regular indicative testing at ports to a third party. This approach cuts the risk of a long-term undiscovered BWMS failure and usually enables diagnostic and corrective action to be taken in the event of a fault before a shipowner is liable for sanction. However, the most effective way to minimise this data-driven risk is to install on-board indicative ballast water monitoring systems. These can continually provide real time, accurate data at any point. This provides fast information that can stop a noncompliant discharge, enable the rapid diagnosis of issues while at sea, and help seafarers work efficiently with Port State Control to find alternative arrangements for ballast water discharges if necessary. These ongoing monitoring solutions will only provide value if shipowners and regulators are certain that indicative tests can meet their needs. They must be fast, accurate, reliable, practical and simple enough to use that they do not require any additional training. These market needs are what drove the development of Chelsea Technologies’ FastBallast system, which uses an integrated, sophisticated measurement technique within a convenient, portable, and user-friendly instrument to deliver a high degree of accuracy. The technical and regulatory challenge posed by ballast water management has caused unforeseen issues across the industry,and opened up unfair hidden risks for shipowners who follow the rules to the letter. The changes to commissioning testing regulations expected at MEPC 75 represent a real step forwards in tackling these risks, but the only way to achieve the operational certainty that the industry needs is to continue testing on an ongoing basis after commissioning. This article was written before MEPC 75.
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COATINGS
Hull coating technology has advanced significantly and there are now coating solutions that can deliver impressive fuel savings, helping the shipping industry’s move towards a carbon-free future
PAINTING BY NUMBERS
Andreas Glud, Group Segment Manager, Dry Dock, Hempel A/S
Sustainability is key to the shipping industry meeting its environmental obligations and it is encouraging to see so many companies placing it at the top of their agenda, according to Andreas Glud, group segment manager, dry dock, Hempel A/S. In the main, this is being driven by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and aligned with the United Nations Paris Agreement, he says. The IMO accelerated its climate action last year with a series of measures aimed at the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships. Central to this is a 50% reduction in GHG emissions by 2050, compared to a 2008 baseline. This ambitious goal is ultimately to eliminate emissions from shipping altogether. It is, of course, in line with the Paris Climate Change Agreement to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Many shipping companies are adopting the 2015 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These are a
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collection of 17 interlinked goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”. Shipping companies tend to focus on one goal in particular, No 13 – Climate Action: to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. The IMO’s 0.5% sulphur cap also came into force on 1 January 2020, one of the most significant environmental regulations affecting the maritime industry, further pushing efficiency and sustainability. All of these initiatives are encouraging responsible members of the industry to play their part. Every maritime player is an integral cog in the machinery that will, ultimately, lead to an optimised and sustainable future.
HOW DO COATINGS FIT IN?
The use of hull coatings is one such “cog” in shipping’s move towards a carbon-free future. Over the years, coatings technology has advanced significantly and there are now hull coating solutions on the market that can deliver up to 14% fuel savings across a
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five-year docking interval. An advanced hull coating guards against the fouling caused by a range of organisms latching on to the ship, which inevitably slows the vessel down and causes it to use more fuel. Investing in the right coating makes sound business sense, but is also helps shipowners and operators meet their sustainability goals. Fuel savings translate to a reduction in CO2 and associated environmental emissions. An example of this is coatings manufacturer Hempel’s Hempaguard X7 hull coating. Hempaguard X7 has been applied to nearly 2,000 vessels since its launch in 2013, enabling those vessels to collectively reduce their annual fuel bill by more than $500m and cut annual CO2 emissions by over 10m tonnes. This is a significant achievement and helps shipping companies own customers reduce the carbon emissions within their supply chains. Sustainability is without a doubt at the top of Hempel’s agenda. The company strives to continue to reduce its own waste, energy consumption
COATINGS
and use of hazardous raw materials. But Hempel is not only committed to reducing its own environmental footprint, but also that of its customers and has launched various services to help achieve this over the years.
ROLE OF DATA
Hempel’s SHAPE (Systems for Hull and Propeller Efficiency) is a good example of this. It is based on the ISO 19030 framework, and combines all elements of propulsion efficiency optimisation, including digital data gathering, benchmarking and expert analysis. In short, SHAPE is a process of measurement over time that monitors the long-term efficiency trends through a range of in-service performance indicators to measure, monitor and implement coatings systems that improve hull and propeller efficiency. There are six key stages that comprise the transparent and thorough process of SHAPE. First, the vessel’s speed power reference curves are established. Next, in-service data is collected, cleansed and purified to eliminate
extreme operating conditions and the effects of environmental factors. From this, precise speed loss calculations are undertaken – this is critical to understand vessel performance and fuel efficiency, as power increase and speed loss are directly related. Subsequently, four KPIs are calculated – drydocking performance, in-service performance, maintenance trigger and maintenance effect. Following this detailed process, Hempel’s experts are armed with the data required to provide solid advice to the shipowner on how they might improve their fuel efficiency and successively operate more sustainably. Each individual step brings us closer to a more sustainable future. Coatings are just one element in a comprehensive package of measures that must be implemented if shipping is to play its role in a less carbonintensive future. At Hempel, we will continue develop coatings and solutions to help our customers meet their sustainability goals — one coat at a time.
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PROFILE
Companies have united in Norway to develop a new and flexible fuel cell technology that aims to reduce ships’ emissions by anything from 40% to 100%
TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH A co-operative joint venture involving shipping, research and development, and oil and gas companies is developing a pilot system that will be able to use different types of fuel. This system will be tested at the Sustainable Energy catapult centre at Stord in Norway, before being installed on board an Odfjell chemical tanker. The project was presented to Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg during a ceremony to celebrate the expansion of the catapult centre last month. Its main partners are chemical tanker company Odfjell, fuel cell technology developer Prototech, maritime technology concern Wärtsilä and oil and gas exponent Lundin Energy Norway. This new technology opens the way for many different types of fuel, including green ammonia and LNG, the partners claim. “Our tests show a CO2 reduction of as much as 40-45% when using LNG, compared to current solutions,”
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said Bernt Skeie, Prototech CEO at the unveiling ceremony. “Increased efficiency and reduced fuel consumption also provide significant cost savings and the ship will be able to sail significantly longer on the same amount of energy. The system will also be ready to operate completely emission-free from the locations where, for instance, ammonia is available for bunkering. “The technology also enables direct capture of CO2, which will be yet another alternative for emission-free operation when logistics for CO2 management become available,” he explained. It is aimed at developing a technology that can provide emission-free operation over long distances. Battery solutions are currently not suitable for operating on deepsea ships, he said. The fleet consists of more than 50,000 ships globally and thus constitutes a big share of international shipping. It is difficult to achieve the goal of climate neutrality without finding solutions for this segment, the partners said. The
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An impression of one of Odfjell’s newbuilding chemical tankers
new technology’s unique feature is its high energy efficiency and the flexibility that enables substantial emission reductions from day one with the use of currently available infrastructure for LNG — while also preparing for emissionfree operations in line with the development of value chains and infrastructure for sustainable fuels in the future. “Ships are operated for 20-30 years, and we need flexible solutions that can meet future emission requirements. We do not have time to wait, we have to think about zero emissions already now,” said Erik Hjortland, Odfjell Management’s vice president technology. “The fuel cell project is one of the paths we are pursuing. We focus on machinery rather than focusing on one single type of fuel. Fuel cell technology gives us flexibility that ensures environmentally efficient operation, regardless of fuel changes that may occur in the years ahead.” “The new energy solution has the potential to take us a big step close
“Fuel cell technology gives us flexibility that ensures environmentally efficient operation, regardless of fuel changes that may occur in the years ahead”
to the goal of climate neutrality. Fuel flexibility will be a significant contribution to secure future solutions for new ships. And it does not stop with ships, this solution can also be used in offshore oil and gas operations,” added Ingve Sørfonn, Wärtsilä’s technical director. At the presentation, Harald Solberg, Norwegian Shipowners’ Association CEO, emphasised the project’s potential: “The development of this fuel cell is an example of how forwardlooking shipping companies and our unique maritime expertise have the prerequisites to drive new solutions through a broad collaboration within the maritime cluster. “In the long run, scaling up such solutions will be of great importance in achieving our climate goals, they will have business value and they can create new jobs in Norway. Norwegian shipping has set ambitious climate goals. This type of project is very important for us to be able to develop solutions that quickly reduce emissions,” he said.
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PROFILE
So far, the project has been funded with support from Gassnova, NFR and the partners. A 1.2MW prototype fuel cell is being developed that will first be tested at the Stord centre. It will then be fitted and tested on board one of Odfjell’s latest chemical tankers. Talking with Clean Shipping International, Odfjell’s Hjortland reiterates that batteries are not suitable for vessels sailing long distances, but fuel cells are — except for those using hydrogen.
NO MOVING PARTS
He explains that a fuel cell has no moving parts. It generates electricity through a chemical process, not through fuel combustion. For this reason, the energy loss is significantly less than in the case of combustion engines and it is almost twice as energy-efficient as a combustion engine. “Our fuel cell is unique, as it is the worlds first fuel-flexible fuel cell. We have full flexibility on choice of fuel, whether that is LNG, biofuels or ammonia,” says Hjortland. “Our strategy moving forward is to focus on fuel-flexible machinery, not trying to guess what the future fuel for shipping actually will be. As such this fuel cell technology is very interesting to us, as it leaves many doors open in the future. “We have already improved the energy efficiency in our fleet by around 30%. By 2050, the shipping sector shall have reduced its total emissions by 50%. We are committed to doing our part and will continue the energy efficiency programme that we have worked on since 2008. “Since our ships are expected to trade for 25-30 years, we therefore need to think zero emission for newbuildings now. We know that we are not able to achieve the overall International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) targets on conventional fuel, the challenge is that we do not know what the future commercially available fuel will be. “For this reason, fuel flexibility is key. Due to fuel infrastructure, we
believe, however, that we will start with LNG as fuel for the fuel cell, which will generate around 40% emissions reduction, compared to a conventional engine of the same power. If we can be supplied with, for instance, ammonia this number will increase to 100%. “Regarding scrubbers, we took a stand early on that we do not see this as a solution to the IMO2020 regulation, and it does not solve the upcoming greenhouse gas emission regulations either,” he says. As for alternative fuels, Hjortland says that the company follows all the options closely, but again it is difficult to predict what the future widely adopted and commercially available zero-emission fuel will be. “Looking at the fuel characteristics for each of them, we are quite sure however, what energy carriers we can rule out,” he says. “Solar, batteries and wind can be used, technically, but they can only cover small parts of our energy demand. “Just to exemplify, running one of our ships on batteries would require four sister ships just to carry the required battery package. To charge this battery package within 10 hours would require the capacity from six power-plants. In our view, renewables belong onshore, for the production of zero emission fuels for shipping,” he says.
He also explains that the fuel cell is a 1.2MW unit, which is equal to the size of an auxiliary engine. It will be retrofitted on board one of Odfjell’s newest vessels sometime after 2022. Meanwhile, Prototech’s Skeie has told Clean Shipping International that deepsea vessels will be powered by fuel cells in the not too distant future. “Our demonstration projects in 2022/ 2023 will be MW scale and our design concept is based on compact, energy efficient modules perfect for scale-up to larger power systems,” he explains.
PREFERRED SOLUTION
“Battery- and hydrogen-powered PEM fuel cells will work very well for ferries and passenger vessels (shortsea) but due to energy density issues, we believe high temperature solid oxide fuel cells running on multiple fuels (LNG, ammonia, methanol or LH2) will be the preferred solution for deepsea operations,” he says. He also reveals that Prototech had set up a separate company, Clean Power AS, to commercialise the technology and reduce ‘time-to-market’ for its flexi-fuel power systems. Products will be developed by a dedicated team focusing on the shipowner’s need for energy efficient power and zero emission technology going forward, he says.
Odjell’s vice president technology Erik Hjortland and Prototech CEO Bernt Skeie present the fuel cell solution to Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg
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PROFILE
With the prospect of continued further fragmentation of the environmental regulatory map, it’s time to re-think expectations around exhaust gas cleaning systems, with a new emphasis on regulatory agnostic solutions that tackle multiple air pollutants simultaneously, says Dr Mario Michan, CEO of Daphne Technology An impression of a patented SalPure system fitted on a containership
FUTURE-PROOF SOLUTIONS
Mario Michan, CEO, Daphne Technology
In years to come, 2020 will be remembered for many things. For the shipping industry, it will represent the most intense and rapidly changing environmental regulatory landscape ever witnessed. This change poses perhaps the most significant risk facing today’s shipowners and operators, however, despite the pressures they bring, few would argue against the urgent necessity for shipping to rapidly cut its contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollution (SOx, NOx and PM). In a year that started with the implementation of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) global sulphur limit, the challenge of de-carbonising shipping has come to the fore — its sense of urgency exacerbated by the rare moment of reflection afforded us all during the covid-19 pandemic. Taking the last couple of months alone, Canada announced its own national talks on tackling emissions from shipping, where major commodity player Trafigura called for significant carbon taxes, while the agreements forged at the latest IMO
Intersessional Working Group on Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships promoted a mixed reaction. It’s hard to keep track. Most recently, and critically for the scrubber market, a new report by Green MEP Karima Delli, rapporteur for the European Parliament’s committee on transport and tourism, suggested that the European Union (EU) should ban scrubbers, their wash water discharges, and even the use of heavy fuel oil (HFO) in its waters. However, the latest industry analysis is at odds with Delli’s calls. According to forecasts from Wood Mackenzie, scrubber uptake could increase to 20% of total marine fuel demand in the EU by 2025, rising from a forecast of 14% in 2020 (in the absence of a total ban on HFO). Notwithstanding the buoyant figures, the scrubber market cannot ignore the tightening of environmental regulations, and the need to future proof investment decisions — ending a cycle of inflexible optionality in shipping’s exhaust gas cleaning markets. In a sector where further NOx, PM
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and SOx limits remain likely (under MARPOL Annex VI), legacy solutions, such as wet water scrubbers could be a liability.
NEW APPROACH
Daphne Technology was established in 2017 as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne to combat current environmental challenges in shipping and respond to the dynamic regulatory landscape. Taking a fresh approach to clean technology in shipping, Daphne designs and delivers innovative solutions that challenge conventional thinking, solve environmental challenges, and enable owners and operators to achieve regulatory compliance. With our small but pioneering team, we adopt a holistic and pragmatic approach to assess each vessel or fleet’s requirements and deliver solutions that eliminate pollution before its released. We develop smart solutions for the global shipping industry that contribute to reducing the detrimental impact on human health, the environment, and the global economy. For these reasons, we have developed SulPure® — the world’s first and only solution that simultaneously removes both SOx and NOx pollutants from large ocean-going vessels’ engines exhaust gas, and effectively reduces PM, with no water or waste water discharge. This ready-to-install, all-in-one system works through purification by breaking down the pollution molecules in an electron chamber, which uses patented technology to simultaneously eliminate SOx by up to 99.3% m/m and NOx by 85% m/m from the exhaust gas. This is then followed by an injection of urea (or an alternative agent) into the exhaust gas to neutralise acidic gases forming solid particles, which can then be recovered and optionally sold as fertiliser. By transforming the pollutants into an upcycled product, this method significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and supports the development of the circular economy — ultimately reducing pressure on the environment, adding resilience to
raw material supply chains, increasing competitiveness, and boosting economic growth. At the heart of our system is its ability to simultaneously eliminate multiple air pollutants and future proof assets, and this demonstrates abatement technology’s viability in the future marine fuel mix. By using this technology, shipowners making capex investments in exhaust gas cleaning today can future proof their investments for the next 10 years and beyond.
This ready-toinstall, all-inone system works through purification by breaking down the pollution molecules in an electron chamber”
The turnkey solution negates the necessity for further investment in NOx SCR and EGR systems, as well as additional future SOx abatement. By eliminating SOx, NOx and PM, the solution enables shipowners to be prepared for the potential tightening of emission regulations in the future. The first SulPure® retrofits are set to be completed in 2021, which will take no longer than a week and will not require the vessels to be drydocked. The system can be fitted on almost any type and size of vessel. Plans are underway to offer finance to owners and operators through a finance maintenance contract so that our solutions are available to all.
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There will also be an after-sales package and warranty programme available for all our systems. We will manufacturer equipment ourselves and foresee signing individual agreements on ships we gain orders for in the interim.
TACKLING METHANE SLIP
In the immediate term, the focus is on improving shipping’s existing fleet as retrofits are still a prime market. We are exploring other use cases for our air purification technology, so that it’s applicable for all vessel types, including newbuildings; tackling both air pollution and carbon emissions. This includes addressing the challenge posed by methane slip from LNG-powered vessels. As revealed in the IMO’s Fourth GHG Study, the 150% increase in methane emissions from 2012 to 2018 was largely due to a surge in LNG fuelled ships. Addressing this challenge now is critical for shipowners and the wider industry, as we seek to meet compliance with the IMO’s 2030 and 2050 targets. For this reason, we are developing a system that addresses the environmental shortcomings of LNG methane slip in tandem with reducing other emissions such as SOx, NOx, and PM. Our new technology has already been proven to reduce more than 90% methane slip (CH4 emissions), 99% SOx emissions, and 85% NOx emissions during a recent trial completed at our in-house R&D facility in Lausanne, Switzerland. Further internal and external tests are now underway as a priority.
AIR PURIFICATION
There is a substantial need for abatement technology in shipping that will empower owners and operators with the opportunity to invest in a technology now that will future proof their assets and reduce the environmental impact of their fleet today and tomorrow. Pollution, fuel and vessel agnostic technology delivers an economically viable and effective route to meeting shipping’s environmental targets and represents a shift in the approach to abatement technology in shipping.
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Law firm Watson Farley Williams comments on the additional difficulties the current pandemic presents for shipowners in meeting the 31 December, 2020 deadline for Inventory of Hazardous Materials compliance under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation
IHM ENFORCEMENT GUIDANCE Earlier this year, anecdotal evidence suggested that there were about 35,000 vessels that will be required to comply with the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EUSRR) by the end of 2020, many of which had not started compliance work. As a result, there was substantial industry lobbying of the EU Commission to grant an extension to the deadline for compliance to allow for delays caused by covid-19. On 20 October, 2020, the EU Commission issued a notice¹ setting out guidelines on the enforcement of obligations under the EUSRR relating to the Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) requirement for vessels operating in EU waters. These proposed a “harmonised approach temporarily for a limited period of six months after the entry into application of the IHM-related obligations for existing EUflagged vessels and non-EU-flagged vessels calling at EU ports (ie until 30 June, 2021)”. The guidelines said that “…it may be necessary to take into account the exceptional circumstances linked to the covid-19 crisis…”, while reinforcing the
“basic principle” that primary responsibility in relation to compliance with the IHM requirements of the EUSRR lies with the shipowner and monitoring compliance with these legal obligations is the responsibility of the EU Port State authorities. EU member states were asked to “carefully assess” shipowners’ specific circumstances, taking account of the time between the EUSRR coming into force and the IHM deadline, and the extent to which that seven-year period was used by the shipowner to prepare
“It may be necessary to take into account the exceptional circumstances linked to the covid-19 crisis
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TWO SCENARIOS
The Commission’s Guidelines set out two distinct scenarios, where compliance with the EUSRR may not be possible: 1. Vessels without a valid IHM and/or accompanying certificate. » The owner/master is required to provide evidence that all possible measures were taken to undertake the work and get the certification required, which will be considered by a Port State Control inspector and determined on a case-by-case basis as to whether that evidence is acceptable. » In relation to IHMs, if the evidence is accepted, the inspector will specify that the documents are to be completed and approved within four months after the inspection. » In relation to a Ready for Recycling Certification, as this is only valid for three months it should be completed and approved at the earliest possible opportunity prior to the vessel undertaking its last voyage.
2. Vessels with a semi-completed IHM with an associated approved Inventory Certificate or Ready for Recycling Certificate (for EU-flagged ships) or the Statement of Compliance (for non-EU-Flagged ships), that does not contain on-board (either targeted or random) sampling. » Where a certificate is based on an IHM without the on board sampling element, the IHM should in principle not be acceptable as it is not complete, however, a remote survey/sampling could be accepted if there is evidence that the Flag State has agreed to this. The owner/master will need to ensure all plans/arrangements indicating when it will be feasible for qualified samplers to complete the IHM are kept on board which will be considered by a Port State Control inspector and determined, on a case-by-case basis, as to whether that evidence is acceptable.
» In relation to IHMs, if the evidence is accepted, the inspector will specify that the IHM should be completed and approved within four months after the inspection. » In relation to a Ready for Recycling Certification, the owner/master of the vessel will be warned that it is required to complete the IHM and obtain an updated Ready for Recycling Certificate before entering the ship recycling facility.
CONCLUSION
Despite acknowledging the difficulties arising from covid-19, the EU stopped short of offering the sorts of formal deferrals and derogations seen in other sectors. It is clear that the EU does not want this extension to apply automatically, particularly where it is obvious that little, if any, preparation had been done in the period between the EUSRR coming into force and the IHM compliance deadline. It should also be noted that the guidelines are non-binding and that the extent to which a shipowner had tried to meet its obligations is likely to remain a subjective judgment for the individual Port State Control. There still remains a degree of risk for shipowners. Those that are not going to meet the 31 December deadline should try and mitigate this by preparing documents, which set out what steps were taken to comply with the EUSRR and, where they have not, why they have been unable to do so. Shipowners should also remember that the guidelines are not an exemption from compliance, but a pause in enforcement, so they should continue to take all steps to prepare their IHMs, as soon as reasonably practicable to avoid problems in the future. EU Commission Notice: “Guidelines on the enforcement of obligations under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation relating to the Inventory of Hazardous Materials of vessels operating in European waters” (2020/C 349/01). 1
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COMPANY PROFILE
QUADRISE: PROVIDING A CLEAN SOLUTION TO A GLOBAL PROBLEM Quadrise is the innovator and licensor of a disruptive blending technology that produces a synthetic, enhanced heavy fuel oil (HFO) called MSAR®, which offers operational, economic and environmental benefits versus HFO. Its use in marine, power, industrial and upstream applications can be implemented simply and efficiently as it uses conventional HFO infrastructure. MSAR® technology blends heavy residual oils (with no slurry oils or cat fines) with small amounts of specialist additives and water, creating a stable, low viscosity emulsion containing approximately 70wt.% hydrocarbon, dispersed as pre-atomised (<10µm) micron sized droplets in 30wt.% water, with <1wt.% additives. Aside from water content and density, MSAR® fuel properties are compliant with RMG ISO8217. Manufacturing costs are reduced compared to HFO, as no expensive distillate cutters are used and typical savings for consumers, on an energy equivalent basis, are circa 10%. For illustration, a vessel consuming 16,000 tons HFO annually would save $400,000 pa, assuming $250/mt HFO. The physical characteristics of pre-atomised fuel dispersed in water result in enhanced combustion performance and a significantly reduced environmental footprint versus conventional RMG/RMK fuels. MSAR® burns like gas, with high carbon burnout resulting in fewer particulates and virtually no “black soot”, reducing global warming and waste disposal impacts. The water content of MSAR® reduces combustion temperatures and associated NOx generation by 20-50%. Marine MSAR® was developed in collaboration with Maersk, engine manufacturers Wärtsilä and
MAN Diesel & Turbo, Nouryon and classification societies such as Lloyd’s Register. It builds on 60m tons of emulsion fuel use, with successful ocean-going vessel trials using modern MAN and Wärtsilä two-stroke engines, complementing 150,000 hours of Wärtsilä four-stroke experience. In response to industry’s requirement to reduce emissions even further, Quadrise has developed our next generation fuel, bioMSAR®, to deliver a 20%+ reduction in CO2 (and SO2) emissions per unit energy by incorporating renewable glycerol into conventional MSAR® fuel blending and delivery. The 20%+ reduction in CO2 from bioMSAR® is comparable to LNG, while avoiding the impact of methane slip or expensive conversion costs. For illustration, a 20% reduction in CO2 for the vessel mentioned previously would save 10,000t CO2 pa versus
conventional marine fuel oils. Diesel engine and fuel handling test programmes are underway to confirm the performance of bioMSAR® and we look forward to providing updates in due course. BioMSAR® is fully compatible with Marine MSAR® fuel and systems. MSAR® is fully compatible with exhaust gas scrubbing, and Tier 2 and 3 NOx control. Vessel modifications for fuel handling are minor, with typical pay back periods of less than a year. MSAR® is supplied on a B2B basis, ensuring known provenance. MSAR® also solves blending compatibility issues as the hydrocarbon droplets do not chemically interact, so that operational problems such as incompatibility and sedimentation do not occur. For more information, contact: email: info@quadrisefuels.com quadrisefuels.com
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IMO GOAL AND STRATEGY The adoption of the Initial International Maritime Organization Strategy on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships by IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) Resolution MEPC.304(72) in April 2018 demonstrates IMO’s commitment to support the Paris Agreement.
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ALTERNATIVE FUELS
The IMO strategy includes initial targets to reduce the average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per transport work from 2008 levels by at least 40 percent by 2030, and 70 percent by 2050. These targets also seek to reduce the total annual GHG emissions from shipping by at least 50 percent by 2050. Technical approaches, operational approaches and alternative fuels may be used to achieve these goals. The near-term regulatory changes and the future impact of the IMO’s greenhouse gas targets for 2030 and 2050 should be considered when making decisions on fuel selection.
AMMONIA AS FUEL FOR REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS LIFE CYCLE EMISSIONS ‘Tank-to-wake’ only considers the emissions from burning or using an energy source, not the process of sourcing the fuel or getting it to the ship. To measure net carbon impact, ‘well-to-wake’ emissions should be considered for alternative fuels because the concept encompasses the life cycle of a fuel, including production, transportation and use.
WELL-TO-TANK Emissions from production and transportation
+
TANK-TO-WAKE Emissions from burning or using an energy source Figure 1: Life cycle emissions
=
WELL-TO-WAKE
Net Carbon Impact
When used as a fuel, hydrogen is zero carbon at point of use (tank-to-wake). However, if it is produced from nonrenewable feedstock, such as nonrenewable natural gas through a process using energy not from renewable source, the process (well-to-tank) could produce significant emissions. Alternatively, it can be produced by electrolysis of water with renewable energy to eliminate the emissions from feedstock and the production process.
Classification society ABS has published a White Paper on the merits of ammonia as a zero-carbon fuel that could enter the global market with relative ease
Ammonia is typically created by combining nitrogen with hydrogen. Therefore, the emissions from producing hydrogen as feedstock and the emissions arising from the synthesis of ammonia should be considered as part of the life cycle emissions of ammonia fuel. Table 1 shows the well-to-tank emissions for ammonia production, transmission, and distribution. The production emissions include those associated with electricity generation for production of NH3. The transmission and distribution emissions were calculated using the Greenhouse Regulated and Life CycleGases, Emissions © Emissions, ABS Energy use in Transportation (GREET) model.
Electricity Source
Production Emissions (g CO2e/MJ)
Transmission and Distribution Emissions (g CO2e/MJ)
Total Emissions (g CO2e/MJ)
Municipal Waste
18 .31
0 .42
18 .73
Hydropower
20 .46
0 .42
20 .88
Nuclear Power
45 .23
0 .42
45 .65
Biomass
45 .77
0 .42
46 .19
AMMONIA IN THE SPOTLIGHT Ammonia offers shipowners and operators a zero-carbon tank-to-wake emissions profile, regardless of the source of the fuel. Despite its toxicity and stringent handling requirements, ammonia engines have been introduced in the past and marine engines are currently being developed by applying existing dual fuel (DF) engine technologies to ammonia. Designs for ammonia-fuelled feeder ships have also been unveiled by various consortia, including designers, classification societies and shipyards. Ammonia has greater prescriptive requirements for containment and equipment than most of the other alternative fuels under consideration, is a globally traded commodity and there are many small gas carriers (LPG) that may be suitable for bunkering vessels. However, for ammonia to become a commercially-viable, long-term fuel option, comprehensive supply-side infrastructure will need to be built and stringent new safety regulations developed and implemented, which also applies to all the other alternative fuels under consideration.
LIFE CYCLE EMISSIONS
Table 1: Well to tank emissions for ammonia by energy source for the production process. Source: ABS Outlook II
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“Tank-to-wake” only considers the emissions from burning or using an energy source, not the process of sourcing the fuel or getting it to the ship. To measure net carbon impact, “well-to-wake” emissions should be considered for alternative fuels because the concept encompasses the life cycle of a fuel, including production, transportation and use. When used as a fuel, hydrogen is zero carbon at point of use (tank-towake). However, if it is produced from non-renewable feedstock, such as nonrenewable natural gas through a process using energy not from renewable source, the process (well-to-tank) could produce significant emissions. Alternatively, it can be produced by water electrolysis with renewable energy to eliminate the emissions from feedstock and the production process. Ammonia is typically created by combining nitrogen with hydrogen. Therefore, the emissions from producing hydrogen as feedstock and the emissions arising from the synthesis of ammonia
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should be considered as part of the life cycle emissions of ammonia fuel. Hydrogen offers a high energy content per mass, high diffusivity, and high flame speed. Hydrogen as a fuel has been demonstrated in internal combustion (IC) engines, gas turbines, and fuel cells. However, it requires cryogenic storage (-253°C or lower) and dedicated fuel supply systems for containment. Significant technical advances are needed before hydrogen can be considered a viable, large-scale, commercial fuel option, particularly for marine applications where energy content on a volumetric basis is low for hydrogen (9.93 GJ/m3 ) and application would therefore significantly impact ship design. Energy loss during storage and boil-off gas generation also present challenges. Compared to hydrogen, ammonia storage is more practical due to its energy density and liquefaction temperature. However, ammonia is toxic but it has been handled as cargo and reductant in selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems for many years. Therefore, ammonia handling in ships is feasible, ABS said. Ammonia as a fuel for IC engines is currently under development. A challenge inherent in its combustion is the large percentage of pilot fuel required for ignition. Interest is growing in the use of ammonia as a feeder to hydrogen-fed fuel cells by owners operating LPG carriers carrying ammonia as cargo. Once cracked, the hydrogen from ammonia can be an abundant resource for fuel cells to generate electric power. However, ammonia’s advantages should be weighed against the energy losses and additional equipment required for conversion to hydrogen before it is used in fuel cells. Certain fuel cell types can internally reform the fuel to run on ammonia directly, eliminating the need to separate the hydrogen and nitrogen before input. An issue with using ammonia as a fuel is the ammonia concentration in the product gas. Although the concentration may be less than 50 parts per million (ppm), this is still
ALTERNATIVE FUELS
enough to damage fuel cells with acid electrolytes, so an acid scrubber is needed to remove the final traces of ammonia gas from the cracker. Storage of liquid hydrogen requires at least five times more volume compared to petroleum-based fuels, while ammonia requires about 2.4 times more volume. Therefore, as a long-term solution, zero carbon fuels would require new vessel designs and operational optimisation to avoid compromising travel distance, refuelling needs, or cargo volume. Even so, the widespread use of ammonia in industrial and agricultural processes makes it a logistically attractive and affordable fuel that can be distributed using existing infrastructure, ABS said.
PRODUCTION AND STORAGE
According to the US Geological Survey, last year, worldwide production of ammonia amounted to about 150m tonnes, while the average ammonia price in 2019 was estimated to be $230 per short tonne. Furthermore, global ammonia capacity is expected to increase by 4% during the next four years. Like hydrogen, ammonia can be produced from fossil fuels using “green” methods, such as carbon capture and storage or renewable energy, both of which may influence its cost competitiveness. Ammonia has a higher volumetric energy density than liquefied hydrogen, closer to that of methanol, which reduces the need for larger tanks. The NH3 storage tanks volume will be significantly less than of those for liquid hydrogen for the same energy requirement — even more so considering the volume of insulation required. Its fuel characteristics enable the use of Type C or prismatic tanks and it requires significantly lower re-liquefaction energy compared to hydrogen or LNG. Ammonia can be stored in liquid form at 8.6 bar and at ambient temperature (20°C) on board a vessel and it can be used directly as a liquid fuel in engines more feasibly than as a hydrogen carrier.
IGC CODE
The IGC Code states that, if acceptable to administrations, other cargo gases may be used as fuel, providing that the same level of safety as natural gas is ensured. However, the use of cargoes identified as toxic products are not permitted. Ammonia is considered a toxic product and is currently not allowed to be used under this code, which in the long-term will require an amendment to align with what is already permitted under the International Code of Safety for Ships Using Gases or other Low-Flashpoint Fuels (IGF Code), and in the shortterm will require discussions with the flag administrations. The IGF Code applies to ships to which Part G of International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974, as amended (SOLAS) Chapter II-1 applies. It currently does not provide prescriptive requirements to cover low flash point fuels, such as NH3. However, it does provide, the mechanism to approve alternative technical design arrangements for the use of low flash point fuels, pending acceptance by flag states.
CONCEPT EVALUATION
Apart from the cost of adapting infrastructure, ammonia is toxic to humans and aquatic life, therefore considerable safety measures must be taken. When used as fuel in IC engines, ammonia combustion predominantly produces water and nitrogen. Unburned ammonia must be closely controlled and guidance on acceptable limits to avoid plume formation or human health hazards can be drawn from other regulatory requirements, where limits of two to 10ppm may be applied. IMO NOx limits would also be applicable upon combustion of ammonia. Fuel containment, distribution and supply systems can be based on existing technologies and prescriptive requirements. In a liquid state, ammonia is not flammable and cannot ignite. However, it vaporises rapidly, and the vapour has a narrow flammable range. The main concern is toxicity and additional measures are
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equipment, independent ventilation for ammonia spaces, emergency extraction ventilation and closed fuel systems may also be required. In addition, effective mechanical ventilation of the spaces where ammonia is used and stored is necessary. Liquid fuel systems can be simpler than gas systems. However, this not only depends on the properties of the fuel being used, but also the prime mover technology.
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30%
PRIME MOVERS AND COMBUSTION
20% 10%
Methanol
LPG
LNG
2049
2050
2047
2048
2045
2046
2043
2044
2041
2042
2039
2040
2037
2038
2035
Biofuels
2036
2033
2034
2031
Ammonia/Hydrogen
2032
2029
2030
2027
2028
2025
2026
0%
Oil Based
Figure 4 – Projected marine fuel use to 2050
Projected marine fuel use to 2050 © ABS PRELIMINARY STUDY ON ALTERNATIVE SHIP PROPULSION SYSTEM FUELED BY AMMONIA: ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC ASSESSMENTS A study entitled “A Preliminary Study on an Alternative Ship Propulsion System Fueled by Ammonia: Environmental and Economic Assessments” was published in March 2020 by Kim et.al. in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering where four possible propulsion systems fueled by ammonia were proposed and compared. The study focused on fuel consumption, and economic and environmental aspects for a 2,500 TEU container feeder ship. Results showed that the ammonia-based ship would require more volume (1.6-2.3 times) and weight (1.4-1.6 times) than a conventional HFObased ship, and cost 3.5-5.2 times more from a total lifecycle perspective. However, the NH3-fueled ship could reduce GHG emissions by approximately 83.7-92.1%, depending on the propulsion type and the fuel production method used.
needed to control normal and location and type of ammonia tank/ abnormal discharges. containment system. Cargo capacity is Some of the considerations also expected to decrease based on the use of an ammonia combustion engine when using ammonia as fuel in or ammonia fuel cell arrangement. vessels include: THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF AMMONIA AS MARINE FUEL—BASEDThe ON ENERGY SYSTEMS MODELING AND due MULTIadditional space for fuel, » Corrosion CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS to lower energy density, may require » Design A special issue article titled “The Potential Role of Ammonia as Marine Fuel—Based on Energy Systems Modeling and larger decreased » Equipment failure Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis” was published in April 2020 by Hanssonvessels et.al. in thesizes, Sustainability Journal. cargo The paper assessed ammonia’sfailures prospects as a marine fuel. Energy systemsspace modeling cost-effectiveness of ammonia as orincluding more frequent bunkering, ABS » Cascading marine fuel as compared to other fuels in inching towards global targets were analyzed. The multi-criteria decision warned. For ammonia fuelled vessels, » Safety management plan analysis methodologies used also considered fuel performance. The article concluded ammonia may to some extent be a fuel option. the specific vessel arrangements will » marine Personnel training to reduce vary depending on the actual fuel human error. pressure and temperature settings of Ammonia tanks need to be designed for the fuel. The prime mover selected and temperature and/or pressure control if fuel storage conditions will also affect it is stored in a refrigerated condition, vessel design. as it continuously evaporates and The link between the fuel storage, generates boil-off gas, due to heat gain, fuel preparation and fuel consumer which increases the tank pressure if is much more interdependent than not managed. Alternatively, ammonia Page 19 with conventional fuels. It is critical can be stored in Type C tanks. that equipment and system design decisions take this into consideration. VESSEL ARRANGEMENTS For ammonia-fuelled ships, the Future tankers, bulk carriers and main systems that require different container vessels will require holistic or additional concepts in ship designs designs based on the selected fuels are the ammonia fuel containment and power generation and propulsion system, associated ammonia bunker systems. Novel power generation station and transfer piping, a fuel systems, such as fuel cells, may supply system, boil-off gas handling, also change the current engine reliquefaction, gas valve unit/train, room’s design. nitrogen generating plant, vent As ammonia has a low energy piping systems and masts, and for content it will require larger tanks for some ammonia tank types, additional storage and their location on board equipment for managing tank will be a critical design factor. When temperatures and pressure. ammonia is used as a fuel, the changes Deluge systems, personal protective in vessel arrangement depend on the
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Ammonia can be burned either in an IC engine (compression ignition with pilot fuel/spark ignition) or used in fuel cells. It typically requires a pilot fuel injection in two-stroke diesel cycle engines. High pressure injection systems can help to minimise ammonia slip, an important consideration given its toxicity. Ammonia-fuelled engine R&D needs to deliver an appropriate combustion technology and also evaluate the exhaust emissions to ensure NOx compliance with the regulatory limits, investigate possible issues with N2O and control unburned ammonia to levels acceptable in land-based IC engines fitted with SCR systems. Ammonia in fuel cells is still relatively experimental. However, the current pace of R&D is accelerating, with large stationary plants currently under development. Fuel cell development is not as mature as IC engines and typically has a higher cost. These factors are expected to show gradual improvement as the research continues. Slow flame velocity, ignition temperature, narrow flammability range and lower heat of combustion are issues for ammonia ignition. The advent of electronic engine controls and existing DF technologies, including the Diesel process used by MAN Energy Solution’s ME-LGI engine shows promise in addressing issues in the near future. Burning ammonia in IC engines produces water, nitrogen, unburned ammonia and possible additional NOx. Even though the compound itself, along with the combustion is carbon-free, these ammonia and NOx
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by-products need to be managed. The NOx produced may need to be treated with an after treatment process. These engine and after treatment solutions would therefore need to meet existing NOx emissions limits and regulations.
BUNKERING
As a new bunker fuel, ammonia will need complete provisions and guidelines established for a successful start-up. It is foreseen that the previous experience from the fertiliser and chemical industry, and the recent development with LPG/LNG bunkering will help to develop the process. Ammonia can be stored at liquid form pressurised, semi-refrigerated or fully refrigerated, depending on the volume needed for safe storage, varying from small pressurised 1,000 gallon nurse tanks up to liquefied 30,000 tonne storage tanks at distribution terminals. During transfer from one tank to another, either “cold inbound” or “warm inbound” is chosen, as a result of the transferred volume and re-refrigeration process. The capacity of an onshore full pressure nonrefrigerated tank is usually limited, while the overall handling can be energy intensive. Measures need to be taken to avoid leakage, handle toxicity and maintain equipment in good working condition through regular inspection.
INITIATIVES
Among the ongoing initiatives, Wärtsilä, in co-operation with Knutsen OAS Shipping, Repsol and the Sustainable Energy Catapult Centre, is testing a full-scale ammonia fuelled marine four-stroke combustion engine. Meanwhile, MAN is collaborating with a Japanese university to assess the combustion and heat release characteristics of ammonia and has introduced the ME-LGIM engine designed to operate on a DF combustion mode with methanol using diesel pilot fuel. It has already accumulated thousands of hours of operation burning methanol on a number of methanol carriers. The ME-LGIP engine, used on LPG
ALTERNATIVE FUELS
carriers, can be used with ammonia with slight modifications to the fueldelivery system to supply ammonia at around 70 bar and inject it into the cylinder at 600–700 bar. High-pressure direct-injection systems, such as those used in DF engines can inject fuel at optimum levels and timing to avoid ammonia slip. NOx emissions can be further reduced by using exhaust gas recirculation, or SCR after treatment for the exhaust gas.
PILOT PROJECTS
Meanwhile, the ShipFC project is being run by a consortium of 14 European companies and institutions and has been awarded funding from the EU’s Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020 under its Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking. This project will see the offshore vessel Viking Energy retrofitted with a 2MW ammonia fuel cell, allowing it to sail only on clean fuel for up to 3,000 hours annually. The ammonia fuel cell system will be installed on board in late 2023. Yara International will supply the green ammonia produced by electrolysis, which will be delivered to Viking Energy in containers for easy and safe refuelling. The project will also test the viability of sustainability sourced ammonia in a solid oxide fuel cell system for a commercial ship. In January 2020, Japanese shipping giant NYK presented an approach that used ammonia as marine fuel for zero-emission ships. NYK is also participating in Japan’s Green Ammonia Consortium, established in April 2019, to consider not only the maritime transport of ammonia as a power generation fuel used by electric power companies, but also the use of ammonia as marine fuel. Elsewhere, the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has developed a roadmap for international shipping’s zero emissions. This was undertaken in co-operation with shipowners, shipbuilders, research institutes
and public institutions. International rule development, technological development, demonstrations and promotions would be conducted. The co-operative aims to commercialise a zero-emission ship by 2028. Two scenarios were detailed: 1. A fuel shift from LNG to carbonrecycled methane. In this case, hydrogen/ammonia has a 10% share in contributing to a path to zero-emissions. 2. The expansion of hydrogen and/or ammonia, which is expected to have a 45% share in the path to zero-emissions. Another initiative saw ITOCHU Corp and Vopak Terminals Singapore Pte Ltd sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly study the feasibility of developing an infrastructure to support the use of ammonia as an additional source of marine fuel for vessels in Singapore. This project also includes the development of a zero-emission ship by ITOCHU and ITOCHU ENEX with other partners. Vopak will promote the development of an independent, onshore facility for the storage and handling of ammonia with loading/ unloading facilities. A study entitled “A Preliminary Study on an Alternative Ship Propulsion System Fueled by Ammonia: Environmental and Economic Assessments” was published in March, 2020 by Kim et al in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, where four possible propulsion systems fuelled by ammonia were proposed and compared. This study focused on fuel consumption and economic and environmental aspects for a 2,500 TEU container feeder ship. Results showed that the ammoniabased ship would require more volume (1.6-2.3 times) and weight (1.4-1.6 times) than a conventional HFO-fuelled ship, and cost 3.5-5.2 times more from a total lifecycle perspective. However, the NH3-fuelled ship could reduce GHG emissions by about 83.792.1%, depending on the propulsion type and the fuel production method used, ABS concluded.
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With plenty of industry collaboration, BW LPG’s VLGC BW Gemini looks set to be a pioneer in the decarbonisation of shipping
SAILING INTO A NEW ERA BW LPG’s very large gas carrier (VLGC) BW Gemini, which was recently retrofitted with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) dualfuel propulsion technology, has completed her sea trials. The gas and sea trials took around seven days, with intermittent delays caused by bad weather near Hong Kong, BW LPG says. During the trails, the new LPG propulsion technology on board was tested by teams from engine manufacturer MAN Energy Solutions (MES), BW LPG’s newbuilding and projects and technical departments, and classification society DNV GL. Following a satisfactory performance, DNV GL awarded the required classification certificate to BW Gemini. Pontus Berg, BW LPG’s executive vice president (technical and operations), says: “On behalf of the management of BW LPG, we thank our BW team on site and in the office, and partners such as MAN Energy Solutions, Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, DNV GL, Isle of Man flag and You Lian Shekou dockyard.
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“BW Gemini is testament to what industry collaboration can achieve — together, we can pioneer the technology needed to decarbonise shipping and realise a zero-carbon future,” he said on completion of the trials.” She will sail on full LPG propulsion across the Pacific in another first, to Enterprise Port in Houston, Texas, for loading. This voyage is expected to produce 20% less greenhouse gas emissions, compared to compliant fuels, and use 10% less fuel, demonstrating the benefits of LPG propulsion to the industry, BW says. The 2015-built BW Gemini was retrofitted with Wärtsilä’s LPG Fuel Supply technology. Wärtsilä was the system integrator for the conversion project. She was the first of 12 BW LPG carriers to be retrofitted for operating on LPG fuel using the Wärtsilä system. Wärtsilä was responsible for the system engineering, ship design for the conversion project, two 930m4 fuel tanks fitted with pumps and fuel system, the pump skids and the cargo handling system.
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ALTERNATIVE FUELS
BW Gemini is the first of 12 VLGCs to be converted to LPG dual fuel propulsion
MAN PrimeServ, MAN Energy Solutions’ (MES) after-sales division, was responsible for the main engine’s conversion from an MAN B&W 6G60ME-C9.2 type to an MAN B&W 6G60ME-LGIP dual-fuel type, capable of operating on fuel oil and LPG. BW LPG chose retrofits over newbuildings for a number of reasons, as BW LPG’s Berg, explains: “Retrofitting allows us to minimise our carbon footprint — the process emits up to 97% less carbon dioxide, compared to a newbuilding construction. “Retrofitting also means that we do not add additional tonnage that the world does not need. In addition, BW LPG’s fleet is already widely recognised among charterers for its efficiency and so retrofitting 12 of its vessels to dual-fuel LPG would help to further reinforce the company’s strong reputation in this area,” he says. Dr Uwe Lauber, MES CEO, says: “The industry is moving towards a zerocarbon future and there is a strong global push towards sustainability. As we pass the 2020 sulphur cap and get closer to future IMO targets in 2030 and 2050, companies that show strong corporate commitment to sustainability will become more commercially
attractive. In this context, this retrofit project represents an important milestone and case study for the future of our industry.” Wayne Jones OBE, chief sales officer and member of MES’s Executive Board, adds: “MAN PrimeServ’s dual-fuel expertise helped BW LPG to get a clear picture of the economics involved in this ambitious retrofit project. Although it requires significant upfront investment, the returns will be positive in both financial and environmental terms, and showcase perfectly BW LPG’s commitment to action on sustainability. “It also displays the adaptability of MAN Energy Solutions’ technology and how retrofitting our engines can future-proof them to handle whatever alternative fuels come to prominence in the decades ahead.” Talking exclusively with Clean Shipping International, Klaus Dahmcke Rasmussen, head of sales, retrofit projects and PVU, MAN PrimeServ CPH, says: “There are three predominate alternative bunker fuels at the moment — LNG, LPG and Methanol. “Regarding LNG, we see that larger vessel types like container vessels having a capacity larger than 9,000teu,
bulk carriers larger than 180,000dwt and tankers larger than 100,000dwt can develop positive business cases both from an environment as well as an economical perspective. “LPG retrofits are mostly suited for LPG carriers larger than 30,000m4 capacity. The project we supplied to BW LPG is a solid proof that the market has started to see LPG as a choice for bunker fuel. “We also believe that other vessel types, such as a conventional tanker like LR2s could be a choice. However the LPG industry will have to develop this market in which existing small LPG carriers could be utilised as LPG bunker vessels. “Methanol is still a niche bunker fuel in the tanker segment, where we see great interest from smaller product tankers in the MR segment — methanol could be the choice of the future whenever methanol can be produced in a sustainable and economical way.” BW Gemini’s retrofit was undertaken by Yiu Lian Dockyard in Shenzhen, China. The process took around 60 days and is estimated to have emitted 2,060 tonnes of carbon dioxide. This is about 97% lower when compared to ordering a newbuilding with similar technology, BW claims.
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ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
More and more shipowners are seeing the benefits of battery power and retrofitting their vessels
A NEW LEASE OF LIFE The use of shipboard battery power is gaining traction, especially among operators of small specialist ships, such as offshore vessels and ferries. For example, Wärtsilä Marine Power has received several orders for its energy storage system (ESS). These mainly involve retrofits on offshore service and construction vessels, in addition to newbuilding ferries, ropaxes, fishing vessels and cargo vessels. The company recently reported that its modular system is to be fitted on board another four dual-fuel platform supply vessels (PSV) operated by US Louisianabased Harvey Gulf, following an earlier retrofit on a sister vessel. Upon completion of the upgrade, each vessel will have a hybrid propulsion system, offering full tri-fuel options. They will also be capable of supporting dynamic position (DP) operations when operating with only one engine, thereby greatly reducing fuel consumption and emissions. For example, the vessels will be able to operate on battery power if the engines stop in a fault situation.
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The four vessels to be retrofitted — Harvey Power, Harvey Liberty, Harvey Freedom and Harvey America will be fitted with a Wärtsilä ESS, comprising a closed-bus tie 1,360 kW drive with 746 kW/h 1,100 DC batteries. They are fitted with Wärtsilä 34 dual-fuel engines. Retrofits are to start next year and are due to be completed by early 2022. In conversation with Ingve Sorfonn and Jon Storholt, responsible R&D and Concepts and Power & Systems Integration at Wärtsilä Marine Power, Clean Shipping International was told that the system is relatively easy to install, being delivered in a modular form in a container. As well as offshore vessels, ferries of any size also lend themselves to this source of power, depending on the distance to be travelled. On larger vessels, hybrid systems aid redundancy and increase efficiency, as by switching to battery power, fewer power generation units will be needed supply power to a vessel fitted with more than one engine.
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ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
© Hagland Captain
MINI-BULKER RETROFIT
Although the ESS is more suited to specialist vessels, such as offshore and local ferries, Wärtsilä has won a contract to retrofit the 6,000dwt minibulker Hagland Captain. This vessel will not only use battery power in normal day-to-day operations, but also while berthed when using its excavator while connected to shore power, as the batteries need to be charged. Obviously the size of the battery pack limits the size of ship that can make use of this solution and also cost efficiency plays a part when deciding whether to fit an ESS. Wärtsilä tells Clean Shipping International that it was following the market trends and testing different system An overall improvement in emissions reduction and decarbonisation initiatives should be seen within the next decade, it says. An illustration of a local ferry installation was the contract won a few years ago to fit a comprehensive package of equipment on a newbuilding Wightlink ferry, which now operates between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, off the UK’s south coast. Entering service in 2018, Victoria of Wight was England’s first ferry to be fitted with the hybrid battery technology. She was built at the Cemre Shipyard in Turkey. Wärtsilä’s equipment on board the ferry includes four six-cylinder
Wärtsilä 20 generating sets, electrical and automation (E&A) systems and a sanitary discharge system. Among the E&A systems supplied were an integrated automation system (IAS), a power and energy management system (PMS/EMS) and a 600-V main switchboard. In addition, Wärtsilä is also supplying technical and project management and solution integration engineering services. The company’s energy management system allows a significant energy improvement over conventional systems by running the engines at optimum load and absorbing many of the load fluctuations using batteries. By delivering a totally integrated equipment package, a newbuilding can be more cost effective to construct and to operate. If the EU introduces its planned Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), this could be a game changer, the company says. Mandatory shore connection regulations are also in the pipeline. Shipowners are limited as to what they can do going forward at present, but these moves could change the shipping industry over time. Many shipowners are still waiting for the industry to come up with solutions to de-carbonisation, which will see the long-term demise of fossil fuels, as stipulated by the IMO. China is also starting to develop hybrid solutions, including battery
systems for its huge coastal and inland waterways traffic and in Europe, local river and canal passenger vessel operators are turning to electrical power solutions. De-carbonisation is an important part of Wärtsilä’s strategy, the company says. Earlier this year, Wärtsilä reorganised its marine sector into three independent businesses. These are Marine Power, Marine Systems and Marine Voyage, which became effective as separate entities on 1st July. The group said at the time that the objective was to accelerate strategy execution, simplify the business structure and strengthen business presence in the Board of Management. Marine Power focuses on Wärtsilä engine, propulsion and energy management solutions including batteries; Marine Systems involves gas solutions, exhaust treatment, marine electrical systems, as well as seals and bearings; while Marine Voyage provides navigation solutions, simulation and training solutions, fleet operation solutions, and ship traffic control solutions and includes the former Transas company. Roger Holm has assumed the role of President of Marine Power & Executive Vice President. He was previously President of Wärtsilä Marine Business & Executive Vice President.
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ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
ABB Marine & Ports has seen a steady increase in interest its shipboard electrical systems, with batteries now being fitted on larger ropaxes, shuttle tankers, cruise ships and larger offshore vessels
Concept illustration of a large vessel fitted with fuel cells
MORE SHIPS JOIN THE BIG SWITCH
Jostein Bogen, Global Project Manager for Energy Storage and Fuel Cells, ABB
ABB Marine & Ports, part of the giant Swiss-based ABB group, has seen a steady increase in interest its shipboard electrical systems over the past few years, including the use batteries or energy storage systems (ESS). As Jostein Bogen, ABB’s global project manager for energy storage and fuel cells, tells Clean Shipping International, the company has seen success not only in the more traditional small specialist ship sector, but also for much larger ships. Thus far, fully electrical-powered ship designs have mainly been limited to vessels sailing short distances, such as cross-fjord ferries and an increasing number of tugs. However, batteries are now growing in installed capacity and size, Bogen explains, and are now used on different types of ships for various operational reasons. For example, batteries are now being fitted on larger ropaxes, shuttle tankers, cruise ships and larger offshore vessels. Today, as well as being developed with a greater capacity, batteries are being
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produced at a lower cost and, for space reasons on board, more compact. For newbuildings, by developing the space needed at the design stage, capital expenditure (capex) can be lowered. As for retrofits, ABB’s ESS are delivered in a modular design, which can be slotted into the space allocated on board. ABB is able offer a total package, from the bridge to the propeller, which allows for a simple, flexible installation and lifecycle support by a single vendor , Bogen explains.
OPERATIONS CENTRES
For equipment servicing and research, the company has set up eight operational centres — ABB Ability™ Collaborative Operation Centres — in Norway, Singapore, US, China, Finland, Italy, Netherlands and Russia, thus covering the world’s time zones 24/7. These centres remotely connect to the equipment on board ship and, as well as providing advice and maintenance,
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ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
ABB Ability Collaborative Operations Centres allow ABB to offer remote vessel support 24/7
can give an early warning when a component will need servicing or replacing. Algorithms are used for predictive maintenance. This reduces the need for an on-board service and obviously cuts the cost involved by not needing to send an engineer — especially useful in the current situation with travel restrictions — meaning resources can be better planned. Bogen claimed that around 1,000 vessels had signed up for the remote connectivity service. To reduce emissions while berthed or manoeuvring in and around a port, hybrid-powered vessels can switch to battery power and, while berthed, can plug into shoreside facilities. Another example is a ship fitted with a dynamic positioning system (DP). By using energy storage, a DP vessel will be able to shut down at least one engine and operate in DP mode using batteries as spinning reserve. Examples of larger vessels
“To reduce emissions while berthed or manoeuvring in and around a port, hybrid-powered vessels can switch to battery power and, while berthed, can plug into shoreside facilities”
being fitted with battery/energy storage technology was the recent announcement that ABB had signed a contract with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) for two shuttle tankers ordered by Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers (KNOT). They will each feature battery technology, which is aimed at achieving significant gains in fuel efficiency, operational flexibility and emissions reduction. ABB Marine & Ports will also deliver the power and control technology for the two KNOT shuttle tankers. The ESS was added at the request of the exploration and production company, Vår Energi that had contracted KNOT to operate the shuttle tankers. The system will improve ship performance by optimising engine responsiveness, whatever the load. Built to endure Arctic conditions in the North Sea, the two 124,000dwt tankers are due to be delivered by DSME in 2022.
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ABB will also fit the shaft generator system, which will provide the power take-off, main switchboards, thruster (DP) and cargo pump drive systems, as well as undertaking the equipment’s project management, commissioning and sea trials. The company’s twin battery package on board each ship will have a storage capacity of 678kW/h. The ESS will be able to ramp up engine responsiveness by working with the ABB MV AC system to control and optimise shaft generator power flexibility. Enhanced dynamic support for the energy storage system will be crucial in the event of sudden load changes, peak loading, including the specific demands of station keeping and cargo pump operations, ABB says. Being able to call on the integrated ESS improves operational flexibility but also means that auxiliaries will be needed less frequently, and sometimes not at all, thus saving fuel and reducing emissions. In a circular approach, when the shaft generator has produced more power than required, the excess power will be used to charge the batteries. Another reference for larger ships was the recent order to supply electric, digital and connected solutions for P&O Ferries’ two new double-ended ropaxes being built in China. The equipment to be supplied includes Azipod® propulsion and energy storage, which will cut fuel consumption by one tonne per return trip between Dover and Calais across the English Channel, ABB claims. ABB was awarded the contract by Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) to supply integrated solutions. The hybrid propulsion solution, using electric power from 8.8MW/h batteries and diesel generators, will cut fuel consumption on the route by 40%. Batteries will provide full power for harbour manoeuvres and while berthed and will also prepare the vessels for zero-emission port calls once more electric shore charging stations are available, ABB says. Equipped with four Azipod® propulsion units per vessel, each rated at 7.5MW, the 230m-long vessels will be the largest passenger and freight ferries yet to sail on the route when they enter service in 2023.
The benefits of bridge-to-propeller integration proved decisive in selecting the hybrid solution for the new ferries, P&O Ferries says. In addition to Azipod® propulsion and energy storage, the new ships will feature other ABB solutions to cover power and propulsion, automation and ABB’s Power and Energy Management System (PEMS™), which will be closely integrated with the electrical system to ensure optimal use of the vessel’s total power resources by improving the information flow across shipboard systems. The vessels will also be equipped with ABB Ability™ Marine Pilot Control, an intelligent manoeuvring and control system that automates navigational tasks to allow bridge officers to focus on optimising overall ship control and positioning. A couple of years ago, ABB announced that it had secured the 100th cruise ship order for the Azipod® propulsion system. The contract was awarded to power the world’s first electric hybrid icebreaking expedition cruise ship for French cruise ship operator Ponant, which is due to be delivered from Vard Søviknes, a Fincantieri Company, in 2021. The first Azipod units were installed on Carnival Cruise Lines Fantasy-class newbuildings Elation and Paradise in 1995. Today, Azipod units are available from 1.5MW to 22MW in power and form a major part of ABB’s shipboard electrical offering. A popular cruising area with its World Heritage fjords is the West Coast of Norway. Bogen explains that by using electric power provided by batteries and fuel cells, a cruise ship can reduce its emissions to zero when navigating in the fjords by shutting down its main engines. At the other end of the scale, ABB provided the electrical propulsion systems for the new Niagara Falls tourist ferries. This allows the ferries to operate with zero emissions, no noise or engine vibrations. They were the first all-electric vessels built in the US, with power drawn from a high-capacity battery pack supplied and integrated by ABB. In addition, ABB supplied the integrated
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power and propulsion solution, including an onshore charging system. They are each powered by a pair of battery packs providing 316kW/h total capacity divided across two catamaran hulls, offering a level of redundancy that helps to safeguard operations. The batteries allow the electric propulsion motors to reach an output of up to 400kW, with the power setup controlled by ABB’s PEMS™. They are charged using locally produced hydro-electricity — ensuring that the operational energy cycle is entirely emissions free, in a process that takes just seven minutes during disembarkation and boarding.
“By using electric power provided by batteries and fuel cells, a cruise ship can reduce its emissions to zero” Bogen also revealed that demonstration trials were underway on a small vessel fitted with fuel cells. Earlier this year, ABB signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hydrogène de France (HDF) to jointly manufacture megawatt-scale fuel cell systems capable of powering deepsea vessels Building on the companies’ existing collaboration with Ballard Power Systems, a supplier of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell solutions, ABB and HDF intend to optimise fuel cell manufacturing capabilities to produce a megawatt-scale power plant for marine vessels. This technology will be based on the megawatt-scale fuel cell power plant jointly developed by ABB and Ballard, and will be manufactured at HDF’s new facility located at Bordeaux, France.
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DE-CARBONISATION
The Sea Cargo Charter brings some of world's largest companies together to lay the foundations for a zero emissions shipping industry
Rasmus Bach Nielsen, Global Head Fuel Decarbonsiation, Trafigura
Jan Dieleman, President, Cargill Ocean Transportation and Chair Sea Cargo Charter drafting group
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS A group of the world’s largest energy, agriculture, mining and commodity trading companies have agreed to assess and disclose the climate alignment of their shipping activities. Called the Sea Cargo Charter, the accord allows for the integration of climate considerations into chartering decisions. It establishes a common baseline to quantitatively assess and disclose whether shipping activities are aligned with adopted climate goals. “A standard greenhouse gas emissions reporting process will simplify some of the complexities often associated with reporting,” Jan Dieleman, president, Cargill Ocean Transportation and chair of the Sea Cargo Charter drafting group, explains. “It will encourage a more transparent and consistent approach to tracking emissions, which will be a critical part of making shipping more sustainable.” “The shipping industry as a whole needs to adopt a transparent approach, advocated by the Sea Cargo Charter, in order to fully understand the sector’s overall greenhouse
gas footprint and for us to collectively rise to the challenges faced,” adds Rasmus Bach Nielsen, global head fuel decarbonisation, Trafigura, one of the signatories. “The Sea Cargo Charter is an important step in laying the foundations for a net-zero emissions shipping industry. Collaboration such as this, from across the sector, is vital to scale-up customer demand for low- or zero-emissions shipping. “This same spirit of collaboration is also vital in the pursuit of the technological advances needed to unlock decarbonisation solutions and in building industry support for regulation, which can create an ambitious but level-playing field under which to invest. Building on this momentum, we would like the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to use its 2023 strategy review to set the trajectory for the sector to move to net-zero emissions by 2050,” says Grahaeme Henderson, global head, Shell Shipping & Maritime, another signatory. The 17 founding members include: ADM, Anglo American, Bunge, Cargill Ocean Transportation, COFCO International,
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Dow, Equinor, Gunvor, Klaveness Combination Carriers, Louis Dreyfus, Norden, Occidental, Shell, Torvald Klaveness, Total, Trafigura and Ørsted. “The Sea Cargo Charter enables leaders from diverse industry sectors to use their influence to drive change and promote shipping’s green transition by choosing maritime transport that is aligned with agreed climate targets over that which is not,” Johannah Christensen, managing director, head of projects and programmes at international non-profit, Global Maritime Forum, says. Sea Cargo Charter has been set up to evolve over time as the IMO adjusts its policies and regulations, and when further adverse environmental and social impacts are identified for inclusion. The signatories also aim to support other initiatives developed to address climate, environment and social risks in shipping, such as the Poseidon Principles. It is applicable to bulk charterers with interest in the cargo on board; those who simply charter out of the vessels they charter in; as well as the disponent owners and all charterers in a charterparty chain. The Charter’s development was led by global shippers – Anglo American, Cargill, Dow, Norden, Total, Trafigura – and leading industry players – Euronav, Gorrissen Federspiel, Stena Bulk – with support provided by the Global Maritime Forum, Smart Freight Centre, University College London Energy Institute/UMAS and law firm Stephenson Harwood. In its weekly tanker report, broker EA Gibson says that one person can have a positive impact on any given situation, but imagine the impact 17 major oil companies, charterers, trading houses and miners could have on the environmental impact of ship emissions. A common approach will be adopted to measure the carbon emissions of each laden and ballast voyage, which, when combined, will provide an accurate figure of each signatory’s total annual CO2 emissions. The emissions will then be benchmarked against the IMO’s target to halve carbon pollution from 2008 levels by 2050.
Large group of companies coming together to address environmental concerns
MAJOR SWING
The impact of such a large group of companies coming together to address environmental concerns demonstrates a major swing in institutional thinking, Gibson says. It is hoped that with so many initial signatories, this will persuade other companies to invest in shipping decarbonisation. Sea Cargo Charter is built around a contractual commitment agreed in a standard charterparty clause for the shipowner or operator to share with the charterer the tonnage carried, distance sailed and the fuel type and amount used for each voyage, the broker explains. Data for each voyage is collected and the carbon intensity calculated using the IMO’s energy efficiency operating indicator to reflect real operating conditions. Companies that have already signed up to the Sea Cargo Charter account for around 11% of all spot tanker
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fixtures so far this year. Whether or not owners and operators will resist the clause being inserted remains to be seen. However the collective power of the group may make it inevitable. There are also a number of operators that have already started to address emission issues by chartering dual fuel vessels, which has a beneficial impact of reducing CO2 emissions. In addition, there is increased interest from owners and charterers in exploring new technologies that can help reduce a vessels environmental impact through the use of wind and solar technologies, hull air lubrication and other emission reduction technology. The tanker sector has already started down this road with several owners, charterers and traders already signed-up to the Association. One of the signatories, major trading house Trafigura, has proposed a carbon levy of between $250 and $300 per
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tonne of CO2 equivalent on ships' fuels in a paper presented to the IMO. Explaining this initiative, Trafigura says this would make zero and low carbon fuels more economically viable and more competitive. “We believe that only through the introduction of a significant levy on carbon-intensive fuels can sufficient progress be made towards the decarbonisation of the global shipping industry,” the company said in its White Paper. The Fourth IMO Greenhouse Gas Study, published in August this year, predicted that emissions could increase by as much as 130% by 2050, compared to 2008 levels. Drastic and quick action is required, Trafigura warned. The company suggested that the IMO introduce a “partial feebate” – a self-financing system – whereby, when a fuel is used that has a carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) intensity above an agreed benchmark level, a levy is charged and, conversely, where a fuel is used that has a CO2e profile below the benchmark level, a subsidy is given. In addition to subsidising zero- or low-carbon fuels, the revenue raised from the levy could be partly used to fund further R&D into alternative fuels. Part of the revenue should also be used to help Small Island Developing States and other developing countries to manage energy transition processes and to help with the mitigation and the consequences of climate change.
COSTS EFFECT
Responsible for more than 4,000 voyages per year, Trafigura said that it recognised that a carbon levy would have an immediate effect on shipping costs, which companies would bear, including the charterers, as ship operators. The feebate system would be overseen by the IMO and would involve charging a levy on carbonintensive fuels and subsidising low and zero carbon fuels. While significant details would have to be negotiated within the IMO, Trafigura said that it believed that a combination of a market-based measure through the partial feebate system, the funding of research
DE-CARBONISATION
and development and the provision of financing support to Small Island Developing States and other developing countries, could provide the scope and impact to make it a comprehensive IMO-led global maritime decarbonisation programme. As significant initial investments are required in new and alternative fuels systems, it is likely that the competitiveness gap between the alternatives will be large during the early years of a global decarbonisation programme. However, with time, as infrastructure is built and economies of scale are made in the production of zero- and low-carbon fuels, the gap should narrow. As a result, the levies charged and subsidies obtained should also decrease. This proposal is supported by a recent Goldman Sachs report, “Carbonomics – the green engine of the economic recovery”, which stated that around 50% of global GHG emissions require a carbon price of more than $100 per tonne of CO2e to be decarbonised with current technologies, Trafigura says. The analysis suggested that carbon prices could reach up to $1,000 per tonne, particularly in the aviation and shipping transport industries. Last year, the shipping industry submitted a proposal to the IMO for an International Maritime Research and Development Board (IMRB), which would create a R&D Board and Fund, financed by a global tax of $2 per tonne on all bunker fuels. According to the IMRB’s proposal estimates, the global tax would generate around $500m annually for R&D purposes. It was acknowledged in the proposal that the tax is not a market-based measure and that the cost to the global shipping industry would be less than 1% of total shipping costs. If agreed, the IMRB proposal is unlikely to have an impact on market behaviour. Indeed, in its impact analysis, it was concluded that the proposal would neither significantly affect fuel costs nor likely have a material impact on the development of alternative fuels.
The IMO has considered various proposals to reduce emissions from the maritime industry and Trafigura said that it welcomed the European Commission’s proposal to include shipping emissions in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).
MARPOL AMENDMENT
As for its legality, as outlined in the IMRB proposal, a global effort to reduce shipping industry emissions and the introduction of a carbon levy could be based on amendments to MARPOL. This would provide the carbon levy’s legal basis, setting out governance and accountability arrangements and providing the framework for collection of levies and the distribution of subsidies. In the short term, it is likely that a wide range of fuels will be tested and will need to be given a CO2e intensity profile, which will grow in importance because low and zero emission fuels will have significantly different carbon footprints, depending on the feedstock used. It is expected that fossil fuels will be used as feedstock, creating “grey” and “blue” fuels and also renewable sources used, thus creating “green” fuels. Trafigura said that it believed a group of IMO-appointed specialists should be created to set the CO2e fuels intensity profiles. Last year, Trafigura commissioned Texas A&M University to carry out research on closing the competitiveness gap between carbon intensive shipping fuels and clean alternatives. Drawing on studies with the university, which involved identifying the production cost of low and zero carbon fuels using data on the predicted costs of renewable electricity, carbon capture and electrolysers, the $250-$300 per tonne levy on carbonintensive fuels would be needed. The company further explained that its White Paper is based on extensive research, which included various discussions, contributions, papers and proposals relating to previous marketbased measures for bunker fuels.
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LAST WORD
THE DRIVE TOWARDS GREENER FUEL When it comes to de-carbonisation, Stena Bulk’s Erik Hånell, believes that the shipping industry needs to be both pragmatic and visionary at the same time. “We need to ask ourselves what we can do here and now – how we can continue to reduce the environmental footprint of our current fleet with currently available technology without losing sight of the end goal: achieving climate neutral operations,” he explains. Near term, biofuel, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and methanol are all viable options that come with different advantages, but also with different challenges. Sustainable biofuel is a good choice for existing ships as it requires no technical modifications, while dual-fuel options with either LNG or methanol are attractive for future proofing new ships. Long term, he believes it’s too soon to rule out any options, although green methane, methanol and hydrogen appear to be front runners. He also believes fuel cells will have a role to play as a future technology to improve efficiency, cut emissions and reduce cost. As an illustration of the drive towards greener fuel, this year Stena Bulk announced further updates on the methanol-powered tanker joint venture, Proman Stena Bulk, and also the results of trials using biofuels on board a tanker. A third methanol-powered MR2 tanker, Stena Prosperous, is due to join the Stena ProPatria and the Stena
ProMare in the Proman Stena Bulk joint venture in the second half of 2022. Each vessel will use 12,500 tonnes per year of methanol as a marine fuel, significantly reducing emissions in their normal commercial operations, compared to conventional marine fuels. These methanol-ready 49,900dwt product tankers will benefit from several design and technical improvements to further optimise energy and fuel efficiency. For example, the latest generation MAN dual-fuel engines will feature new water and fuel emulsion technology, which will significantly reduce NOx emissions without the need for costly catalytic conversion technology. They will also be equipped with technology to continually control combustion, optimise tuning, have re-designed and aerodynamic hull lines, plus an energy shaft generator to reduce fuel consumption and help meet strict emissions criteria. Stena Prosperous will initially be operated by Stena Bulk’s pool for two to three years. She will therefore be the first methanol dual-fuel powered ship traded on the chemicals/CPP market by a conventional shipowner without an active contract to a methanol producer. Following this, the MR2 will enter into a long-term timecharter with Proman Shipping. Methanol is already available at over 100 ports worldwide, including at all major bunkering hubs.
An artist’s impression of an Proman Stena Bulk newbuilding MR2
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As for the use of biofuels, Stena Bulk undertook successful trials in April this year in which a transatlantic voyage was conducted by using 100% wastebased biofuel. Stena Bulk’s MR Stena Immortal ran on 100% biofuel during the 10-day sea trials. This proved the technical and operational feasibility of using biofuels in regular tanker operations, and, as a result, Stena Bulk has introduced a set of low-carbon shipping options for its customers. These options range from 20% to 100% biofuels and will be based on an offsetting programme where the biofuel is used within the Stena Bulk fleet. This will allow customers to make use of low-carbon shipping options regardless of fuel availability on the specific route. It also guarantees that operation is performed without any disturbance to the shipment. New fuels and new technology, such as Stena Bulk´s recently presented IMOFlexMAX vessel design is also an important step by which testing and learning can take place through challenges and thus further development steps can be taken for the future. Collaboration within the industry will also be a key element and, as a result, the company will continue to develop new solutions together with customers, partners and suppliers. More recently, Stena Bulk completed successful trials together with ExxonMobil, to test the first marine biofuel oil in commercial operations. These trials included evaluation of on-board storage, handling and consumption in main and auxiliary engines and showed once again biofuel’s potential as a low-carbon option to conventional fuels. ExxonMobil’s marine biofuel oil is a 0.5% sulphur residual-based fuel processed with a second generation waste-based FAME component (ISCC certified), offering a reduction of CO2 emissions by up to 40%.
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