CSI Summer 2021

SUMMER 2021

TIME FOR CHANGE? Industry experts discuss just-in-time arrivals

PERFORMANCE ART Why the correct hull coating is essential

CAPTURE THE MOOD How EGCS manufacturers can help with carbon capture

supporting Clean Shipping initiatives

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FROM THE EDITOR

JUMP ON THE CAROUSEL OR GET LEFT BEHIND

Ian Cochran Editor, Clean Shipping International

The de-carbonisation timeline is definitely now in play. Pressure is increasing all round.

As we have mentioned before, stakeholders now tend to be split into separate ‘camps’, each of which claims to offer a road to redemption.

However, the first ‘elephants in the room’ to be faced by vessel owners and operators are the IMO’s energy efficiency existing ship index (EEXI) and the carbon intensity indicator (CII).

If the EEXI is ratified at the IMO’s 76th Marine Environment Pollution Committee (MEPC 76) meeting as seems likely, scheduled to be held remotely between 10-17th June, it will enter into force on 1st January, 2023.

DNV has estimated that 80% of ships will require some investment to meet EEXI, as most machinery will need ‘tweeking’ to make the regulation.

EEXI compliance won’t necessarily improve a vessel’s CII rating, or achieve wider commercial benefits, experts say.

Success will only be achieved by considering all potential improvement measures, not just those required to meet EEXI. The class society warned owners to explore hydrodynamic, mechanical, electrical and operational efficiencies, as well have one eye looking for alternative fuels to choose the right pathway for each individual vessel.

Then there are other things to worry about, such as the potential Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in Europe as part of the EU Green Deal.

In addition, goal-based de-carbonisation R&D will be crucial to help more shippers and owners to take carbon into consideration.

At least the US has seemed to acknowledged that the IMO is the right forum to tackle this debate, as the US’ special envoy for climate change, John Kerry, recently urged the body to adopt a zero emissions target by 2050. And the COP 26 meeting scheduled for Glasgow in November is likely to put even more pressure on the IMO. You know that things are getting serious when the UK has announced that shipping is to be included in the sixth carbon budget for the first time.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

CARBON NEUTRAL

Many companies worldwide have publicly stated that they are aiming to become carbon neutral by a certain date. There are now too many for this to be considered just a publicity stunt. Be sure more will follow.

There is no shortage of organisations and companies willing to give advice on how to achieve zero carbon emissions.

Illustrating the point was the forming of the Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) by seven organisations worldwide.

They said in their publicity blurb that the idea was to bridge the gap between technology knowledge and regulatory process.

MTF’s founding members included American Bureau of Shipping (ABS); DNV; Japan’s Maritime Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT); Lloyd’s Register (LR), Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK); the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) and the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

The forum’s key focus areas will include energy efficiency, alternative fuels and increasing levels of autonomy.

INSIGHTS SHARED

MTF’s work will be published, and members will share insight and guidance with, and invite contributions from others in the marine industry, the announcement said.

There is certainly no lack of expertise here and let us hope the industry listens and takes heed of the advice dished out.

We’ve managed to get near the end without mentioning the pandemic. One positive theme to emerge from more than a year in various stages of lockdown, depending on your viewpoint, is the shear number of webinars and meetings that are being held today, most of which are aimed at finding alternative fuels and increasing efficiency.

These hour or so long remote meetings enable key stakeholders to get their message across from their sofas.

This alone will reduce their carbon footprint and that of the transport systems.

Knowledge grows

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Editor: Ian Cochran iancochran74@ gmail.com Project Director: Jonathon Ferris Jonathon.ferris@ csi-newsonline.com Sub-editor: Samantha Robinson sam.robinson.journalist@ gmail.com Publisher: Bill Robinson publisher@ csi-newsonline.com Designer: Justin Ives justindesign@ live.co.uk Published by Maritime AMC, Clean Shipping International supports Clean Shipping Initiatives.

The views expressed in Clean Shipping International are not necessarily those of Maritime AMC 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.

Distributed to the members of

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1 FROM THE EDITOR

40 WEBINAR

Shipowners and operators feel the

Industry experts gathered at a webinar

pressure as de-carbonisation looms

organised by Clean Shipping International

7 EGCSA

42 BWTS

Donald Gregory, Director, Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association

» p7

monitoring devices CMDs

8 ZESTA

45 PROFILE

A look at the work of the Zero Emissions

Ecochlor unveils EcoOne, its

Ship Technology Association

mould-breaking BWMS

11 VIEWPOINT

47 COATINGS

Gregory Dolan, Chief Executive Officer, Methanol Institute

» p18

12 INTERVIEW

the race to zero carbon

What are industry players doing to improve operational efficiency?

18 LEADING EDGE Two recent reports show LNG is the » p24

24 EGCS We seek the scrubber industry’s opinions

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The buzz phrase “just in time” is back with a bang

55

The importance of efficiency analysis in the zero carbon race

63 EVENTS

on how its technology could help towards carbon capture

The latest not-to-be-missed industry events from Clean Shipping International

37 PROFILE United European Car Carriers

doing their bit for the environment by

51 EFFICIENCY

reveals his company’s policy regarding

IMO 2020 — but it isn’t all plain sailing

How coatings manufacturers are improving a vessel’s hull performance

Anthony Gurnee, CEO, Ardmore Shipping

clear favourite in the race to comply with

Ballast water compliance

» p45

ushers in a greener era

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

64 LAST WORD Scrubbers: setting the scene

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EGCSA

WHY EGCS ARE A NECCESSITY

Donald Gregory, Director, Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association

With covid-19 and rising CO2 levels as major news items and of real concern to humanity, it seems sensible and right to do what we can to contribute to mitigating these challenges.

After more than 60 years of ships operating on residual fuels with no reported negative implications to the sea lanes in which they have traded, many now have switched to IMO 2020 fuels.

There are various calculations that relate to the consequences of this change. The fact is that the well-to-wake CO2 emissions from the introduction of IMO 2020 fuels was forecast to increase global crude oil related CO2 emissions by as much as 500,000 tonnes per day.

Not all of that was down to the consumption of IMO 2020 fuels. Some was forecast to be as a consequence of a changing refinery production slate and increased crude consumption.

However, global economic activity has dropped dramatically as a result of covid-19 and the forecast number is now no longer applicable.

But the 4,500 ships fitted with exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) have reduced CO2 emission by at least 10%, compared with the increase in well-to-wake CO2 emissions from ships burning IMO 2020-compliant fuels — a small but significant incremental contribution towards zero-fossil-sourced carbon emissions.

These scrubber-fitted ships are also emitting much lower levels of sulphur dioxide than their counterparts on the IMO prescribed fuels.

CURIOUS SITUATION

It is curious that the International Council for Clean Transportation (ICCT), in a recent report, is advocating the use of new IMO 2020 fuels with unknown emissions and impacts on the marine environment and human health. Instead, it is advocating a ban on residual fuels for which there are more than 60 years of experience with no reported harm to the marine environment.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that susceptibility to covid-19 increases with age and pre-existing health conditions.

Age is an inevitability for which shielding and

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

then vaccination may be a long term solution.

Some pre-existing health conditions relate directly to a person’s environment. For example, being brought up and living in a busy port may result in much higher than the norm exposure to pollutants that can affect respiratory and other human systems.

These effects are complex and are still being researched and understood. What is beyond dispute is that the cleaner the air, the less likely air quality will impact on human health.

With combustion, no matter which fuel is used, there will be associated pollutants.

A study published in 2016 by a team led

by Professor Ralf Zimmermann identified a stronger human tissue sensitivity to exposure to exhaust gases from IMO 2015 fuel combustion than from a residual fuel combustion.

Supporting cleaner air and reducing related health effects are a benefit that EGCS can provide. It is worrying that the ICCT in its quest to ban the use of residual fuel oil at sea totally ignores the real issues, where the facts speak for themselves.

Cleaning exhaust gases means less air pollution and no reported negative outcomes for the marine environment.

DONALD GREGORY, CENG, CMARENG, FIMAREST

Director of the Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association (EGCSA) Don has 14 years seagoing experience. He is a Past Chairman of the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) and previous Chair of the WG on IMO Guidelines for EGCS. Current areas of focus include the development of new marine lubricants, shipboard remote monitoring, marine energy efficiency and measurement of marine exhaust gas emissions and the implementation of sustainable EGCS solutions for emissions compliance.

Don is a member of the ESSF Emissions to Air SG. He also sits on the CIMAC and ISO marine fuels WG and CIMAC lubricants WG.

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PROFILE: ZESTAS

Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs) is an international trade association that promotes the interests of the Zero Emissions Ship Technology industry, through communications, policy and regulatory support

FACING THE ZERO EMISSIONS FUTURE

Madadh MacLaine ZESTAs Secretary General

Founded in March 2019, Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs) activities include: » Representing Zero Emissions Ship Technology (ZEST) projects and technology providers in the shipping industry. » Increasing awareness and understanding within shipping stakeholders of readilyavailable cutting-edge technology through events and media publication. » Influencing regulators and policymakers at national and international levels to introduce legislation that necessitates and facilitates the uptake of ZEST. » Creating a platform for ZEST providers to collaborate on projects for real-life zeroemissions vessels. » Supporting regulators and industry in assuring commercial shipping reduces emissions on a steep trajectory in-line with 1.5 degrees warming, set out in the Paris Agreement.

Full membership of our organisation is strictly reserved only to technology providers who can guarantee that their

project or technology produces zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the ship-level, with minimal upstream environmental impacts. We also accept associate membership to trade associations that comply with ZESTAs objectives and bodies committed to achieving zero GHG emissions in future through collaboration with the membership.

Currently, our membership consists of more than 30 organisations spread across 17 countries in Europe, Asia and North America.

We support all technologies required to make zero-emissions shipping possible.

These include hydrogen fuel cells, marine batteries, wind propulsion, energy storage systems (ESS) and innovative energy efficiency measures, as well as accompanying services in safety, design, finance, ownership and system integration.

From industry leaders such as PowerCell, Nedstack and SPBES to disruptive start-ups including Econowind and Evolve Hydrogen, our membership boasts unique experience of real-life deployment of maritime zero

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

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PROFILE: ZESTAS

Technologies required to make zero-emissions shipping possible

emissions vessels. Because innovative zero-emissions solutions are complimentary and pursue a common purpose, our association fuels collaboration, forging links between members and enabling the industry to act together to overcome regulatory, political and competitive challenges.

With more than 400 vessels fitted with zero-emissions solutions today and the market growing at a dizzying pace of more than 400% per year, ZESTAs offers clarity and certainty in times of rapid change and disruption.

Our strict membership criteria ensure that we only support technology that enables true zero emissions vessels.

These principles provide secure futureproofing while eliminating the potential for greenwashing.

LARGE MARKET

ZESTAs operates in a wide range of maritime markets including short sea shipping, offshore service vessels, in-port infrastructure and transport, inland freight vessels, passenger ferries, Arctic/Antarctic vessels, cruise vessels and assisting the oil and gas industry to transition away from fossil fuels.

Zero emission technologies are ready today and the shipping industry is ready to change, but support is required from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), regional and national policy makers to lead with

strong clear regulations. ZESTAs has actively engaged with IMO decisionmakers since our founding, with Secretary General Madadh MacLaine regularly advising key decision makers throughout the industry. In July 2019, she participated in the ICCT seminar on research and development topics for zero emissions shipping and implementation of GHG emissions reductions policy that fed into the IMRB put before the IMO MEPC by international shipowner associations.

In October of that year, she represented ZESTAs as a guest of t he Malaysian delegation to support their commitment to marine hydrogen fuel and is negotiating the set up an International Innovation Incubator.

At the IMO’s ISWG GHG 6 in November 2019, ZESTAs members presented on technology readiness, combining their respective technologies to prove that a zero-emissions transatlantic crossing is technically possible and in May 2021, Madadh attended ISWG GHG 8.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

ZESTAs’ message to regulators is that zero is possible in-line with the timeframe dictated by the IPCC. For example, we are on a technology pathway to have a zero-emissions VLCC on the water by 2023. While a full fleet change by 2023 is unfeasible, trans-oceanic demonstrators by 2023 are achievable given the right

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

regulatory landscape. We already have the technology. If we have the regulations that support the market uptake of that technology in 2023, we can have a zero-emissions fleet by 2045, thus keeping us in-line with IPCC recommendations for warming not exceeding 1.5 degrees.

Our long-term strategic vision is to initiate a cascading relationship of policy, regulation and market forces that result in a zero-emissions industry norm. Using the combined voice and knowledge of our membership to build on current policy, we begin to see regulations that reduce financial risk and push demand.

Attractive financing options and low-interest loans that will increase demand and encourage R&D, in turn enabling technology producers to tap into economies of scale.

Once this has been reached, policy makers and regulators can enforce stricter regulations making ZE the industry norm.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

As well as our policy and regulatory activities, ZESTAs is active in regular webinars and events concerning zero emissions shipping and are organising the “SHIP ZERO° - Charging to True Zero” event in Glasgow on 1- 3 November 2021, coinciding with COP26.

On the education/information front, we are building the “ZEST Academy”, an online facility where industry stakeholders can access in-depth information, including; safety, applications, use cases, and more around technologies available today.

Please reach out to ZESTAs Secretary General Madadh MacLaine for further information on the SHIP ZERO° event, the association, ZES technology and projects. zestas.org

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VIEWPOINT: METHANOL INSTITUTE

A LIFECYCLE APPROACH

Gregory Dolan, Chief Executive Officer, Methanol Institute

The recent announcement that the United States, Denmark, and Norway, along with the Global Maritime Forum and the Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping will lead a Zero-Emission Shipping Mission is significant on two related fronts.

First, the initiative calls for decarbonising the entire maritime value chain with ships capable of running on hydrogen-based fuels such as green hydrogen, green ammonia, green methanol, and advanced biofuels.

Second, the announcement prioritises these as well-to-wake zero-emission marine fuels.

Alternative fuels are evolving at different time intervals – first LNG, now methanol, next ammonia, then hydrogen – and all will have some role to play. It is vital that shipping’s policy-makers include all fuels in its regulatory process and there needs to be a transparent and equal playing field so that implications, costs and practicalities of each are understood.

Zero is a big number for any fuel or industrial process. Reality requires that we assess methanol and other fuels on the basis of CO2 equivalent emissions across the total value chain and also consider fuel production and infrastructure, vessel storage, delivered prices and incentives.

These are the questions that will be foremost in operators’ minds. They need certainty of regulation, enforcement and benefit. The time to understand the interplay of these elements is short and running out.

In advance of the IMO’s 7th Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships held last autumn, the European Commission submitted a paper discussing whether maritime emissions should be measured from ‘tank-to-wake’ or from ‘well-to-wake.’

The EU argues – and now by extension so does the US administration – that by taking into account emissions related to the production cycle of fuels, a well-to-wake approach could enable a more complete picture of the environmental performance of alternative fuels.

It could also incentivise the uptake of existing technologies with a lower GHG footprint than conventional fossil fuels and start reducing emissions immediately using existing technologies and “drop-in” alternative fuels.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

The well-to-wake measurement of emissions from marine fuel is a position that makes sense for the shipping industry to ensure the widest range of options are available, including low-carbon and net carbon neutral fuels like methanol.

It cannot be in the interests of shipowners or their customers to have the burden of carbon emissions reduction placed on the shipping industry alone. As with IMO2020, the energy industry should take a share of the burden in finding sustainable solutions that spread the investment risk and don’t slow down the progress towards reducing the total carbon impact of shipping.

Owners can already reduce their ‘in sector’ carbon emissions using conventional low-carbon methanol. In renewable form, made from biomass/ biogas (bio-methanol) or by combining green hydrogen with CO2 from biogenic sources, unavoidable industrial flue gases or direct air capture (e-methanol), methanol would offer a carbon-neutral fuel that would enable the industry to sail more cleanly with MGO and MDO needed only as pilot fuel (just 3-5%). Bio-methanol in particular can be cost-competitive to other biofuels today and offers an immediate renewable option.

If methanol seems like an exotic solution then think again. This is the only alternative fuel other than LNG with operational experience, and does not share LNG’s issues with methane slip across its supply chain.

Methanol has three-to-five critical years’ of head start of experience building and applicability as an alternative fuel, enabling vessel operators to move forward with emissions reduction in a phased way at low cost to OPEX and CAPEX. Eleven Methanolpowered ships are already in operation and another 11 are on order, with more selected for retrofits and newbuildings, including AP Moller-Maersk, which has announced that its first carbon neutral feeder-ship would be sailing by 2023.

To support this, IMO member states should be working to frame the long-term energy challenge across the transportation supply chain so as to balance the impact of decarbonisation on shipping, its customers and the wider stakeholder community.

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INTERVIEW

Clean Shipping International talks to Anthony Gurnee, CEO, Ardmore Shipping about the chemical and product tanker company’s policy regarding the race to a zero-carbon world — plus other topics giving industry executives sleepless nights

LEADING THE WAY TOWARDS TRUE SUSTAINABILITY

Anthony Gurnee, Ardmore CEO

Since the introduction of IMO 2020, lowsulphur fuel oil (LSFO) has been Ardmore’s choice, as it is the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly option available.

“Ardmore has always been a forerunner in improving its own vessel performance and we continuously look at technical and operational means to enhance our fleet, ensuring that our carbon footprint together with our commercial performance is a core business strategy,” Ardmore CEO Anthony Gurnee says.

“We have always taken a long-term approach. Our experience tells us that by doing things differently and focusing on the right things, good growth opportunities will arise.

“Practically, we want to understand what will be the best solution long term for our organisation and our customers, but it also involves us leading the way towards true sustainability as a tanker company. This is why we created our Energy Transition Plan (ETP) — to accelerate our journey and articulate the challenge ahead of us.“

Clean Shipping International asks Gurnee whether he sees 2030-2050 as being the beginning of the end of the marine internal combustion engine (ICE), coming with a complete redesign of vessel’s power generation.

He replies that this was entirely possible.

“There is so much change happening within the shipping industry and incredible progress in terms of viable power generation solutions, from hydrogen to wind propulsion, that shipping’s energy and propulsion solutions are likely to look significantly different to those of today,” he says.

Responding to the question as to whether the predicted decline in fossil fuels could mark the end of the tanker as we know it, or whether other cargoes will take their place, Gurnee says that, just like the rest of shipping, tankers will have to find ways to become carbon neutral. This means improved overall efficiency, as well as the use of zero-carbon fuels.

“A large quantity of cargoes shipped by tankers are fossil fuels, but by no means all.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

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INTERVIEW

Ardmore’s 2015 built 25,215 dwt, IMO II product/chemical carrier

There is a very long list of non-fossil fuel cargoes that tankers carry. Already these non-fossil fuel cargoes make up approximately 25% of Ardmore’s business operations and we expect this to grow over time as the needs and preferences of global society change,” he explains.

“Ardmore is in the business of liquid bulk shipping, not just oil transportation. At the moment, fossilfuels may make up the large majority of what we carry, but this will change over time as the needs and preferences of global society change.

“Transitioning to sustainable cargoes is part of our ETP, but there is no specific timeline. The key thing is for us to be ready and able to adapt — as indeed we are.

“We recognise our ETP will unfold over years, not months. For example, the world still needs fossil fuels and will for some time, and so tankers will continue to be required for fossil fuel transportation. That said, we believe fossil fuels will continue to become less important to the world and nonfossil fuel cargo markets will grow,” he stresses.

As for the problem of planning for newbuildings that will last around 20 years in uncertain times, Gurnee

says: “Newbuild orders have been significantly low, particularly due to the challenges of not being able to plan with real confidence. However, there is a boom in containership and drybulk ordering, demonstrating once again that when the commercial opportunity is there and when circumstances are favourable, the orders will follow.”

FUTURE FUELS

He then gives an indication of Ardmore’s thoughts on what could come next in terms of fuel.

“We work every day to innovate and devise new ways to sustain and improve our performance. It is important to note that we are fuel agnostic at this stage, but there are plenty of opportunities to deliver very meaningful gains in the meantime.

“This is the essence of our ETP: performance and progress interconnected. The ETP has three key areas — sustainable cargoes, transition projects and transition technologies. We’re serious about all three,“ he says.

Moving on to speak about the e1 Marine initiative (a new methanol-tohydrogen generator technology), he says that Ardmore’s support for e1

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

Marine focuses on an opportunity that can deliver a meaningful contribution to reducing energy consumption, whether that is auxiliary power on large vessels or main propulsion on smaller vessels.

He says that it was a viable, practical and scalable solution that is ready to help make a difference.

“When it comes to main engines for deepsea shipping, there are some important initiatives underway, but until they are ready to come to fruition, it is vital that we don’t overlook deliverable gains that can be secured elsewhere,” he says.

He also explains what Ardmore thinks e1 Marine can offer.

“We believe e1 Marine’s methanolto-hydrogen technology is safer and cheaper than other alternatives for on board hydrogen delivery. When using standard methanol, it is operationally cost-competitive with diesel generators even today, while emitting zero particulates, zero NOx, zero SOx, and 30-50% less carbon than a diesel engine of the same power rating.

“This hydrogen solution is a highly viable option for the marine industry and an important part of Ardmore’s collaborative approach to exploring new low- and zerocarbon alternatives.

“We are also mindful of the wider issues associated with batteries, such as cost and the potential environmental impact in terms of the raw materials used,” he warns.

The current problem with fuel cells, hydrogen and battery packs, appears to be the size of the equipment and storage space needed on board ship for a relatively small output.

Carbon capture will also need large storage tanks.

Gurnee points out that carbon capture is not necessary if the fuel is already carbon neutral and the e1 Marine’s solution is ready to meet anticipated future regulatory requirements by switching to renewable methanol.

At the same time, Ardmore is also interested in other carbon capture solutions for shipping.

He reveals that Ardmore is a partner in the decarbonICE™ research project, which is an innovative carbon capture

14

and storage (CCS) solution for the shipping, led by the Maritime Development Centre in Copenhagen.

As for the logistics needed, Gurnee said that methanol bunkering is a simple and established process, and e1 Marine is confident that this will not be an impediment to it being a solution that can operate globally at scale. Ammonia is being labelled as the next viable option, which presents more of a complex challenge when it comes to bunkering.

Addressing technical ship management, Gurnee explains: “We take a hybrid approach to technical management and our internal team at Anglo-Ardmore do a first-class job for us. They are working with colleagues who have more than 10 years of experience of identifying and assessing the right technologies for deployment on our vessels, as well as with our class partners and others.

“We will not be moving into thirdparty management, but will remain focused on to finding progressive and effective solutions for the needs of our fleet and our customers,” he says.

Turning to the market, given the changes ahead, Gurnee reveals there to be more long-term charter business. “This is one of the reasons behind our focus on energy transition projects. We believe that many of our customers have a similar incentive to de-carbonise their supply chains and we can collaborate with them to help them to achieve this,” he says.

COLLABORATION

Ardmore recently announced a commercial tie-up with Bremenbased Carl Buettner. Clean Shipping International asks if this collaborative approach would continue.

Gurnee says: “Our values very much aligned when speaking to Carl Buettner, not only in terms of meeting customers’ needs for the movement of chemical cargoes, but also the progressive approach that we share when exploring new trades and cargo opportunities for our ships.

INTERVIEW

“Partnerships work well when where there is common thinking and shared values, and we are happy to explore other commercial opportunities if they arise,” he says.

As for rules and regulations, Gurnee says that Ardmore participates in industry discussion through an active membership of a wide range of industry associations and is supportive of market-based measure applications as a means to approach urgent change within the established International Maritime Organization protocols.

“However, we have very little control over these processes, so our mindset is based on being ready to adapt and thrive under any future regulations, when it comes to technical matters.

CRITICAL SITUATION

“One area that certainly does demand immediate action on the international stage is the critical situation facing seafarers around the globe. We have been vocal advocates for a resolution to the crewing crisis that has afflicted so many of those serving at sea during the past 12 months, whether that is through a lack of shore leave, travel restrictions, vaccine access and more.

“We are also an active supporter of the recently launched Seafarer International Relief Fund, which has been formed to provide much-needed aid to seafarers and their families affected by the covid-19 pandemic. The situation in India is dire right now and this is a cause very close to our heart, given the many Indian seafarers that are part of the Ardmore family,” he says.

Talking about Ardmore’s financial profile, Gurnee says that it was very similar to its peers.

“Just like them, we are owners and commercial traders. However, we believe that our ETP, together with the mindset and philosophy behind it, certainly differentiates us from the market.

“We are also proud to have led the way as the first US-listed tanker company to publish our fleetwide carbon emissions,” he concludes.

ARDMORE SHIPPING

Ardmore Shipping owns and operates a mid-sized fleet of product and chemical tankers.

The company’s core strategy is to develop a modern, highquality fleet of product and chemical tankers through welltimed growth, build key long-term commercial relationships and maintain cost advantage in assets, operations and overhead through hands-on management, while creating significant synergies and economies of scale as the company grows.

In February 2021, Ardmore Shipping announced its Energy Transition Plan (ETP), which focuses on three key areas — Transition Projects, Transition Technologies, and Sustainable Cargos (non-fossil fuel).

ANTHONY GURNEE CV

Anthony Gurnee has been President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Ardmore since 2010.

Between 2000 and 2008, he was the Chief Executive Officer of Industrial Shipping Enterprises, a containership and chemical tanker company, and Chief Operating Officer of MTM Group, an operator of chemical tankers.

From 1992 to 1997, he was the Chief Financial Officer of Teekay Corporation, where he led the company’s financial restructuring and initial public offering.

Gurnee began his career as a financier with Citicorp and he served for six years as a surface line officer in the US Navy, including a tour with naval intelligence.

He is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and earned an MBA at Columbia Business School, is a CFA charter holder, and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.

Gurnee is also a director of Simply Blue Energy, engaged in the development of offshore floating wind, wave energy and sustainable aquaculture projects.

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COMPANY PROFILE

LAB: TECHNOLOGY TO LIMIT YOUR SHIP’S ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT LAB is a 60-year-old engineering company specialising in emission treatment system. Under the DeepBlueLAB trademark, we design, and deliver to the maritime industry efficient, simple and innovative exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) able to treat SOx, NOx, BC and CO2 pollutants.

DEEPBLUELAB™ SOLUTION

The DeepBlueLAB™ solutions with the wet and dry scrubbers are efficient on SOx and black carbon (BC) particulates.

We equip ships, train teams and provide operational and maintenance support and after-sales services to companies including Hapag Lloyd, MSC, GNV, Brittany Ferries and many others.

As ships are complex, our engineering and process departments have worked on flexible solutions to fit the needs of each individual vessel. It allows an adjustement of the scrubber dimensions and a choice of equipment, taking into consideration all specific integrator and owner requests.

For ships with high integration constraints, our inline scrubber made in 254SMO and with high-efficiency nozzles is the best choice. During the project design phase, the engineering department works in close co-operation with the client to find the most efficient and costeffective arrangement.

Since 2014, our offline scrubber, which is made of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP), has probably been one of the main innovations in the EGCS sector. Used for decades in the chemical, petrochemical and waste-to-energy industries, the GRP solution has the main advantage of having an extremely high corrosion resistance.

With more than 300,000 hours of operation on board passenger and cargo ships, treating exhaust gas from 10 to 65MW diesel engines, the GRP scrubber is certified like all our available technologies by the leading class societies (DNV, LR, BVi...). It is a safe and proven investment.

EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE

DeepBlueLAB™ SOx GRP Scrubber Container Ship – 55MW Engine

LAB has used its extensive experience to continuously adapt its product to the demands of the maritime industry.

Simple to produce and operate and without any packing layer, complex internal or rotating parts, the DeepBlueLAB™ scrubbers are produced in our manufacturer partner facilities in Europe or in China, in order to be as close as possible to our clients’ shipyards.

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COMPANY PROFILE

Your Solution

for current and future emissions limits SOx / NOx / Black Carbon / CO2 www.lab.fr LAB TEAM

lab@lab.fr

Training, compliance, maintenance, process and spare parts are the five pillars of our service solution, ensuring all customer needs are met.

The LAB highly skilled people work remotely in cooperation with local trained collaborators or travel all around the world — even under the constraints of the pandemic — to check the quality of manufacturing and to continue to work with our partners to ensure customer satisfaction. In China, for example, we are working with one of our company subsidiaries, which is manufacturing strategic scrubber parts in a very short lead time with highquality standards.

During the past 14 complicated months our commissioning team has done an incredible job. In Asia and Europe, the team has been fully mobilised. We have succeeded in having MARPOL tests and IAPP certificates for our DeepBlueLAB™ scrubbers on several ships, thanks to the proactive co-operation of all the partners.

+33 426 233 635

With this experienced service team, the marine and process engineers answer to all kinds of customer queries, either live or remotely.

THE FUTURE

As one of the main actors in emission control in Europe, LAB embrace the spirit of innovation.

The permanent research and development with 50 active patents allows LAB to offer to the market the best available technology. In an industrial sector as dynamic as the maritime one, it is crucial for owners to choose flexible and evolutionary solutions to anticipate future International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements.

Thanks to their specific design, the LAB wet scrubbers are already efficient on thin and black carbon particles. PM2.5 and PM10 are fully removed from the exhaust gas. For PM1 and lower, the first tests give promising results.

With the dry EGCS solution, highly efficient on black carbon particles,

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LAB provides an innovative design to the marine sector. The installation of this new EGCS generation does not require dry dock, hull perforation or modification of the seachest. During operation, the electrical consumption is around 10 times lower than a wet scrubber and there is no need to discharge water, which can be required in some harbours where very strict regulations are applied.

In this case this technology is a very interesting solution.

The EU and IMO are constantly working on new regulations and are pushing to decarbonise the shipping industry. At LAB, we think that for the thousands of existing ships using HFO, LSFO, MGO and LNG, carbon capture is the best solution. Do not hesitate to contact us to launch a feasibility study.

For more information, contact: Anthony Jigorel, LAB Marine Sales Director Tel: +33 671 051 706 Email: anthony.jigorel@lab.fr lab.fr

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LEADING EDGE

Two recent reports have shown LNG to be the clear favourite in the race to comply with IMO 2020 — but it isn’t all plain sailing

LNG IS HERE TO STAY – FOR NOW It has become pretty obvious over the past few months that LNG is the frontrunner — for the time being — in the race to comply with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) low-sulphur fuel edict, which became mandatory on 1 January 2020. This was despite a recent attack on the fuel by the World Bank, which promoted a rigorous response from the LNG lobbyists, most notably SEA-LNG. Two reports both published in April seem to confirm this view and two classification societies have also produced figures showing the rise in the number of ships ordered stipulating LNG as a fuel.

However, the different fuel system lobbyists are still claiming that LNG will only be an interim fuel until something else is adopted ahead of the total ban on fossil fuels, while some pundits have queried the building of “LNG-ready” tonnage, saying that the cost of retrofits was prohibitive.

The reports — one researched by a leading UK broking house, the other by academic experts and commissioned by organisations with vested interests in

LNG — said that the use of natural gas was continuing to grow, as was the infrastructure to back it.

Gibson Shipbrokers and DNV analysed the number of vessels either running on LNG or earmarked to operate on the fuel in the future.

There will always be exceptions to any rule and for LNG-fuelled vessels, this was no different. Fortescue Metal Group (FMG) decided to cancel a tender for 10 LNGfuelled 209,000dwt bulkers, which was only circulated earlier this year, in favour of ammonia-powered vessels.

While this is very far sighted of FMG, it will mean that it will have to wait until at least 2025 before a suitable engine is available, with actual vessel deliveries maybe several years after that, Gibson said.

Of course, the reason for this change of heart was purely commercial as FMG plans to build a green ammonia production facility in Tasmania, which will provide a new fuel source for the company.

However, Gibson pointed out that there were still a large number of companies

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LEADING EDGE planning to build LNG-,fuelled vessels and importantly, don’t have an in-house renewable fuel supply.

As at the beginning of April, the LNGfuelled vessel orderbook stood at more than 130 confirmed vessels complete with dedicated IMO numbers. A few more have been ordered since. Another report suggested that 25% of vessels ordered in the first quarter of this year were LNG fuelled.

In the past, there was a diverse range of vessels ordered capable of using LNG. However, larger vessel types are now dominating the orderbook, with VLCCs, suezmaxes, aframaxes, large containerships and newcastlemax bulkers coming to the fore.

Tankers and bulkers are particularly suited to LNG propulsion, as the bunker tanks can be sited on deck, resulting in limited impact on the vessels cargo carrying capacity, Gibson explained.

Larger designs of container vessels (ULCVs) are being fitted with LNGfuelled engines, as their large capacities makes the loss of TEU capability less of an issue by installing an LNG tank on deck. However, smaller designs are seeing less of an uptake. For example, CMA CGM announced in March an order for up to 20 wide-beam conventionally fuelled panamax containerships fitted with scrubbers.

The company’s reasoning behind this was that the 5,000 TEU vessels will be too small to install LNG bunker tanks.

CMA CGM already has experience with LNG on its larger vessels operating between Europe and Asia and is looking to introduce bio-products on some ships in its large fleet.

Of the 27 LNG-fuelled vessels ordered between January and the beginning of April this year, 14 were tankers, nine were containerships, with two general cargo and pure car carriers’ each. They will be built through to 2024, Gibson said.

In the tanker sector, ADNOC Logistics & Services has changed the propulsion specification for its VLCC newbuildings to a dual fuelled system that will use LNG. The contract was placed late last year at Daewoo (DSME), and included an option for three more VLCCs. Each vessel was reported to have cost $86.7m. The addition of LNG fuel systems, is thought to add between

$15-17m to the cost of each VLCC. Shell recently ordered 10 LNG-fuelled VLCCs at DSME. In addition, Maran Tankers has four LNG-fuelled VLCCs on order at SHI, while Total has two LNGfuelled VLCCs placed at the same yard.

In the large drybulk sector, there was recently a spate of mining companies ordering or negotiating orders for new bulk carriers that will operate on LNG. For example, Rio Tinto approached two shipyards in China to build up to 12 LNG-fuelled newcastlemaxes worth about $804m in total. Reports indicated that Qingdao Beihai Shipbuilding and New Times Shipbuilding were the preferred yards. To be built under the “Project Orion” banner, these vessels will transport ore between Australia and China and will be 210,000dwt. Their delivery dates were said to be from 2023 onward.

Logistics will need to be put in place to fuel these vessels. BHP was said to be partnering with Shell to fuel its newbuilding five newcastlemax LNG (208,000 dwt) bulkers chartered from Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS) and ordered in mid-2020 from the New Times yard in China.

Anglo American has also taken four newbuildings (190,000dwt) ordered

by U-Ming at Shanghai Waigaoqiao shipyard, which will be built under a 10year charter. These vessels are reported to have cost $65m each.

In addition, New Times recently announced that negotiations were in progress for four firm 210,000dwt bulkers, with an option for eight more, under the code name “Project Himalaya”.

Their scheduled delivery is anticipated from mid-2023. They will be powered by MAN’s MEGI engines and type-C LNG bunker tanks. At the time of writing, the identification of the vessels’ owners and charterers had not been released.

The current container vessel orderbook (with IMO numbers) contains more than 40 vessels fitted with LNGfuelled propulsion systems.

Of these, Hapag Lloyd has six 23,000 TEU vessels under construction at DSME, CMA CGM has four 22,000 TEU vessels, along with another nine 15,000 TEU vessels, on order at HHI. EPS has 10 newbuilding 14,800 TEU containerships also at HHI and

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has recently ordered another 10 ULCVs believed to be on the back of MSC charters.

Interestingly, EPS is also trialling ammonia on some of its ships and is also looking at hydrogen.

Despite a growing orderbook, the question that is becoming increasingly more difficult to find a definitive answer to is how long will it be before alternative fuels, such as ammonia, methanol and/or hydrogen become a reality and start taking market share from LNG in the newbuilding orderbook?

While hydrogen is seen as a nextgeneration fuel for shipping, the other fuels will potentially start to impact the shipping sector within this decade, Gibson said.

Like the move to LNG, the transition to new fuels will be based on vessel replacement and fleet expansion, meaning this could potentially take several decades for the fleet to move fully to renewable fuels.

In the meantime, LNG will continue to provide an alternative to conventional fuels in the medium-term.

SECOND REPORT

This brings us on to the second report, which was an independent study undertaken by Sphera, formerly Thinkstep, which was commissioned

by SEA-LNG and the Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF) and conducted under ISO standards.

It confirmed that greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions of up to 23% are achievable today from using LNG as a marine fuel, depending on the marine technology employed. The report compared the emissions of current oil-based marine fuels measured from well-to-wake (WtW).

SEA-LNG Chairman Peter Keller

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LEADING EDGE

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This was the second Lifecycle GHG Emission Study on the use of LNG as a marine fuel and revisited the earlier 2018/2019 research work.

The analysis concluded that, in addition to the considerable air quality benefits it delivers, LNG can “beyond question” contribute significantly to the IMO’s GHG reduction targets.

Commenting on the research, SEALNG Chairman Peter Keller says: “The updated Sphera study ensures that the industry has access to comprehensive research that is fully up to date. It is clear that LNG plays an important role in de-carbonisation today with benefits available now.

“As we look ahead, it is essential that detailed emissions analysis from well-to-wake, such as those performed for LNG, are available for all alternative fuels contemplated, enabling shipowners to make the right decisions for their fleet,” he says.

Data was provided by original equipment manufacturers including Caterpillar MaK, Caterpillar Solar Turbines, GE, MAN Energy Solutions, Rolls Royce (MTU), Wärtsilä, and

Winterthur Gas & Diesel, as well as from ExxonMobil, Shell, and Total on the supply side.

Methane emissions from the supply chains, as well as methane released during the onboard combustion process (methane slip), were included in the analysis. The report claimed that in five to seven years, methane slip could be reduced by as much as 90% on gas burning 4-stroke engines, while 2-stroke engines would see the highest benefit where methane slip was the lowest.

Keller explains: “Often based on outdated data, methane slip has become an overused argument for those wishing to justify inaction. The Sphera study underlines the advances being made to counteract this concern. Its analysis provides independent confirmation that, by 2030, methane slip will have been virtually eliminated as technological improvements continue.

“The facts consistently confirm that there is no deepsea alternative fuel in the short-to-medium-term other than LNG. LNG remains the clear starting point for a carbon-neutral future for shipping, especially as the pathway

forward includes bio and synthetic products. Waiting is not an option. The industry must act now to capture the benefits that are clearly there for the taking by using LNG.”

COMPLEX CHOICES

Samir Bailouni, SGMF Chairman, adds: “It is important the industry has the best information to make often complex choices between fuels. This study provides authoritative, high-quality data on well-to-wake emissions for LNG. “We are confident this work will provide IMO with solid information contributing to its regulatory decisions.

SGMF will continue to provide up-todate data not only for LNG but for all candidate gaseous fuels under its remit, including ammonia and hydrogen.

“Today, the clear choice for an immediate and significant reduction in emissions is LNG, which is widely available and fully compliant with existing regulations. This is reflected in the rapidly increasing adoption of LNG in the deepsea container, bulk and tanker sectors, a trend we expect to accelerate even as the more challenging horizon

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LEADING EDGE

fuels are brought safely and sustainably into the mix,” he concludes.

The transition to bio and eventually synthetic LNG is straightforward, as the existing infrastructure and engine technology remain the same, the report said and the standards, guidelines and operational protocols are already in place. It also provides an asset base that can be used by other alternative fuels, when and if they become commercially viable.

Lack of infrastructure was the main argument used against the use of LNG in a sort of “chicken and egg” situation.

Today there were around 20 LNG bunker vessels operating, up from just one in 2017 and another 35 on order, the report said.

For the use of alternative fuels, regulators need to set standards and goals going forward, rather than find solutions that might not work in the long run.

LNG UNDER ATTACK

However, the World Bank report The Role of LNG in the Transition Toward Low- and Zero-Carbon Shipping claimed that LNG was likely to play a limited role in the de-carbonization of the shipping sector, pointing to its specific niche applications on pre-existing routes or in specific vessel types.

The research recommended that countries should avoid introducing new public policy that supports LNG as a bunker fuel, reconsider existing policy support and continue to regulate methane emissions.

“The maritime community, particularly in developing countries, has a unique opportunity in the context of these emerging zero-carbon bunker fuels,” says Bernice Van Bronkhorst, World Bank’s Global Director for Climate Change. “Not only will they help decarbonise shipping, but they can also be used to boost domestic infrastructure needs and chart a course for low-carbon development more generally.”

“Zero-carbon fuels will need to represent at least 5% of the bunker fuel mix by 2030 to put shipping on a GHG trajectory consistent with the Initial IMO GHG Strategy, as well as the Paris Agreement’s temperature goals,” adds Binyam Reja, World Bank’s Acting Global

Director for Transport. “This means they need to be scaled up rapidly.

These reports will be critical to help accelerate their targeted development and deployment.”

The research makes the case that strategic policy interventions are needed to hasten the sector’s energy transition and seize opportunities for wider economic, energy and industrial development in developing countries.

For example, the introduction of a meaningful carbon price would create a level playing field for the development and utilisation of zero-carbon bunker fuels. Revenue generated by such a market-based measure can help support developing countries in their energy transitions and accelerate crucial research, development, and deployment of these fuels.

In response, SEA-LNG says waiting for future fuels and not fully utilising LNG, which is safe, proven, competitive and available today, was a mistake.

The World Bank’s recent report attempts to prescribe solutions and predict the timing of future technology development, SEA-LNG says, believing strongly that the transition to future fuels must not follow this prescriptive approach.

“By focusing on theoretical, unproven solutions, the World Bank stifles innovation in technologies that can also provide answers in the decades ahead.

We strongly encourage all institutions around the globe that have a place in the policy debate to set standards and targets that drive real and immediate reductions in GHG emissions not prescribe specific technology solutions that are untried and unproven in the real world,” SEA-LNG says.

“To suggest that investments not be made in the LNG sector is unwise will prolong the use of higher emissions fuels and slow down shipping’s decarbonisation.

“Based on the primary data and methodology of SEA-LNG’s latest research, we are unequivocally confident that Sphera’s 2nd Lifecycle GHG Emission Study on the use of LNG as a Marine Fuel is the definitive study on the essential role that LNG has to play in shipping’s pathway to de-carbonisation.”

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IN CONCLUSION

While methane slip is an issue that needs to be addressed, its effect must be quantified using up-to-date and accurate information. Using current engine information, as the SEA-LNG study does, shows that methane slip does not impact LNG’s GHG reduction potential to the extent that the World Bank report claims.

LNG engine solutions are already in use today with minimal methane slip. Manufacturers are on a pathway to continue to reduce methane slip even further through measures which include design changes, and the implementation of advanced combustion algorithms.

The World Bank report also fails to acknowledge the very rapid acceleration in the availability of bio-LNG. The European Biogas Association expects a 10-fold increase in Europe by 2030 and, according to a study by the International Energy Agency (IEA), every part of the world has significant scope to produce biogas and/or biomethane, the gaseous form of bio-LNG. The 2020 bio and synthetic fuels study by CE Delft highlighted that largescale bio-LNG supplies produced from sustainable biomass resources could be available in the 2030s, presenting the maritime sector with a safe and scalable alternative fuel.

While highlighting green ammonia and hydrogen as the only viable future fuels, the World Bank report failed to mention the major challenges associated with these fuels. Considerable research and development, as well as extensive operational testing, is still needed.

Major technological and regulatory hurdles need to be overcome before ammonia and hydrogen can be safely used as fuels in the marine environment. The massive investments that will be required in new infrastructure will have to be co-ordinated with shipowners and other stakeholders.

The World Bank’s untested theoretical approach risks delaying the shipping industry’s decarbonisation and, at worst, it can lead the industry down a technology cul-de-sac, SEA-LNG warns.

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COMPANY PROFILE

CROE: SCRUBBERS FOR CLEANER SEAS As in days of old, when every ship arriving to port would be met by joyous crowds, the shipping world is excitedly watching the return of activity — from cargoes to cruise ships, ferries, RORO and all other vessel types in between.

This is bringing renewed focus on the key problem facing shipping: protecting the planet while continuing to operate at a profit.

To reduce sulphur emissions, the MARPOL convention implemented a series of restrictions that went into effect in two stages: 1 January, 2015 and 1 January, 2020. The MARPOL mandate basically provided shippers with three compliance alternatives: » Change fuel » Purchase premium fuel » Continue using high sulphur fuel in conjunction with maritime exhaust gas cleaning systems, also known as marine scrubbers.

As scrubbers allow ships to burn far less expensive fuel and also avoid some of the compatibility and other issues associated with the new low sulphur fuels, the growing consensus is that the use of scrubbers is the best choice: burn the fuel you want, operate the ship as you always have, meet MARPOL compliance and save money on every refueling.

CROE® Scrubbers reduce a ship’s sulphur (SO2) emissions to a level that meets both the 0.1%S or the 0.5%S ceilings, even when content of bunker fuel is 3.5%S or higher.

Additionally, scrubbers are proven to have a significantly lower CO2 footprint than using low sulphur fuels and also achieve lower sulphur emissions than even low sulphur fuels, as well as benefiting from lower particulates emissions — and all at a lower cost.

CR Ocean Engineering scrubber installation

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COMPANY PROFILE

heavy fuel oil because it is finer and penetrates the lungs deeper. 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.

STATE-OF-THE-ART APPROACH

CR Ocean Engineering scrubber installation

WHAT WE OFFER

CR Ocean Engineering (CROE®) develops in-line, u-type, and side-entry scrubbers. Each are available in three standard configurations, customisable to a ship’s specific requirements: » Open-loop (hybrid ready): once-through 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 the silencers. However, they can also be installed after or in parallel with the silencer. Due to their small size, compact design and flexibility of operation, CROE Systems are perfect for both new-builds and retrofits.

Some of the features of the CROE Scrubbing Systems include: » Option of bottom entry in-line, u-type, and side-entry scrubber 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 typical pumping costs associated with some scrubber designs. » Proprietary Caustic-Assist™ feature for open-loop assist operating in low alkalinity areas.

As the recovery unfolds, at CROE we’ll continue helping our clients to speed up yard work to reduce overall process. To this end, we introduced our “side entry” and “Venturi designs”, allowing for greater prefabrication prior to the ship arriving at the site.

Furthermore, recent studies by CE Delft and the independent Norwegian research organisation SINTEF confirm that burning high-sulphur fuel oil with a scrubber has a lower carbon footprint than using low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO).

With the increased emphasis on global warming, this is a very positive benefit.

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.

It has been shown in studies that the particulate from MGO and LSFO is even more dangerous than that from

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Building on our successful deployment of scrubbing technology for SO2 and PM, CROE engineers are hard at work seeking to improve our offering by developing state-of-the-art approaches to remote monitoring and controls, scrubber water treatment and a significant reduction of black carbon and fine particulates (<PM2.5) and CO2 emissions.

CROE has established a number of strategic alliances around the world to allow it to extend its applications to reduce fine particulate control (PM2.5), CO2 and water pollutants.

Most recently, CROE partnered with Oberlin Filter to provide an easilyintegrated washwater 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. This approach also greatly reduces the cost of sludge disposal.

The World Shipping Organization notes that the shipping industry “more than any other, makes it possible for a truly global economy to work.

It connects countries, markets, businesses and people, allowing them to buy and sell goods on a scale not previously possible. And as consumers, we have become used to seeing goods from all parts of the globe readily available in the stores we visit.”

It is very possible to do it without leaving a mess in the process.

For more information, contact: Nick Confuorto, CROE® President and COO Tel: +1 (973) 455-0005 ex 110 Email: nconfuorto@croceanx.com croceanx.com

24

EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS

We seek the scrubber industry’s opinions on how its technology could help towards carbon capture

STEERING TOWARDS CARBON CAPTURE Starting with the Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association’s Donald Gregory, he advised Clean Shipping International that the marine bunker market capacity is estimated to be between 250–300m tonnes.

The lower estimate converts to 10m TJ per year of energy stored in petroleum sourced fuel with a CO2 potential of 800 tonnes. The London array Round 2 is a 175-wind-turbine wind farm, which provided an output of 9m GJ in 2015.

Thus, its output is three orders of magnitude less energy than the energy consumed by the global merchant fleet. In other words, the energy requirement from wind power, excluding all the very significant conversion losses to convert to efuels, would require at least 1,000 London Arrays to be installed simply to match shipping’s current energy consumption.

Coal and later petroleum-based fuels have been the energy source for ships since the conversion from sail to steam and later to diesel engines. Will the diesel engine continue to predominate as the mechanical source of power for main propulsion and

for electrical power generation on board ship? This is a key question when assessing the types of energy that will be delivered to ships over the next 30-50 years.

Rotational energy can be delivered by a number of means, including direct drive from a combustion engine, or by steam turbine/ gas turbine, or by an electric or a hydraulic motor. These are the obvious options.

In each case, there is a need of chemical energy source conversion into heat or directly into electricity. For the moment it looks like nuclear as a heat source remains a peripheral option, despite its many benefits.

Direct conversion of chemical energy to electricity can be accomplished by a fuel cell.

But power outputs are limited and to date multiple megawatt outputs are not available.

But nevertheless, it may be possible to apply fuel cells for vessel hotel and operational electrical power requirements.

Considerations will be the type of fuels that can be used, the sensitivity of the fuel cell to the fuels supplied, the ability of the fuel cell to respond rapidly to load

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EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS

changes, and the overall efficiency of such systems.

These are all details that are never mentioned in the headline news of fuel cell installations for small recreational and local transport vessels. Currently, it is not evident that fuel cells will be able to provide the power requirements for large ships’ main propulsion with the requisite reserves of power and response to enable a ship to sail safely in sometimes extreme conditions.

Another electrical power source is a battery. Batteries only store energy.

The current best designs can barely power an electric car for more than a few hundred kilometres, never mind store 1,000s of GJ of energy for an ocean voyage. Their development has been taking place since the 1960s, but despite the improvements, there have been no breakthroughs and the energy storage density remains a challenge.

There are many other options, but at the present time none look practical, are robust or have significant efficiency or energy storage density to make them a realistic short- or medium-term future power solution.

The remaining options are external combustion or internal combustion; converting chemical energy into heat.

The current internal combustion engine (ICE) dominates the marine propulsion market, the 2-stroke diesel engine can achieve thermal efficiencies of over 50%. External combustion systems using advanced fluids are claimed to match these figures but thus far, no commercial system are in service or in active development.

It is safe to conclude that the 2 – and 4-stroke diesel engines will dominate shipboard mechanical power production for at least the next 30 years. The question then becomes, which fuels will they use and will the fuels contain fossil or renewable carbon?

In either case, there is a distinct benefit if the carbon can be captured and recycled or safely sequestrated.

There are a number of technologies available to capture CO2, with a number in use in other chemical processes, such as the removal of CO2 from fuel gas to enhance the calorific value of the fuel. Trials are also underway to extract CO2 from the atmosphere — a more challenging enterprise given that the

CO2 concentrations are very low.

In the marine diesel engine exhaust, the CO2 concentration is much higher typically around 3.5%–7%. A number of options are under investigation to remove a large percentage of the CO2 and store it on board the ship for disposal ashore to regenerate a carbon and hydrogen fuel using renewable electricity or to safely store it deep underwater or in gas tight rock formations.

Several designers of EGCS used to remove SOx from exhaust gas are developing technology to compliment this basic first step and will be able to remove black carbon, other fine and ultra-fine particulate matter and then remove a significant percentage of CO2. The designs are not a matter of possibilities, it is simply a matter of regulation and economics.

The IMO invested significant time and effort discussing black carbon, but management of other harmful compounds being emitted remain unsolved. As a result, marine emissions are much less regulated than shore standards.

Similarly, CO2 emissions have been dealt with on the basis of indexing rather than absolute numbers, which has seen the marine contribution to CO2 concentrations rising or at best static, due to commercial drivers of slow steaming and fleet over capacity reducing annual fuel consumption.

The merchant marine is well placed to deal with emissions and with CO2 capture and storage, as the solutions are well known and eminently practical for shipboard applications. What is missing is the economic driver to make the decision to invest in carbon capture a commercially interesting and rewarding prospect.

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Some NGOs will argue the illinformed mantra that “cleaner fuels” are the solution. There is no such thing as a cleaner fuel after combustion.

There are emissions caused by virtually all fuels including LNG. Often the other downside is the additional embedded CO2 in the fuel through its processing to delivery readiness.

Currently, ammonia and hydrogen are proposed as e-fuels. Plant-sourced fuels are offered as a renewable fuel option. In practice, these options are still somewhat in their infancy and costs and operational consequences still need to be assessed.

Given an effective regulatory regime, exhaust gas carbon capture can be implemented now. What is without doubt is that CO2 not emitted today will be at a lower cost than the challenges and cost to reduce CO2 emissions tomorrow.

To that end, an immediate and greater focus must be placed on controlling and reducing current emissions by increasing the overall efficiencies of vessels.

A number of current technologies enable these improvements, from improving hull designs, voyage optimisation, maximising vessel and engine efficiency by harmonising power input against voyage performance, reduced fuel consumption and carbon emissions, Gregory said.

Turning to scrubber manufacturers, giving ANDRITZ’s view on shipboard Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), Dr Martin Koller, Global Product Manager, Head of Laboratory. KAP – Air Pollution Control Marine Solutions said: “As partner in various larger and

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EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS

smaller international and national R&D projects, operator of our own or shared test facilities in laboratory or onsite, we know, that CCS is a viable technology to tackle the challenge of climate change on a large scale. Therefore, the implementation on vessels is a promising task and will help the industry to meet IMO and international GHG targets on a cost-effective way.

“At the moment, the European CO2 price is scratching the 50 €/t CO2 line (source: EEX). This value is expected to increase. Any solution capable of reducing CO2 emissions from ships must therefore be compared with this CO2 price as a benchmark,” he said.

He outlined the solutions under discussion — alternative fuels (H2, NH3, Bio-methanol), alternative propulsion concepts (wind, slow steaming), new power supply (batteries, fuel cells) or carbon capture.

The following table* compares the costs, when ammonia or CCS with different fuels is used for a 10MW engine with SFOC of 200g/kWh. The CO2 production per tonne of fuel is estimated to be 3.2t CO2/t fuel.

According to the comparison example, it is obvious, that ammonia (especially

from renewable sources) is by far the most expensive option to reduce the CO2.

The cheapest option is the HFO + EGCS + CCS (90% CO2 removal).

In addition, the price gap between the high- and low-sulphur fuels will increase, as will the CO2 price. The business case for this option will become more attractive in the future.

The differences in operating costs of about €500 per hour between HFO (with EGCS and CCS) and an ammonia engine solution (grey option) results in an CCS plant’s return of investment (ROI) of around two years.

Taking into consideration the adjustments necessary for NH3 ship operations (ammonia storage volumes, engine modifications, safety issues) makes a CCS plant even more viable.

Technically, there are two problems with high CO2 removal rates: the necessary storage capacity for the CO2 and the complexity of the CCS plant (normally, absorber/desorber plants).

ANDRITZ’s concept is to consider a lower CO2 reduction (about 50-60%) and use an alternative membrane CCS technology. This makes the CCS plant simpler with less weight and lower space requirement, compared

to an absorber/desorber solution. In addition, this option fulfils the IMO CO2 reduction targets.

“So, from our point of view, a CCS plant is a very interesting option to reduce CO2 in a technological and economical beneficial way. It’s a perfect bridge technology until the transition to affordable renewable fuels or technologies,” he concluded.

Yara Marine’s Chief Technical Officer Per Bjärkby said that even though there are existing techniques available, CSS on board ships is still at an early stage. “Existing technologies

SUMMARY OPERATIONAL COSTS COMPARISON Fuel Consumption [t/h]

CO2 emission [t/h]

Fuel costs [€/h]

CO2 costs [€/h]

Summary operational costs [€/h]

HFO + EGCS

2.1

6.7

683

335

1018

LSFO/MGO

2

6.6

816/900

330

1146/1230

NH3 (grey)

5

-

1500

-

1500

NH3 (green)

5

-

2500

-

2500

HFO + EGCS + CCS (90%)

2.7

0.9

878

45

923

HFO + EGCS + CCS (50%)

2.5

4.0

813

200

1013

LSFO/MGO + CCS (90%)

2.5

0.8

1020/1125

40

1060/1165

LSFO/MGO + CCS (50%)

2.3

3.7

938/1035

185

1123/1220

Option

FUEL

PRICE

HFO (IFO380; 3.5 %S)

390 USD/t (≈325 €/t)

LSFO (0.5 %S)

490 USD/t (≈ 408 €/t)

MGO (0.1 %S)

540 USD/t (≈ 450 €/t)

NH3 (grey; from fossil fuels)

300 €/t

NH3 (green, from renewable sources)

500 €/t

CO2 emission/penalty *Boundary conditions

50 €/t

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need to be adapted to both vessel use and for various fuel types. We are hands on systematic innovation, continuously working with new ideas for emission abatement.

“When it comes to CSS and scrubbers, it is definitely possible to capture CO2 by scrubbing. The question is how much you are able to capture and how to handle the CO2 when scrubbed out of the exhaust stream.

What we have seen, as a common factor for the different technologies, is that they will significantly increase OPEX to a levels still not yet defined.

“All of the new systems will affect the operations level somewhat depending on the complexity of the systems installed. The space needed for CO2 storage on board the vessel is still unclear, and we fear CCS occupying valuable cargo space may be one of the major challenges one needs to overcome in order for CCS to stand out as a commercially viable solution.

Energy use to capture and store CO2 is also an issue.

“We need to look closer into port infrastructure for disposal of captured CO2. Using land based facilities with less carbon footprint for reforming or possible storage will be preferable, but this will also come with a cost.

Unfortunately, CCS still lacks proper financial incentives for the shipping industry to create a market for this technology,” he concluded.

carbon capture, which also incorporate the air pollution reduction and regulatory benefits of scrubbers.

“However, until these systems enter the market, we won’t know for sure how cost effective they will be — especially compared to ordinary scrubber technologies.

“Given what we have already seen with emissions abatement technology, it seems likely that carbon capture and storage is going to be most relevant to newbuildings and larger vessels — including VLCCs and some container ships. Of course, growing environmental concerns combined with technological improvement could see that list lengthen as the technology comes to market,” he said.

He thought that until manufacturers looking at carbon capture and storage technology finalise system designs and specifications, it is difficult for us to say what if any new onshore infrastructure would be required.

Regardless of whether these systems will heavily use onshore reception facilities, they are likely to require additional environmental monitoring, to ensure that the process is safe and does not cause adverse impacts to the marine environment. They are also likely to be used as part of a complete solution that includes a scrubber, which would require an accurate, reliable washwater monitor — to provide shipowners with confidence in their regulatory compliance.

Adam Jolliffe, Senior Sales Manager – Maritime, Chelsea Technologies said that carbon capture and storage technology is rapidly evolving.“There are several manufacturers currently developing complete systems for

Pureteq’s CEO Anders Skipdal revealed that today, the company is building equipment to slot into a container for later deployment with various industries for testing different kinds of exhaust gas.

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He agreed that shipboard CCS will come at an additional cost. The feasibility depends on the tax and if shipowners’ clients want less of a carbon footprint when transporting their cargo. “In principle, the world depends on CCS technologies to be developed in scale, as there is not enough green or clean energy to go around for e-fuels,” he said.

As for the extra equipment needed, Skibdal said that in most cases, the exhaust gas will have to be cleaned in a traditional scrubber, before the exhaust is led to the chemical scrubber for carbon capture to avoid pollution of the chemicals used for CCS. The major obstacles are energy consumption and storage of CO2 on board. Three times as much CO2 as fuel consumption needs to be stored and with a safety margin, tanks will need to be installed with four times the capacity of the fuel consumption between piers.

“There are a few technologies being developed that would generate another product (chemical sequestering) that could in time perhaps be disposed to the sea, but otherwise it would need to be stored.

“Today the scrubbers fitted on vessels have to be very big because reaction time is longer between CO2 and chemicals than between seawater and SOx. Apart from this, numerous smaller tanks will be needed with some equipment, but not something that would hamper the vessel’s stability.

“Most new technologies require skilled personnel to operate, but lots can be accomplished via remote service and surveillance. To my mind some of the technologies being developed will fit on a ship and other will be limited to shore activities, he said.

As for reception facilities ashore, he said that the technology requires an infrastructure for the carbon products.

Most of the projects mentioned in the press are most certainly ‘LinkedIn reality’ and will not fly, he added.

In 2020, PureteQ and sister company, EStech began a research project into CCS technology and have now applied for a patent on a process that combines carbon capture from exhaust gas with Power to X.

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Combining the processes allows for lower cost of removing/ reducing CO2 as some of these costs are offset by earnings/ benefit of producing hydrogen.

Furthermore, PureteQ is involved in a project based on an US patent of chemical sequestering of CO2. This process transforms the CO2 into sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), which in turn can be used to augment the oceans natural carbon cycle or for other purposes.

A third project is based on a Dutch Electro CO2 patent and is simply improving the dominant process of amine scrubbing to make the process more efficient.

“It is early days of CCS and there is no infrastructure to back it, even when technologies are available in size and scale,” Skipdal concluded.

CR Ocean Engineering’s President Nick Confuorto said that his company is active in partnering with various other specialist companies in R&D towards reduction of black carbon, fine particulates (<PM2.5) and CO2 capture and sequestration (CCS).

“While the fine particulate reduction technology is in it’s advanced development and demonstration stage, the shipboard CO2 reduction technology is trailing behind in favour of advancing the technology’s demonstration on land-based applications first, due to their earlier available market,” he explained.

EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS

“Maritime CO2 reduction targets are already set for the years 2030 and 2050. However, based on the speed and density of political focus on the subject, I would not be surprised if CO2 reduction requirements may be set even earlier. Therefore, we at CROE have been getting ready for this eventuality.”

He continued by saying that the difficulty of achieving global CO2 reduction is that it is not a single source emission. CO2 is a complete stream of emissions from beginning to end along the energy life stream. In the marine world it is more commonly referred to as ‘well to wake’. On land it is referred to as ‘cradle to grave’.

A real reduction is one that provides an overall impact and not individual ups and down, which in the end result to a meaningless reduction or no reduction at all. For example, a ship can demonstrate a lower CO2 at the stack when burning a specific fuel.

However, that is not enough to show real environmental impact.

“What if to produce that fuel much more CO2 is generated than alternate fuels and that additional amount of CO2 is much more than the on board reduction?

This is the case with several fuels being considered. The real CO2 reduction is the ‘net’ change from the oil production well through the refining process and all way to the ship’s stack.

“That is why the true CO2 measurement needs to be from well to wake. What this means is that we cannot only look at the shipping industry to achieve an overall (global) reduction in CO2.

We must also consider all the other industries, which feed into the total emission.

A co-operation is eventually going to be required by most of the related industries to achieve a real net reduction and a positive impact on our environment.”

At present, the shipping industry can already take advantage of the significantly lower well-

to-wake CO2 impact by using HSFO+scrubbers instead of using lower sulphur fuels. The production of low-sulphur fuels generates much more CO2 than the use of HSFO/scrubber, based on several reports by CE Delft, SINTEF and others.

He explained that to achieve the 2030 target much, more needs to be done. One way to achieve the target would be to add a CO2 reduction technology to any ship.

This can be applied downstream of scrubbers in cases where the fuel sulphur content used is high or in place of the scrubber in cases where low sulphur fuel is used.

Scrubbing of CO2 has been well proven using specialised amines.

The difference between the various possible systems is the application and contact approach.

Some companies will want scrubbers spray towers to capture the CO2 with liquid amine, while others may use a much more compact system using membrane technology to separate the CO2 from the gas stream and then capture the concentrated stream with amines.

Both approaches will result in an amine solution rich in CO2 which will later require regeneration to remove the concentrated CO2. Once the CO2 is regenerated, it can be compressed and stored until the next port.

The regeneration can be done on board or it can be done after it is unloaded from the ship.

Either way, reception facilities will be required in each port to handle this. Large companies are looking at setting up reception facilities in preparation for this very large market.

He concluded: “The final issue with CO2 will be its final storage or reuse. There are presently some uses and some storage capabilities for the captured CO2.

“However, if everyone in all industries start to produce concentrated CO2, then I believe many more uses and much more storage capacity need to be developed.”

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EXHAUST GAS CLEANING SYSTEMS

consequently, the support from the decision-makers will be extremely relevant, particularly considering that several CCS solutions will be available on the market in the near future,” he concluded.

Alberto Di Cecio, Ecospray’s Director BU Marine stressed: “OPEX is one of the main parameters that we kept in mind since the very initial design phase; our solution aims to be at least neutral compared to the current status (no CCS) thanks to the combined effect of carbon capture and power generation with high efficiency fuel cells. This technology has the potential to generate positive cash flow if the CO2 market will ramp up at a global level, which is currently one of the biggest question marks in the decarbonisation debate,” he said.

“We designed a flexible solution, to be ready to scale it according to the desired level of carbon reduction, also taking into consideration the future regulations. The carbon capture amount is tuned with the customer needs: usually 20-25% is enough to be in compliance with 2030 carbon limits for the majority of the ships.

“Currently, our roadmap foresees the first installation on board in 3Q23 and, of course, we aim to expand the technology to a fleet-scale size immediately after that,” he said.

As for the extra equipment needed, he said that Ecospray’s solution foresees the possibility to reuse existing voids and tanks to minimise stability issues. “We will also capitalise our vast experience in EGCS to ease day-to-day operations, thanks also to the integration with our automation and data collection/analysis platforms,” he explained.

“Being able to capture and store CO2 on board will need a global network of operators capable of receiving, storing, and selling the final product.

We consider it as a crucial part of the whole maritime CCS industry, and

Sigurd Jenssen, Director, Wärtsilä Exhaust Treatment, said that carbon capture is exciting because it can provide significant reductions in a relatively short timeframe.

He explained: “This is important in the context of the industry’s overall de-carbonisation transition, as it will enable us to safeguard existing assets as we move to a cleaner mode of operating. CCS is an important piece in the puzzle to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions from shipping by 2050.

“We are applying extensive research and development currently on a CCS solution, with a view to bringing it to market as soon as possible. We are now installing a 1MW pilot plant at our test facility in Moss, Norway to test our CCS technologies in a range of scenarios and conditions.

“We want to pioneer CCS in maritime, and as part of this we are exploring every avenue to ensure we have the best possible solution. We understand that cost will, of course, be a part of the consideration for owners and operators. But we believe our complimentary expertise in developing other technologies around the stack will help us to bring to market a solution that is competitive and effective – and that therefore will be adopted at scale by the industry,” he said.

Research shows that both CCS and carbon offsetting could be instrumental in decreasing shipping’s impact on

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

29

climate change, but many have argued that carbon offsetting alone as a solution is not enough. Meeting our 2050 targets and mitigating carbon will require the sector to innovate broadly across multiple areas.

“Indeed, we believe that there is no better place to focus the efforts than on the biggest emission of them all – carbon – and think about the ways that we can use what we have already learned from sulphur, both as an organisation and as an industry.

“We are excited by what the development of our CCS solution could mean for the industry, particularly with respect to maintaining the profitability of existing assets, effectively safeguarding them into the future.

“We will develop our solution in line with the IMO’s targets of a 70% reduction in carbon on a per vessel basis. This means that other solutions and methods to reduce carbon – including energy efficiency technologies and offsetting – will be part of the picture going forward as well,” he said.

He also said that Wärtsilä is still exploring exactly how best to implement a carbon capture and storage technology within the stack.

“We want to create a solution for the market that is as cost-effective and space efficient as it can be, given the unique challenge of installing it on a ship.

“We believe that maritime CCS will require new innovations compared to land-based solutions, given these constraints. This is a core area of research that we will focus on in our pilot test programme at our facility in Moss,” he said.

The system would likely require a separate scrubber, but more work needs to be done to establish whether existing scrubbers could also handle the CO2 extraction. The only difference would be the type of solvent used.

Captured CO2 will be stored on tanks and be off-loaded at port reception facilities. Currently, permanent sequestration options are mostly in Northern Europe, where the CO2 is pumped into used oil fields. However, he said that the company was certain that more infrastructure will follow.

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COMPANY PROFILE

VEROLME: MAINTENANCE CHALLENGES IN GLOBAL SERVICE Verolme has been involved in Scrubber Manufacturing since 2016 and in a large amount of Service and Maintenance activities. This experience allows us to understand and further develop support programs for customers, both scrubber OEM’s and shipowners, that focus on life cycle maintenance and service once the scrubbers are installed on board.

Working world-wide on different kind of scrubber systems of various makes, we have been able to gather an enormous quantity of data and experience. With a customer-oriented approach, we have been able to share and exchange experiences, problems, solutions related to scrubber installation, operation, and regulatory aspects; to discuss topics of interest and initiate joint investigations and data collection and to jointly approach manufacturers and suppliers to resolve any technical issues and improve EGCS performance and uptime.

Scrubber installations have seen an exponential growth over the past years to meet the Jan 2020 deadline and have seen various bottle necks in manufacturing, yard installations / retrofits and commissioning activities.

Last years also saw a rapid increase in on-board (emergency) assistance.

In the past 18 months, the Verolme Service organization has performed many different and unforeseen repairs on scrubber systems. We have been able to identify critical points and repeating issues for scrubber systems (ranging from plastic soup particles in the spray nozzles to cracks in the scrubber body, leaking drain piping and corroded overboard piping) and have developed a periodic inspection program in ports (“scrubber health check”) and a (preventive) maintenance service program.

“Risks can be mitigated, by investing in quality materials, established suppliers and experienced installers, and by optimizing machinery space layouts.” The fact of important cost savings has been one of the most, if not the most important factor in the decision-making process to invest in scrubbers, to meet the Sulphur emission regulations in 2020.

Quality of high-grade materials, experienced manufacturers, auxiliary equipment from quality suppliers and experienced installers determine the risks and system up-time of a scrubber

Circular approach TOOL AND EQUIPMENT CONTAINERS

360° PERFORMANCE

Fully equipped tool and equipment containers with

service desk to maximize your system uptime. Your partner in claims and

ports and can be placed at the yards for support

warrantee issues.

during retrofit activities.

INSPECTION

Base line and periodic inspections by an expert engineer to assess the system status can be

performed and long-term (preventive) maintenance planning with critical point data monitoring and analysis through life cycle

management.

ALLOY EXPERTS We can provide scrubber detailed parts design and material

REAL TIME ASSISTANCE

Fast and immediate response of our

spare parts for piping and consumables for most common scrubber alloys are available in strategic

GLOBAL PRESENCE

FULL CIRCULAR APPROACH

We have tools containers and work shops and dedicated teams in strategic ports worldwide:

Rotterdam, Antwerp, Bremerhaven, Singapore, Houston, Miami Malta and shortly we will add Dubai, Curaçao, Cape town and Shanghai.

SPARE PARTS

upgrades with our expertise in corrosion resistant materials

We provide typical parts (such as spray nozzles,

discharge spool design. Materials range from 316, 254SMO,

various diameters, water supply and discharge piping parts.

and repair experience on scrubber systems. We have approved design for Overboard piping and supply and Alloy 59, Hastelloy to titanium.

suspension mounts, etc) availability in our warehouse, approved Over-Board pipe design

system. The chain will only as strong as its weakest element and this will determine the system performance and required efficiency over time. Cost conscious owners invest in a scrubber system with a competitive price and low operating expenses.

Most Scrubber systems have only been installed in vessels in the past years and for many owners, the real test of operating the systems fulltime started with taking the systems on-line and operate them. Many of the common tooting problems and latest design developments have been tackled and most modifications to the initial installed systems have been performed. Other interventions are still ongoing as (unexpected) problems emerge.

Verolme’s Maritime and Service Manager Willem Kemps is keen to point out: “As an independent manufacturer of large marine scrubbers, working on installed scrubber systems on-board vessels has been a natural move for us as we are manufacturers and specialists in welding special alloys.

Our maritime origins, recent maritime projects, geographical position and strategically placed workshops, give us a strong platform for global agreements to manage maintenance of scrubber systems and maximize system uptime.”

Working with the thin-walled alloys and materials in this corrosive environment is not for everyone and a proven ability and qualified teams are key to maintain the high standards set by the industry. We strongly believe the industry needs to understand and react on current problems and be supported by a (preventive) risk and data-based maintenance program, which not only minimizes down-time, improves efficiency (”life-cycle management”), but also provides a prediction of the real operating expenses.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

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COMPANY PROFILE

Alloy Experts, Spare parts and design support: We can provide scrubber detailed parts design and material upgrades with our expertise in corrosion resistant materials and repair experience on scrubber systems. We have approved design for Overboard piping and supply and discharge spool design. Materials range from 316, SMO, super duplex to titanium. We provide typical parts (such as spray nozzles, suspension mounts, etc) availability in our warehouse, approved Over-Board pipe design various diameters, water supply and discharge piping parts.

COMPLETE APPROACH

As we manufacture scrubbers for various OEM’s and have extensive experience in welding of Alloy materials, our teams have manufacturing and onboard service experience. This makes us unique in the market.

With the large amount of scrubbers installed and the number of service and repair activities performed rapidly growing, we can provide global support on very short notice.

Life cycle management: System performance check; base line and periodical inspections by an experienced engineer to assess the overall status of the system, suggest possible corrective actions or maintenance operations to sustain the required performance and highest efficiency standards over time.

We have specialized tool, equipment and spare part containers for scrubber

system work at yards, in order to support our clients during worldwide new-built or retrofit activities.

We can provide our clients with design and material support in order to provide highest possible corrosion resistance and efficiency for their scrubber systems. We can supply approved overboard pipe and spool system design.

Global presence, quick assistance, and strong global partner network Claim and warrantee related matters. Support with scrubber system related yard assistance, GRE pipe repairs and modifications, installations, and calibration activities through our strong global partner network. We have recently added Malta, Miami and Tallin as fully operating hubs to our global network with other locations following soon.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

The maritime industry is encouraged to reduce its environmental footprint and our expertise and risk-based service aims at reducing emissions to air and sea. We are committed to reduce downtime and repair needs for our clients, innovative risk-informed and data-based innovative concepts are developed to a “fit-to-purpose” inspection and maintenance program.

We strongly believe that scrubber systems represent an opportunity and a step in the direction of greener shipping, and we would like to contribute to a more sustainable shipping industry.

For more information, contact: w.kemps@verolme.com service@verolme.com Tel: +31 6 2830 9846 verolme.com

SODAFLEXX CLEAN EXHAUST FROM SHIPS

DRY POWDER EXHAUST GAS CLEANING NOW FOR THE MARITIME INDUSTRY Ensuring a sustainable future for the oceans is one of the great challenges of our time. Sodaflexx aims to accelerate this collective effort by providing green solutions to the global shipping industry.

We are committed to the environment on all levels, and now offer a new opportunity for shipowners to exhaust sulphur free clean air whilst taking advantage of cheaper HSFO bunker fuel.

CLEAN AIR

SODAFLEXX Exhaust Gas Cleaning works by directly injecting Sodium

PARTICULATE CAPTURE SYSTEM

SODIUM SULPHATE, SOOT & PARTICULATES

Bicarbonate (NAHCO₃ – commonly known as baking soda) into the exhaust gas stream. In the heat of the exhaust, a reaction occurs to neutralise the Sulphur

RESIDUE DISPOSAL SYSTEM

which forms Sodium Sulphate (Na₂SO₄).

SODIUM BICARBONATE REACTS WITH SULPHUR FORMING HARMLESS SODIUM SULPHATE

DOSING UNIT AIR

Sodium Bicarbonate is available in most main ports.

Sodium Sulphate is non-hazardous and pH neutral, and is collected by our bespoke capture and treatment systems for disposal onshore.

SODIUM BICARBONATE

EXHAUST GAS

We offer a range of system options that provide exhaust gas treatment with ZERO overboard discharge.

SODIUM BICARBONATE Readily available

Odourless

Non-corrosive

Stable

Non-toxic

Non-explosive

COMMITTED TO THE ENVIRONMENT

$

• Sodium Bicarbonate NaHCO₃ absorbent

• Removes SOx

• Direct injection

• No hazardous chemicals

• Bespoke filter / capture systems

• Zero overboard discharge

• Attractive ROI

• Unrivalled installation speed

• Ultra Low capex – the least expensive EGCS on the market

• Short lead times

• Captures PM

• No drydocking or sea chest mods

• Short payback period

• No water pipes, few moving parts

• Minimal energy to operate

THERE IS NO OTHER EGCS LIKE THIS

SODAFLEXX CLEAN EXHAUST FROM SHIPS

Our technology is proven – the concept has been used in thousands of land-based power plants for decades.

Bunker Fuel Hi/Lo Prices

Week 21 2021

We have now adapted it for marine applications, and our systems are available for prompt and quick installation.

Sodaflexx is much more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than a wet EGCS system, and we have modules that can make existing open loop scrubbers into hybrid systems.

Powered by

Our systems are powered by N-FlexX™ technology to ensure the most efficient and cost-effective operation

SUBSCRIBE to our Hi/Lo Bunker Price Report:

possible. We use machine learning to constantly improve

sodaflexx.com/newsletter-signup

optimisation of our systems across all installations, and proprietary artificial intelligence protocols are used to improve predictive maintenance and adapt to future needs and performance requirements.

For more information on Sodaflexx systems or to enquire about our reference installations please contact us at: e: sales@sodaflexx.com

sodaflexx

t: +44 203 907 1134

@sodaflexx

www.sodaflexx.com

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COMPANY PROFILE

PURETEQ: OPTIMISING SCRUBBER PERFORMANCE ACROSS FLEET PureteQ designs, delivers and commissions built-to-fit maritime scrubber systems for open-loop, hybrid-ready and fully hybrid (closedloop, with and without bleed-off) to shipowners who want to save money on fuel by continuing to use heavy fuel oil (HFO). Recently, we have seen the price span between compliant fuel and HFO increase, and interest in scrubber systems is increasing apace with the growing price span.

All scrubber systems come with state-of-the-art intuitive control systems, with full real-time remote accessibility. In times like these, it is very convenient and safe to give 24/7 remote online support and guidance to ship crews from our certified Marine Engineers. This feature has contributed greatly to our customers gaining a competitive advantage. We also carry out modular training of crews and officers, as well as onshore personnel.

PureteQ has developed the Generation II Scrubber to reduce the total cost of installation — by a double digit percentage — after our experience and learning after installing more than 100 scrubbers on different types of ships at various shipyards around the world.

TOP SERVICE

PureServ is PureteQ’s dedicated service organisation. We offer fairpriced service agreements designed to meet shipowner’s specific needs, based on the ship’s operational pattern and crew qualifications. All clients with a PureteQ service agreement have a designated Service Engineer and, according to the agreement, you only pay for what you get.

Our service team has received extensive training to assist shipowners in safeguarding continuous operations, reliability and MARPOL compliance of their scrubber systems. This entails expert support and guidance for all scrubber systems on-site or via the safe PureteQ remote system,

Installation of PureteQ scrubber

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COMPANY PROFILE

depending on the ship’s conditions and the client’s requirements. Our validated offering allows us to assist crews remotely with trouble shooting, advice on operation and maintenance, as well as optimisation.

For shipowners and operators with internet access, we offer a remote Scrubber System Modular Training Program. In times where crews change often, “touch and go” remote training has high value for all stakeholders. Some shipowners even choose to have onshore employees participate in the remote specialist training, too. The importance of training cannot be overestimated as it leads to higher up-time and compliance rates, as well as better performance and less operational costs.

INNOVATIVE TOOLS

We are currently releasing newly developed, cloud-based software for optimising scrubber systems across fleet and scrubber makes. It features the measuring of MARPOL compliance, operational performance (the impact on specific fuel oil consumption) and environmental performance reporting, such as CO2, sulphur and particulate matter reductions.

The software will enable sharing of learnings between crews, resulting in lower energy consumption and other operational expenditure.

Savings are based on comparison between HFO with scrubber and compliant fuel, and we have taken the report from independent research organisation SINTEF into account as well as actual testing performed by a third party on sailing installations.

The software is a perfect match to new International Maritime Organization regulation on EED(X)I & CCI, when well-to-wake principle applies.

The solution is presented to stakeholders in shipping and seems to be of particular interest to shipowners and ship managers, who operate scrubbers of many brands.

Many shipowners may already have several scrubber brands installed in their fleets, making it hard to compare performance across the fleet. Therefore, we have expanded the software to be able to support scrubber systems that are not as digitalised as PureteQ scrubbers.

The tool is free of charge for all customers with a PureteQ service agreement, or to those who have purchased a PureteQ Scrubber System.

PureteQ PureServ is able to quote on service agreements for scrubber systems of any brand.

on a process that combines carbon capture from exhaust gas with power to X. Combining the processes allows for lower costs in removing/reducing CO2 as some of these costs are offset by the earnings and benefits of producing hydrogen.

Currently, we are performing tests on lab scale and we have fully automised the PureteQ control system so that the cell and micro scrubber is working 24/7. The results are promising. The bigger scrubber tower skid has been deployed and for the past few months, the tower has been in operation at a nearby industrial site.

Later, this skid will be deployed to a variety of industries and locations for tests of carbon capture from various types of exhaust gases.

We are always delighted to share our knowledge on carbon capture storage technology, as well as on the generation II scrubber and service concepts, including digital services.

ONGOING RESEARCH

Michael Mouritzen, Sales Director Tel: +41 4014 4481 Email: mim@pureteq.com pureteq.com

In early 2020, PureteQ began a research programme into carbon capture and reutilisation technology and we have now applied for patent

For more information, contact: Anders Skibdal, CEO Tel: + 45 4017 1400 Email: anders@pureteq.com

PureteQ has developed a new cloud-based software for performance optimization of scrubber systems across the fleet

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COMPANY PROFILE

IRON PUMP: BEST VALUE FOR MONEY Since the ballast water management (BWM) convention entered into force, IRON Pump A/S has co-operated with manufacturers of ballast water management systems to optimise the system backflush pumps.

The CNL pump series is a range of vertical, in-line, close-coupled centrifugal pumps, providing easy access for inspection and service without disturbing the pipe system.

The model has been developed in a service-friendly design with a minimum of parts, and the top pull-out design features a compact pump and flexibility in installation.

“We have made it easy to obtain best value for money when acquiring pumps applicable for BWM systems,” Sales Engineer Emil Schjeldahl explains. “A narrow selection, perfectly suitable for the application is available for on-line configuration in our pump-selector.”

IRON PUMP ADVANTAGES

“We have made it easy to obtain best value for money

» » » » » » »

High efficiency Vast knowledge and know-how Top customer service Competitive pricing Original spare parts Worldwide after-sales support Danish quality, manufactured in Denmark

when acquiring pumps applicable for BWM systems”

For more information, contact: Generatorvej 10 2860 Søborg Denmark Tel: +45 4491 6788 Email: sales@ironpump.dk ironpump.com

IRON Pump A/S Sales Engineer, Emil Schjeldahl

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PROFILE: UNITED EUROPEAN CAR CARRIERS

United European Car Carriers is introducing greener ships as part of its journey to a greener logistics chain.

Clean Shipping International finds out more...

USHERING IN A NEW ERA

Glenn Edvardsen, UECC CEO

The first of three LNG battery hybrid pure car truck carriers (PCTCs) to be owned by NYK and Wallenius’ short sea operator United European Car Carriers (UECC) was launched on 12 April at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai.

She will be delivered in October this year, while the other two vessels are scheduled to enter service in 2022.

“With the launch of our first LNG battery hybrid PCTC, we are ushering in a new era for UECC and short sea shipping in Europe,” claims Glenn Edvardsen, UECC CEO. “These ships prove that de-carbonisation of the industry is possible using currently available technologies.”

The new UECC PCTCs are being built to the latest energy efficiency criteria, meeting the Tier 3 IMO NOx emission limitations in place for Baltic and North Sea operations. All three will be equipped with battery hybrid systems that will enable UECC to far exceed the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) target of 40% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030, the company claims.

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“The introduction of batteries is an excellent demonstration of our deepening commitment to next-generation sustainability”, Edvardsen says.

Battery power fitted on the new vessels will improve operational efficiency and further reduce emissions through peak shaving, in addition to handling partial accommodation load and driving auxiliary equipment. “Battery power also provides an option for reducing emissions while in port, a feature that more and more cities are demanding,” he adds.

The ships are also equipped with dualfuel LNG main propulsion and auxiliaries.

As more biofuels are set to become commercially available in the future, UECC plans to increase the percentage of carbon neutral and synthetic fuels in their future fuel mix. “We aim to be in front of the move to sustainability in shipping,” Edvardsen explains. “This is the motivation behind our decision to invest in dual-fuel solutions for these newbuildings.”

All three PCTCs will also be designed

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PROFILE: UNITED EUROPEAN CAR CARRIERS

An impression of the 3,600 unit hybrid PCTC design

to enable them to have cold ironing equipment fitted at a later date, following cold ironing trials in key ports on their schedule. In addition, they will be fitted with ballast water treatment plants, which are claimed to be ahead of the latest IMO requirements.

With a length overall of 169m, a width of 28m and a car carrying capacity of 3,600 units on 10 cargo decks, the new vessels are claimed to be highly flexible, enabling them to accommodate a wide range of high and heavy and breakbulk cargoes, in addition to cars and trucks.

“UECC’s parent companies, NYK and Wallenius Lines, have sustainability in their DNA,” Edvardsen continues. “We are proud to be able to take UECC to the next level of sustainable shipping with their support.”

In 2016, UECC became the first company to build larger scale LNGfuelled vessels, when it took delivery of the Auto Eco and Auto Energy

“The introduction of batteries is an excellent demonstration of our deepening commitment to next-generation sustainability”

and today has added the battery element to the fuel mix to further reduce emissions.

That year, one of the vessels completed a 14-day voyage running purely on LNG. She called at UECC’s regular ports of Southampton, Zeebrugge, Bremerhaven, Malmo, Hanko and St Petersburg.

This experiment proved that these larger capacity vessels had greater operational flexibility, giving less fuel consumption thus reducing emissions.

Edvardsen explains that UECC, backed by NYK, is attempting to find solutions for its older tonnage. But he admits that it was difficult to find a cost-effective sustainable solution. “It’s not a quick fix,” he says.

Both biodiesel and biogas are being looked into at present, he explains.

Last February, UECC concluded a 12-month trial period operating the 21year old car carrier Autosky on biofuel.

During the trials, the 2,080-vehicle

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PROFILE: UNITED EUROPEAN CAR CARRIERS

capacity ship operated between Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Santander and Pasajes.

UECC says it had bunkered over 6,000 tonnes of biofuel during the yearlong trial period, which was exclusively supplied by GoodFuels.

The biofuel contained a variety of feedstocks, including processed used cooking oil.

All of the biofuel consumed during the period was sustainably sourced using waste and residues with no higher quality application available.

UECC says that the switch to biofuels required little-to-no technical modifications to the vessel and the fuel was handled on board by expert engineers without any issue. Autosky’s fuel tanks underwent a deep clean and the crew were trained to handle the new fuel.

The company claims that the results of the experiment were striking: a reduction of more than 20m kg of CO2 emissions, an absolute reduction of more than 9,000k of SOx emissions and a similarly total reduction in Particulate Matter.

Putting it into context what this means for customers, UECC calculates the Autosky’s carbon intensity on a grams of CO2 per tonne/km basis: » 2018: 85.51 gCO2/tkm » 2019: 85.62 gCO2/tkm » 2020: 35.96 gCO2/tkm This gave a 58% reduction in carbon intensity.

The trials were originally intended to last for three months, but were extended to a year and today the vessel is continuing to operate on biofuels.

UECC has a timeline to reduce CO2 from its ships between 2016-2025 and hopes to meet the goals with the new vessels in co-operation with fuel provider GoodFuels and vehicle manufacturer BMW.

UECC purchases physical bioLNG, which is then transported to the vessels and is used when transporting a vehicle manufacturer’s cargo.

“We can burn other fuels in the LNG powered engines. There is a level of investment needed, so need the co-operation and partnership process around the contracting to reduce costs,” Edvardsen explains.

CLIMATE-NEUTRAL GOALS

At a recent presentation, Edvardsen was joined by Martin Corner, Volvo Cars Vice President of Global Supply Chain and Marc Andriansens, Managing Director of NYK subsidiary ICO Terminals.

ICO operates two car terminals, one at Zeebrugge (250 hectares) and the other at Antwerp (125 hectares), employing a total of 1,250 staff, including stevedores and handling 2.7m cars per year.

Corner said that Volvo’s goal was to become a climate neutral company by 2040 and the company was working hard on vehicle electrification. “In the logistics chain, there are no CO2-neutral solutions, so there is a need to create them,” he said.

As for the terminals served, there was need to strip out waste, such as the distance the cars need to travel to and from the vessels. Scalability

+sustainability = affordability + lead time was the mantra.

Andriansens said that a greener operation would be achieved through digitalisation, adding that the supply chain can be made more efficient by the less movement of cars.

He explained that digitalisation in the logistics process means reducing the ecological footprint by creating a “greener” terminal. For example, the Zeebrugge terminal area boasts the largest wind farm in the Flanders region with 11 wind turbines fitted producing 110gw/h renewable energy per year or a loading capacity of 20,000 EV cars per week.

ICO has also fitted solar panels on its warehouses and uses LED lighting throughout the terminal.

In addition, electric charging islands with 308 loading stations have been fitted.

In the building, heat pumps have been fitted for both heating and cooling purposes and a water recovery system has been built on the cash wash area.

ICO only uses electric powered vehicles within the terminals.

Future developments include the provision of onshore power to the ships and the fitting of battery packs next to the berths powered by wind.

To this end, a joint project is underway with UECC.

Auto Energy is one of two LNG-powered PCTCs built in China in 2016

MASS BALANCE PRINCIPLE

Edvardsen calls the experiment the “mass balance principle” — taking advantage of subsidised biofuel already used in the fleet and assigning carbon reduction to the cargo (vehicles) carried. UECC has acquired certificates for the sustainably sourced biofuels, which effectively “greenwashed” the LNG used on board.

Autosky is still running on biofuel since she underwent a 12-month trial period

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CSI BUNKERING CHALLENGES 2021 WEBINAR

Industry experts gathered at a recent webinar organised

by Clean Shipping International that examined the challenges currently facing the bunkering industry

PROS AND CONS OF LOW-SULPHUR FUEL Speaking during a recent webinar organised by Clean Shipping International, Sacha Cornell, Fleet Manager, Norbulk Shipping, revealed that using low-sulphur fuel can add as much as $20,000 to the operational expenditure for each ship per annum.

He told the 100-plus participants that logged on to attend CSI Bunkering Challenges 2021: “I would guesstimate that the extra cost for additional sampling, on-board test kits, increased purifier maintenance, supply and installation of cermet piston rings, treatment chemicals, additional filtration equipment is in the region of between $10,000 and $20,000 per ship per annum.”

He said there are numerous cases in which very low sulphur fuel delivered on board contains undesirable substances, resulting in problems relating to fuel stability, storage, handling treatment and processing on board.

Citing one example, Cornell recalled a vessel receiving a batch of very low

sulphur fuel in Rotterdam. Ship and barge samples were taken and analysed, with the fuel recording a total sediment reading of point 7.075 — well within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) parameters.

But after 24 hours’ use, the ship’s purifier and fuel system were blocked, requiring engineers to carry out repetitive cleaning of purifiers and sludge discharge piping every 24 hours.

“Until the vessel had consumed all the bunkers, the crew had no option but to handle the problem on board, which is not a good situation for any engineer or shipowner to be in, especially when you are unable to make a claim against bunker supplier,” he said.

Enhanced testing of the suspect bunker could not identify cause of operational problems and thus there was no basis for a claim against the supplier.

Commenting on Cornell’s presentation, Kjeld Aabo, Director New Technologies, MAN Energy Solutions and Chairman CIMAC

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CSI BUNKERING CHALLENGES 2021 WEBINAR

Left to right: Sacha Cornell, Technical Superintendent, Norbulk Shipping; Kjeld Aabo, Director New Technologies, MAN Energy Solutions and Chairman CIMAC Sub-Group WG 7 F – Fuel; Ian Adams, Managing Director, Maritime AMC; Neil Lamerton, Bunker Consultant

Sub-Group WG 7 F – Fuel, said: “It is very sad to hear there still are issues, but it’s definitely not something which is being reported [to CIMAC and ISO].”

While Aabo acknowledged a problem with very low sulphur fuel in early 2020, he claimed that quality had “returned to normal”.

“In the beginning of 2020, we saw quite an increase in cylinder liner scuffing and excessive wear is, of course, not acceptable. By August, we were back to normal,” he said, emphasising the importance of having ceramic coated piston rings to better control wear on the liner surface.

In reference to cat fines, Aabo recalled one instance where 2,000ppm was found in one sample, “but CIMAC and ISO say it is not a big problem today. Ship operators are now used

to the procedures and know how to better use the lube oil and the lowsulphur fuel.”

Bunker training and sampling procedures were recurrent themes throughout the webinar, with Cornell explaining that Norbulk had implemented various preventative measures to safeguard against bunkering problems.

TRAINING

“Crew training is vitally important,” said Cornell. “When you talk to some crews about the importance of the sampling process, and how to make sure that the sampling is done well, and is a true representative sample, I find, unfortunately, a lot of times they’re not fully aware of the implications if they do not get it right. There should be more education in this area.”

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Bunker consultant Neil Lamerton agreed: “Often the crew on board have no idea of the value of bunkers.

Obviously, engineers are very good at using the fuel. But I think some owners and managers can do better at educating them on the commercial aspects of what they’re actually doing.

“They need to know what it means financially to the company if it all goes wrong, not just the technical, operational aspect,” he said.

In summing up, conference chair, Maritime AMC Director and bunker expert, Ian Adams, said: “It is vitally important we continue to train our crews and office staff on how to properly and safely bunker fuel in a post-IMO 2020 environment.”

Bunkering Challenges 2021 can be viewed in full at: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ftsOsH_rmNo

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BALLAST WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

Clean Shipping International talks to ballast water treatment system manufacturers about their views on compliance monitoring devices — and discovers a mixed response

CMDS CAUSE WIDE DEBATE In an American Bureau of Shipping roundup of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 8 March Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR8) Sub-Committee meeting, discussions opened regarding standards for verifying the effectiveness and accuracy of ballast water compliance monitoring devices (CMDs).

These devices are typically used for indicative analysis, which is relatively quick, but less precise than detailed analysis, the class society said.

Despite this varied use of CMDs and the various water conditions in which they may be used, there is no widely accepted protocol for validating such devices.

Building on discussions that began at MEPC74 and PPR6, a group of member states and industry observers submitted a proposed protocol for the verification of ballast water CMDs, in the absence of formal approval requirements for such devices under the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) for consideration.

The proposal included verification

parameters of the CMD’s accuracy, precision and detection limits, while also varying the salinity and the size of microbes of the laboratory-prepared challenge water.

There was disagreement on an earlier proposition that verification testing of CMDs should include on-board testing.

Some IMO members argued that laboratory testing was preferable because microorganism concentrations in the challenge water could be controlled and varied in a laboratory environment, while others said that laboratory testing of such a device could not simulate the challenging and varying conditions seen in ballast water treatment on board ships.

The current draft suggested using both laboratory and field tests.

There was also some disagreement on whether the IMO should pursue development of a verification standard, due to the fact that the International Organization for Standardization was also pursuing development of a similar standard.

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BALLAST WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

However, most member states agreed that because the use of CMDs are central to enforcement efforts of the BWMC, the Sub-Committee should continue to pursue development of this standard.

The next steps include a re-established Correspondence Group to progress the development of a standard for verification of ballast water compliance monitoring devices and submit a report to PPR9 (Spring, 2022), ABS said.

Clean Shipping International sought the views of ballast water treatment systems (BWTS) manufacturers.

Although some said it was not their concern, others were a bit more forthright in their views.

Tore Andersen, Optimarin’s Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing, said: “We at Optimarin have been forced to do on-board testing after commissioning four or five times because the flag has demanded this [Singapore].

“This means that if you simply make a test without preparation, according to an Optimarin guideline this will fail. If the ship follows our guide, it goes without a problem and we have succeeded every time.

“We are, in principle, against this because the laboratory test is much more controlled and with much more challenging water than you can normally find in the areas where the system has been installed. The tanks have to be 100% cleaned and also you have to run the water in and out.

“When it comes to timelines, not too many flags have implemented this and

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I think many see that this is not the way forward.

“When the system is commissioned, it will be operated for crew training and then demonstrated to class/flag before it is handed over to the owner.

If anything is wrong or failing you will be able to see it on the operation screen immediately.

“So, the system is type approved and demonstrated during commissioning and we think that should be enough,” Andersen stressed.

OneTank’s Kevin Reynolds said: “It is our view that CMDs are needed for several reasons: they give confidence that treatment systems are working; they are a means to detect failures that might not be visible otherwise; and they are a way to level the playing field so that all parties work equally hard to ensure compliance.

“These are, however, ideals and actual implementation will take a lot of work to ensure that it is fair, effective, and not overly burdensome.

“Just a few years ago, we did not imagine such a broad and capable marketplace, with so many CMDs to select from. That noted, there remains work to do in order to ensure that devices are providing equivalent answers. No one wants to pass with one device and fail with another.

“This is challenged by the technologies using different methods to perform their assessment. There is a lot of work that is ongoing in order to standardise protocols and standards, including ISO and IMO,” he explained.

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Mark Riggio, Head of Marine at filter supplier Filtersafe, commented: “Testing ballast water equipment in the laboratory has always been critical to defining the ability of that equipment to meet the discharge standard.

“Field testing has also traditionally been viewed as important to determine how a new product is used in the marine environment. At Filtersafe, most of our learning has come from the experience we gained from thousands of filters operating on ships around the world.

“We view this on-board experience as critical to our success and our ability to deliver on the expectations of our customers. Each type of test has its own objective and we recognise the benefit of both types of tests,” he said.

Ecochlor CEO Steve Candito said: “We certainly support the concept of compliance monitoring as we know our systems works. However, the CMDs provide an indicative analysis — that is, quick, but not as reliable.

“We prefer continuing with a detailed analysis, but only when warranted, not during every regulatory compliance

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check. More specifically, if the vessel has shown that they are using the system and operating it properly, there may not be a need to do any analysis.

“On the other hand, if they are not meeting these minimum requirements, then a jump to the detailed analysis, rather than an unreliable, indicative analysis, is not unreasonable. We would also support random detailed analysis to prevent complacency and support overall compliance.

“However, until CMD technology significantly advances in its reliability, spending time on developing test protocols may not be the best use of the industry’s efforts now, since the procedure I described (that is, detailed analysis when warranted and random) likely provides equivalent end goal compliance at much less time and cost.”

Adam Jolliffe, Senior Sales Manager – Maritime, Chelsea Technologies said that a shipowner needs to be sure that their ballast water management system works as intended, at all times.

“Without accurate monitoring, an owner may only find out about a compliance issue on their vessel during deballasting — which can lead to demurrage issues and knock-on costs.

In some cases, an owner may only discover an issue when port authorities commence enforcement action.

“These risks mean that shipowners have little margin for error. A compliance monitoring device must use a proven methodology combined with proven sensor technology, and thus requires verification. For example, the FastBallast system uses the proven Single Turnover Active Fluorometry methodology alongside sensors

BALLAST WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

designed and manufactured by Chelsea Technologies that benefit from our 50-plus years in the environmental monitoring industry,” he said. ”IMO and ISO verification processes and standards for compliance monitoring devices have been slow to develop. This is undoubtedly frustrating for shipowners. However, compliance monitoring devices are especially important during the current ‘experience building’ phase of ballast water regulations, as they provide owners and crews with crucial information that can be used to identify and rectify issues.

“This means that shipowners should be securing a compliance monitoring device today. Without clear verification standards for these devices, shipowners are left with the more complex task of discerning a device’s accuracy and reliability through the manufacturer, methodology, and published data for each system.”

Turning to commission testing, while the rules covering commission testing for newbuilding BWTS installations are due to enter into force in June 2022, independent testing facility Maritec believed that shipowners should not be put off in carrying out further testing of a system they consider to have already passed stringent tests during the typeapproval process.

Michael Haraldsson, Maritec’s Global Business Development Manager, said that commission and compliance testing “essentially provides shipowners with a very effective insurance policy” for the BWTS, potentially averting lengthy legal issues. “All installed systems should be regularly tested, but especially

after commissioning,” he said. “A typeapproved system works in principle, but in a real-time operational environment, it can be a very different story altogether.

“If a system fails just after installation but before delivery, then the yard or the manufacturer has to fix it. But if the owner does nothing and the system fails after accepting the vessel, there could be a lengthy legal battle.

“Port State Control inspectors could start targeting newly installed BWTS to check for compliance at the first port of call after leaving the shipyard. This will probably be very common in the future.

“If you have spent a million dollars on equipment and installation, an extra few thousand dollars on testing before the ship leaves drydock is a very wise investment. Frequent testing can avoid any operational performance problems, which, if go unchecked, can result in costly delays, fines and environmental damage down the line,” he said.

Gavin Gao, Maritec’s Technical Director, said: “It is very important that testing and sampling procedures are performed correctly and according to IMO and US VGP requirements.

“If an owner wants to operate a system compliant with VGP-2013, for example, the installed BWTS needs to be tested twice in the first year and then once every 12 months.

“The Convention requirements are very strict. We are seeing retrofitted vessels with new systems failing because ballast tanks have not been efficiently cleaned or because valves have been incorrectly fitted. And if you have more than one 50µm organism in every 100l of treated water you will fail the inspection.”

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PROFILE: ECOCHLOR

In an industry first, Ecochlor has launched EcoOne™, a filterless ballast water management system.

Clean Shipping International finds out more...

Ecochlor’s filterless system designed for a bulk carrier

FILTERLESS BWMS HITS THE MARKET

Andrew Marshall, Business Development Vice President, Ecochlor

“By eliminating the filter, we have taken simplicity and reliability in ballasting operations to the maximum level,” says Ecochlor Business Development Vice President, Andrew Marshall on the company’s filterless ballast water management system (BWMS), EcoOneTM. “At the same time, we have maintained the original Ecochlor® BWMS’ high performance and service that customers expect from us.

“Comprehensive R&D and rigorous compliance testing of EcoOne™, along with a strong company philosophy focused on ‘engineering for reliability’, assures customers that every one of our products holds up to our strict ease of use and durability standards.

“Our powerful ClO2 (chlorine dioxide) treatment technology has been tested extensively to ensure that it works effectively as a single pass treatment under all operating conditions with no neutralisation or retreatment prior to discharge. Plus, there are no problematic TRO sensors, electrodes or complex power supplies in either the new EcoOne™ systems or the Ecochlor® BWMS.”

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CHOICE AND CONTROL

Having three systems to choose from helps the shipowner have more control in selecting the mode of BWMS operation that is best suited for their vessel.

Ecochlor now offers: Ecochlor® BWMS (Filtration & ClO2): This system treats ballast water by filtering the water to 40 microns and then injecting a dose of 4.25mg/l of ClO2 . The system includes a generator cabinet, tanks, injection components, and main and aft peak tank filter(s) if required.

Vessels operating this system can operate anywhere in the world with no restrictions when it comes to temperature, salinity, or turbidity.

EcoOne™ BWMS (ClO2 alone): This system treats ballast water by injecting a dose of 4.6mg/l of ClO2 . It includes a generator cabinet, tanks, and injection components. Vessels operating this system can operate anywhere in marine and brackish waters (ie, ≥ 1PSU) and with no restrictions on temperature or turbidity.

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EcoOne™ Hybrid BWMS (Dual mode filtration & ClO2 or ClO2 alone): This system will allow shipowners to operate BWMS either with or without a filter. This option will be suited for shipowners who wish to have the flexibility of unrestricted operation globally, with the convenience of a no-filter system.

EcoOne™ recently completed extensive land-based testing at the Golden Bear Research Centre in California, demonstrating compliance with the most recent, stringent US Coast Guard (USCG) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) BWMS Code standards.

SHIPBOARD TRIALS

Actual shipboard testing was conducted on board the Maran Tankers Management’s Aframax Maran Atlas and VLCC Maran Aries. Five biological efficacy tests were started in September 2020 and all of the tests were expected to have been concluded in May. The company said that it was hopeful of full IMO Type Approval during the third quarter of this year and USCG Type Approval by the fourth quarter.

Classification society approvals from American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Lloyd’s Register, Bureau Veritas and the Korean Register among others were expected in the first quarter of next year, while flag administration approvals, including Greece and Cyprus, were scheduled during the same period.

As Ecochlor’ head, CEO Steve Candito has implemented a number of new advances in the company over the past few years beyond EcoOne™, including improving the efficiency of the manufacturing processes and the expansion of Ecochlor as a “Green Marine” platform in collaboration with other maritime environmental business providers.

Candito comments: “EcoOne™ and EcoOne™ Hybrid represent what a first-class BWMS manufacturer can do when it listens to its customers, then shows a little initiative and a lot of innovation.

“We developed the new systems in direct response to concerns expressed by shipowners about how existing

PROFILE: ECOCHLOR

ballast water treatment processes are inflexible and may not be suitable for all vessels under all circumstances.

Our newest BWMS’ offer more options to the shipowner, allowing them to make informed decisions for the BWMS requirements for each of their vessels, — all without sacrificing the reliability and ’best in class’ service and support that Ecochlor is known for throughout the industry.

“With an eye to the future, Ecochlor will continue to evolve and develop our core BWMS products as well as increase company growth through other environmentally and regulatory compliance focused products and services.”

The new system is capable of operating from 500 to 16,000cu m per hour, depending on the equipment stipulated, at between 4 kw to 6kw of power.

ENGINEERING STUDY

Ecochlor has been working with Singapore-based engineering concern Argo Navis since 2012. Thus far, the company has undertaken 80 retrofit projects resulting in 140 installations of the company’s ballast water treatment systems (BWTS).

Speaking at a presentation unveiling the new system, Argo Navis partner Andreas Zontanos explained that two engineering studies were conducted with EcoOne™ — one on a Suezmax and the other on a VLCC. He claimed that there were shorter project timelines when choosing the filterless equipment, while the additional piping and other equipment is reduced. In addition, it alleviates the problem of clogged filters interrupting operations when sailing in very dirty water.

There were two major engineering challenges, Zontanos said.

1) Selecting the treatment unit’s location, ie chemical tanks and generators, which need separate spaces.

2) The arrangement of filters in the vessel’s pump room or engine room. In oil and chemical tankers, deckhouses need to be built on the upper decks.

In the Suezmax test, the engine room needed around less 50% piping

material when fitted with an EcoOne™.

In the pump room this proved to be about 30% less. With a filter system installed, a BWMS would need around 6km of cabling, but only around 3.5km without filters being fitted.

He claimed that the EcoOne™ engineering study was completed about 25% faster when compared to a standard Ecochlor BWTS. The study revealed that major savings of about 40% were achievable in piping and around 30-50% in cabling, as well as other savings in the owner’s supplied equipment.

All of the Ecochlor BWMS are able to be upgraded with minimal modifications. By selecting EcoOne™, from design to installation work, the timescale is about 20 days less than for a conventional system, Ecochlor claimed. For large tankers, the whole task is reduced by about a week as the piping and cabling needed in the pump room or engine room is much less.

A slightly higher dosage was needed of around 4.6ppm, compared to around 4.25ppm when using a conventional system. EcoOne™ was also claimed to be safe for today’s obligatory tank coatings.

Also speaking at the presentation, Mercie Merksamer, Vice President of EnviroManagement, explained the current position with the IMO’s Commissioning Test regime.

The regime will enter into force on 1 June 2022, but the IMO is encouraging its member states to implement it as soon as possible.

Flag administrations already requiring tests include Australia, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, India, Tuvalu and Singapore, while currently recommending the regime are The Bahamas, Liberia, Malta and Panama.

Merksamer advised the use of a qualified testing organisation accepted or approved by a class society and a flag state.

Schedule the tests well in advance, she said, and plan the proper time and place — in a shipyard if appropriate, as a ballasting operation will be required.

The crew should also be familiarised with the equipment to be used. She warned that the manufacturer was not permitted to interfere during a test.

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COATINGS

Clean Shipping International explores how coatings manufacturers are doing their bit for the environment by improving a vessel’s hull performance

HULL PERFORMANCE IS KEY TO SUCCESS Following the launch of Jotun’s HullKeeper, a proactive hull optimisation programme, Clean Shipping International spoke with Stein Kjølberg, the company’s Global Category Director Hull Performance.

HullKeeper is the latest in a series of initiatives and complements Hull Performance Solutions (HPS), launched in 2011, and Hull Skating Solutions (HSS), launched last year.

HPS combines Jotun’s most advanced antifouling system, digital capabilities and analytical and technical expertise, to help operators keep fuel costs under control and indeed to save money. It combines advanced antifouling technology, inspection and proactive cleaning to keep the hull free of fouling at all times.

Jotun’s HPS analysis service fully complies with ISO 19030, which is based on the methodology developed in HPS, and Jotun was very much involved in the development of this standard, Kjølberg says.

It isolates the impact of a ship’s underwater surfaces on its energy efficiency

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by tracking relative changes in the relationship between the power delivered to the propeller and speed through water over time.

HSS, meanwhile, was unveiled by Jotun in March last year. The first company to take advantage of this initiative was large containership operator, Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC).

HSS is based on HullSkater, the first robotic technology (ROV) housed on a ship designed for proactive cleaning. It was specified for the specially developed highperformance SeaQuantum Skate antifouling, on the 14,000teu MSC Eva. More recently, HullSkater was chosen to be fitted on board a series of 16,000teu containerships being built at Hyundai Heavy Industries for HMM Co. Designed to help shipowners face the most severe biofouling challenges, it combines the antifouling and robotic proactive cleaner and is housed on board the vessel. Jotun operators control the HullSkater via a 4G connection, conducting

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cleaning and inspections in line with individual vessel schedules developed through a proprietary algorithm and big data.

SeaQuantum Skate is a highperformance coating included with HullSkater. The antifouling is designed and thoroughly tested to work in perfect harmony with the ROV. HullKeeper is a four-part programme designed by Jotun’s team of hull performance experts, which optimises hull performance, regardless of the chosen coating. Ship operators can take full control of their operations through hull monitoring, fouling risk alerts, inspections and advisory services. Operators can benefit from the complete package or select parts as they wish.

Kjølberg explains that Jotun takes a hull performance approach to coatings and gauges a ship’s efficiency by measuring a coating’s performance on the hull.

By using this approach, shipowners and operators have a tool whereby, for example, better and faster decision making can be made around worldwide trading patterns by using the alerts when a vessel is entering an area of heavy fouling.

In addition, by monitoring a coating’s performance in real time, Jotun can advise the owner or operator whether the hull is at risk of fouling, needs cleaning or is in perfect condition, thus keeping vessel costs under control and even offering savings on fuel consumption, and so on.

The information is collated and analysed by an in-house hull assessor. By using this method,the coatings usage can be maximised following a drydocking or with a newbuilding’s antifouling.

To take further advantage of this service, a vessel will benefit from being fitted with sensors and a data logger. This way, monitoring according to ISO 19030 can provide an increased understanding of the hull’s performance.

The vast majority of ships still use the noon-day reporting system, which obviously only gives one data point per day.

COATINGS

Stein Kjølberg, Jotun Global Category Director Hull Performance

Even this data, combined with AIS and oceanographic data, can provide good information for the owner to take better decisions faster.

HullKeeper is driven by Jotun’s proprietary fouling risk algorithm, supported by data from different sources to make fouling control and efficiency more predictable.

By providing insight into issues before they occur, ship operators can take planned corrective actions.

And as more data and information accumulate, best practices can be identified and implemented across the whole fleet.

The programme was introduced during the middle of last year and pilot tests were carried out with selected customers, which have since been expanded. “We are now in an expanded verification stage seeking a wider range of customers to gain momentum and insight, and the product should be ready for its full launch next year,” Kjølberg says.

Thus far, a containership operator with vessels on various fixed routes has been testing the system and Hafnia, Angelicoussis and HMM are also collaborating with testing of the various packages.

Jotun’s Global Digital & Data Director Andreas Krapp explains that increased fuel consumption related to biofouling accounts for about 9% of the 919m tonnes of CO2 and 21m

Andreas Krapp, Jotun Global Digital & Data Director

tonnes of other greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted by shipping annually.

While he acknowledges that the industry is unlikely to reach its full potential reduction of 85m tonnes of GHGs, HullKeeper represents a genuine opportunity to help the industry make significant emissions reductions, he says.

The forthcoming International Maritime Organization’s Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI), due to become mandatory in 2023, will leave little or no room for sea margin flexibility, which is normally written into a charterparty. “This will really impact the shipping markets,” he says.

EEXI will set a baseline reference and may require a vessel to retrofit energy saving devices or impose an engine power limit. In addition, the Carbon Intensity Index (CII) will be introduced to track and rate a vessel’s energy efficiency in real time, on an annual basis.

Kjølberg thinks that this is where high-quality antifoulings development could make all the difference.

However, he says that the impact of new fuels going forward would have little or no effect on hull coatings.

“There will still be a good antifouling needed,” he says.

Kjølberg further stresses that shipping company superintendents should talk about the impact of the antifoulings on their vessels and

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COATINGS

be prepared to increase the coating specification slightly to gain a better return on investment (ROI) in the long term.

He also warns shipowners and operators to plan the underwater cleaning process well in advance, as there are a growing number of areas of the world where this service is banned.

The cost involved of deviating to an area where underwater cleaning is allowed could be “horrific”, he says.

As for propeller cleaning, Kjølberg advises that this should be undertaken twice a year. Spending just $2,000$3,000 will improve a vessel’s efficiency by keeping the roughness formation under control, thus not increasing the power needed from the main engine.

JAPANESE INITIATIVE

Elsewhere, while IMO has a policy of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to half the level of 2008 by 2050, the Japanese government has gone a step further by implementing a policy to reduce the country’s GHG emissions to zero by 2028.

Nippon Paint Marine’s lowfriction coating system is just one of the environmentally friendly technologies that is being applied by shipping companies as a way of improving the carbon footprint of their vessel operations.

“We are continually developing marine coating systems in support of the ‘zero emission ship’ concept that many shipping companies look to develop,” says Hirokazu Kaji, Technology Director, Nippon Paint Marine.

The company introduced a new antifouling technology earlier this year, specifically to help shipowners further reduce CO2 emissions.

Fastar, Nippon Paint Marine’s fourth-generation antifouling paint, incorporates an advanced version of the water-trapping hydrogel technology used in its A-LF Sea system.

The fuel-saving A-LF Sea, launched in 2010, has been applied to the hulls of more than 3,500 vessels worldwide and received the Japanese Environment Minister’s Award for

FASTAR mechanism schematic

Global Warming Prevention, in 2019.

“Fastar, however, takes our water trapping technology to a new level,” claims Kaji.

Designed to deliver around an 8% reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 from a coating that benefits from reduced film thickness and lower polishing rates, Fastar enables more precise control of the release of hydrolysis resin and biocide into the sea.

“The technology creates hydrophilic and hydrophobic nano domain structures in the coating,” Kaji says. “These are laid out in alternate molecular patterns so that the antifouling ion can spread through the hydrophilic domains of resin to improve the efficiency of biocides and antifouling performance.

“Essentially, it minimises the effect seawater temperatures, vessel speeds and other external factors have on coating performance, reducing drag, fuel consumption and, subsequently, emissions.

Nippon Paint tells Clean Shipping International that it is continuing to improve existing coatings and develop environmentally new ones capable zero coating elution by 2030.

“We hope to significantly and contribute to the zero-emission ship with a hull coating that will prevent fouling and drag completely,” Kaji concludes.

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EFFICIENCY GAINS

Speaking about the IMO’s GHG goals, Andreas Glud, Group Segment Manager, Dry Dock, Hempel, says: “We welcome this evolution towards a more sustainable future and strongly believe that coatings have a fundamental role to play in minimising fuel use and emissions, as well as improving operations.

“It is well known that fouling and mechanical damage to the hull can increase the engine power a vessel needs to maintain a defined speed by as much as 18% — and potentially more over a five-year sailing interval.

“Therefore, it is clear that to remain competitive and to meet and measure emissions reductions against new efficiency and environmental targets, vessel owners need to apply coating solutions that minimise fouling.

They also need to fully understand the performance of the ship’s hull itself,“ he says.

Choosing a hull coating — which reduces drag, minimises downtime, enhances physical durability and protects assets for the longest period of time — is one of the simpler ways to achieve efficiency gains.

Hempel is currently offering solutions that deliver all of this, Glud claims. “Our flagship coating Hempaguard®X7, launched in 2013,

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delivers 6% in fuel savings — compared with a market average — and a maximum speed loss of 1.4% across a five-year docking interval.

“Built on our Actiguard technology, which took over five years to develop, it is the first paint to combine both silicone-hydrogel and advanced biocide control in a single coating,” he explains.

Hempaguard X7 has been applied to more than 2,000 vessels, enabling those vessels to collectively reduce their fuel consumption by 7.6m tonnes, lowering fuel costs by at least $2.6bn and CO2 emissions by 23.5m tonnes.

But using an advanced hull coating is not the only way to make a difference. In order to fully commit to de-carbonisation, a mix of eco-efficient technologies should be adopted alongside the ability to better understand and measure actual performance, says Glud.

Hard data and analysis play an important role, which is why Hempel offers a more holistic approach through its proprietary hull performance system Shape (Systems for Hull and Propeller Efficiency).

Designed to follow the principles of ISO 19030, Shape monitors a vessel’s long-term trends using in-service key performance indicators. This provides detailed data, allowing the shipowner or operator to make fact-based operational decisions.

Combined with expert performance analysis of the vessel’s hull and propeller efficiency conducted by Hempel’s team of chemists, physicists and hydrodynamicists, Shape can deliver documented fuel savings, an improved return on investment and a programme of continuous improvement, Glud claims.

This level of detailed data interpretation allows Shape to suggest a more flexible, optimised and tailormade coating solution for each individual vessel.

As importantly, it also encourages each owner to maximise their efficiency and enhance their return on investment.

COATINGS

INVASIVE SPECIES

Hard biofouling creates some the highest levels of hydrodynamic drag on a vessel hull, thought to add around 110m tonnes of excess carbon emissions annually across the industry.

A 2011 study conducted by Michael P Schultz quantified that a naval vessel with 10% barnacle fouling requires 36% more power to maintain the same speed.

In 2020, a study conducted by I-Tech and independent marine coatings consultant Safinah Group, estimated that hard biofouling adds some $6bn to the shipping industry’s annual bunker bill.

Another often overlooked cost is the maintenance and upkeep of a fleet significantly impacted by biofouling in “niche” areas. Niche areas, such as boot tops, sea chests and gratings, could account for as much as 10% of the total underwater hull surface of the global shipping fleet.

The I-Tech/Safinah Group study found that while flat underwater hull surfaces vary in their hard fouling coverage, 95% of the vessels surveyed had heavily fouled niche areas. Not only does this impact efficiency, but it also means that ships with otherwise smooth hulls could be vectors for the spread of invasive species.

These areas are comparatively challenging when it comes to effective antifouling coatings, partly due to the complex nature of their location and composite structure.

There seems to be a lack of awareness as to how vital these areas are.

Many of these niche areas are home to core engine wear and operations. For example, should fouling build up in a sea chest, the function of a box cooler — which is designed to support the temperature control of a ship — can fail, compromising or even destroying its capabilities. This could mean that, if compromises are made during the choice of antifouling system — other vessel efficiency efforts may very well be in vain.

To mitigate the risk of biofouling,

some owners could benefit from using coatings that include high performing active antifouling agents, such as Selektope®.

Thanks to its role in transporting invasive aquatic species, hull biofouling poses a significant biosecurity threat to marine ecosystems.

According to the IMO, several studies have determined that vessel biofouling has been a comparable, if not more significant, factor than untreated ballast water for introduction of invasive aquatic species.

In some parts of the world, evidence suggests that 70-80% of invasive species introductions have occurred through biofouling.

While the spread of invasive species may not be on the top of everyone’s agenda, the matter is far from hidden. There is an increasing amount of regionally focused legislation that aims to preserve local marine ecosystems.

In California, port authorities estimate that 60% of invasive marine species are transferred by fouled hulls. Consequently, since October, 2017, all vessels of 300gt or more have been required to complete and submit a “Vessel Reporting Form” at least 24 hours before their first arrival of the calendar year at a Californian port.

And from January, 2018, ships must also present a Biofouling Management Plan and record all management actions in a Biofouling Record Book.

Authorities in New Zealand have taken a more stringent approach to preserving marine ecosystems. In 2017, the 33,752dwt South Koreanowned bulk carrier DL Marigold had to leave New Zealand waters after its hull was deemed a biosecurity threat with dense barnacles and tube worm coverage on its underwater surfaces.

Under new biosecurity rules that came into force in May, 2018, all international vessels arriving into New Zealand must have a “clean” hull.

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OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

Almost 10 years after the tanker sector launched the software “Virtual Arrival” in an attempt to save fuel and cut emissions, the buzz phrase “just in time” when referring to vessel arrivals is back with a bang

JUST-IN-TIME METHODOLOGY In 2011, a presentation was held in Brussels, attended by Clean Shipping International’s Editor wearing another hat, at which, the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) and the independent tanker owners association, Intertanko, launched the “Virtual Arrival” concept.

This scheme was aimed at reducing a ship’s emissions, fuel savings and the cost of demurrage by moderating its speed before a ship arrives at a port when a delay in berthing is on the cards.

Virtual Arrival was developed with the support of the European Union (EU) and involved several tanker companies. It aimed to reduce emissions by 40% by 2050.

After the voyage, any savings in bunker costs or carbon credits were to be calculated and shared between the counterparties — mainly the owners and charterers — which could be written into a charterparty for clarification.

However, at the time, charterers wouldn’t buy into it, probably because they saw it as

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an OCIMF-driven initiative, thus led by the oil majors. Indeed, OCIMF’s Deputy Director at the time was BP’s Garry Hallett, who gave the presentation.

Fast forward 10 years and we are now at a stage when the charterers are taking a far more active role in ship operations, illustrated by initiatives such as the Sea Cargo Charter group.

This, of course, has been driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions in a relatively short period of time, which wasn’t set in stone 10 years ago as it is today.

At a recent webinar on understanding port control collaboration, representatives of Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS), the Port of Rotterdam, BIMCO and tanker owner TORM agreed that Virtual Arrival came at the wrong time, but said that today the timing was much better.

Nowadays better known as “just in time” (JIT) arrivals, the concept is very much a commercial initiative, which needed a change of mindset. For

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example, charterers have to be persuaded to look at the incentives, but the majors are buying into this and commodity traders are also becoming more involved in the environmental arguments, the panellists said.

ISS CEO Frank Olsen warned that there is ambiguity around future legislation in that the technology, which might seem revolutionary today, could be obsolete in 10 years time.

OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

“Future viable solutions might not be on our radar as yet,” he said, adding that there was no single solution available today.

A vessel should select the most efficient safe route to complete a voyage with a clean hull and with equipment installed that is fit for purpose. Timely and relevant information should be available on board and ashore to enable the vessel to complete the voyage efficiently, he maintained.

“Proper planning needs correct information in real time,” he said.

“Collaboration and co-operation with all parties involved in a port call is needed. The right time of arrival has implications for the whole supply chain.”

He pointed out that port calls should be optimised with access to information a prerequisite for pre-planning a call. “You don’t make money in port or when idle,” he stressed.

Inherent conflict of interests should be resolved by stakeholders and the information shared as necessary to optimise a port call, involving for example pilots, tugs, mooring crew, stevedores, customs, local authorities, and other suppliers and service

contractors. “All ports need to be looking holistically,” Olsen said.

Port optimisation should always include the vessel’s last, current and next port of call, he concluded.

Rotterdam Port Director Ben van Scherpenzeel, who is also Chairman of the International Taskforce Port Call Optimisation initiative, has drafted a business process for port calls, which includes the collaboration of the whole stakeholder interests.

This scheme was aimed at reducing a ship’s emissions, fuel savings and the cost of demurrage by moderating its speed before a ship arrives at a port

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OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

He explained that the business plan was applicable to every port and included both direct and indirect port authority responsibilities. Berth information should be available, including the port’s private terminals if applicable, ISPS clearance for service providers and service provider planning, such as for bunker stems and others.

Van Scherpenzeel warned that the port community could not grant priority to one stakeholder over another and another. One of the problems, he said, is persuading private port terminals to swap business to business data, which is more accessible on portowned terminals.

TORM’s Head of Global Operations, Andreas Grove Jorgensen, said efficient port calls were down to voyage optimisation, behavioural optimisation and technology improvement.

He explained that TORM’s tanker fleet calls at around 150 countries, so industry-wide collaboration is required to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and time spent in port. This can be achieved through transparency, which should include the sharing of best practices with the use of data to drive efficiency.

“Synergies should be created with customers and other relevant stakeholders,” he said. “We need a point where GHG reduction

has a significant value in the business model.

“Implement best practices, such as just-in-time arrivals and drive the reduction through on board efficiency,” he added.

TORM shares data with its clients and Jorgensen said that once they see the data, they realise that it adds value.

BIMCO’s Head of Contracts and Clauses, Grant Hunter, explained that JIT will also have a roll to play with the forthcoming IMO CII and EEXI calculations, which are due to come into force in 2023.

BIMCO will soon introduce two new charterparty clauses to help address voyage efficiency contractually.

These are the BIMCO Just In Time Arrival Clause 2021 and the BIMCO Port Call Data Exchange clauses.

They were both easy to use, he said, fitting into the existing voyage charterparty layout.

The first clause addresses the main JIT issues by allocating risks, liabilities and responsibilities in a fair and proportionate way, he explained. “They are both capable of being applied across the board, irrespective of vessel type and trade, for example for tankers and drybulk.

They can be used independently or together,” he said.

Among the safeguards in a charterparty is the allowing of speed adjustment and if the arrival date is

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adjusted, the charterer needs to agree with the owner and also with the cargo owner.

For the JIT clause, Hunter said that information should be shared between the owner, charterer and other stakeholders to allow the vessel to arrive at the adjusted time.

In the clause, the charterers will have the right to request that the owner adjust the vessel’s speed over part of the voyage. If the cancelling date (laycan) is close, then there might be a need to push it back to achieve the JIT arrival. This also needs to be reflected in the clause.

“There needs to be a discussion on what works for the parties commercially,” Hunter said.

The clause needs to be worded clearly, as if a vessel deviates, this doesn’t prejudice the charterparty in any way. The charterer also needs to indemnify the owner against liability.

JIT is seen to be more of a success in the liner (container) sector rather than in the wet and drybulk trades.

Meanwhile, BIMCO’s Port Call Data Exchange Clause supports the IMO framework and reflects the common communication needs to share information.

This clause was still to be published at the time of writing.

Owners and charterers need to be incentivised by addressing fuel consumption and the question of demurrage and the other benefits that can be created. There will be time pressure on crew to get to a port quicker, he explained, but the benefits of not anchoring will, for example, include a reduction in hull fouling.

Olsen concluded that the implementation of a standard for a statement of fact, as in a charterparty, whereby stakeholders could analyse and see the incentives, will be an eye opener for everyone.

THE CURRENT SITUATION

At present, there is no single global format for exchanging information between ships and ports/terminals, such as arrival and departure times.

A common platform where all the key stakeholders, such as port authorities, pilots, agents and terminal operators

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can share information using a common format on ship arrivals and departures will help improve berth utilisation and port call optimisation.

BIMCO has published a charter party clause promoting the use of the International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s data model framework. The publication is an extension of BIMCO’s strategic objective to encourage greater efficiency and harmonisation in the ship-shore interface. The BIMCO Port Call Data Exchange Clause 2021 complements the BIMCO Just in Time Arrivals Clause.

The two clauses should be used together. However, where Just in Time Arrivals cannot be implemented for commercial reasons, the Port Call Data Exchange Clause can still be used if the relevant port is using the IMO data model framework.

This clause is designed specifically for use with the IMO data model framework for ships that will call at ports where the scheme has been implemented and where the exchange of ship/port information requires the IMO data format.

OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

If the ports of call or any relevant third party require information regarding the arrival and departure of the vessel to be provided using the IMO data model framework, the owners and charterers shall use their reasonable endeavours to do so.

The IMO data model framework refers to the Data Set and Reference Data Model defined in the IMO Compendium on Facilitation and Electronic Business (FAL.5/Circ.41.). It aims to harmonise this information so that it can be sent in the same format in all ports and terminals around the world. For this purpose, the IMO has introduced a number of “timestamps”, for example, the “Requested Time of Arrival” (RTA).

These timestamps will be used together with a position, such as, “the pilot boarding place” or “berth”. The combination of the timestamps and positions is what will be used in the communication between ships and ports for planning arrivals and departures.

When designing a clause of a charterparty, BIMCO forms a committee,

which is usually made up of shipowners, charterers and P&I clubs.

For this particular clause, input was forthcoming from Raoul Baart, Anthony Veder Chartering, Paul J Brown, INEOS Trading and Shipping and Steven Cockburn, North of England P&I Club.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

This clause requires the parties to use their reasonable endeavours to provide information regarding a vessel’s arrival and departure using the IMO data model framework. It is designed not only for parties operating just in time arrival schemes, but also for other conventional port calls where adherence to the IMO time stamp terminology is required.

It can therefore be used independently from the BIMCO Just in Time Arrival Clause for Voyage Charter Parties 2021 because using the IMO data format may apply for normal ship arrivals where a JIT scheme is not used.

The words “or any relevant third party” are meant to cover other parties operating within a port that might not be covered by the port authorities’ rules for sending information.

BIMCO’S CLAUSES

BIMCO’s Just in Time Arrival Clause for Voyage Charter Parties 2021 (a) The Owners and Charterers shall use their best endeavours to obtain and share information regarding the Vessel’s arrival time, this shall include, but not be limited to, information from, or required by, any relevant third party. Any port specific requirements shall be met. (b) Notwithstanding any other clause in this Charter Party, the Charterers shall be entitled to request the Owners in writing to adjust the Vessel’s speed to meet a specified time of arrival, or closest thereto, at a particular destination.

Such request shall always be subject to the Owners’ consent which shall not be unreasonably withheld and, in the case of an approach voyage, also subject to agreeing an amended cancelling date. The Charterers shall not be entitled to request an adjustment of speed outside the normal safe operational limits of the Vessel. (c) Extra time used on a sea voyage as a direct consequence of the Vessel adjusting speed pursuant to the Charterers’ request shall be the difference between: (i) the “estimated time of arrival” as provided by the Vessel prior to the Charterers’ request to adjust the Vessel’s speed to meet a specific time of arrival, or closest thereto, at a particular destination; and (ii) the “actual time of arrival” at that particular destination, or closest thereto.

Such extra time shall be compensated by the Charterers to the Owners at USD ___ per day pro rata or as otherwise agreed by the parties which shall take into account the savings in fuel by the Owners and shall be payable by the Charterers to the Owners, prior to completion of final discharge. (d) Where the Vessel proceeds at a speed adjusted in accordance with subclause (b), this shall constitute compliance with, and there shall be no breach of, any obligation as to despatch and shall not constitute a deviation. (e) The Charterers shall ensure that the terms of the bills of lading, waybills or other documents evidencing contracts of carriage issued by or on behalf of the Owners provide that compliance by Owners with this Clause does not constitute a breach of the contract of carriage. The Charterers shall indemnify the Owners against all consequences and liabilities that may arise from bills of lading, waybills or other documents evidencing contracts of carriage being issued as presented to the extent that the terms of such bills of lading, waybills or other documents evidencing contracts of carriage impose or result in the imposition of more onerous liabilities upon the Owners than those assumed by the Owners under this Clause.

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OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

As we strive for the brave new world, efficiency analysis will become increasingly important as everyone tries to measure a vessel’s performance in whatever method is chosen to reach zero carbon

VESSEL PERFORMANCE BECOMES CRITICAL With the internal combustion engine (ICE) seemingly safe for now, performance data analysis in all its guises will become one of the key criteria in deciding which fuel route to take.

Of course, it is not just fuel consumption, emissions abatement and overall ICE operations that will decide the future. It will be more to do with how a ship gets from A to B in the most efficient way, which brings in a whole host of criteria from weather to hull conditions.

Many companies have set themselves up as “experts” in weather forecasting, electronic chart display and information systems (ECDIS) and electronic nautical charts (ENC) supply, performance monitoring etc. But it is only in the past few years that we have seen the rise of the fully integrated service provider, offering expertise in almost all operational disciplines.

According to Wallem’s Managing Director, Shipping Management John Kaare-Aune, there is also interest growing from financiers and charterers in vessel operations. He

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said that the data needs to be in real time to optimise operational parameters. For example, a shipowner might like to share the optimisation data to a perspective financier in an effort to show transparency.

One of the most successful companies in this field is Norwegian e-navigation company NAVTOR. It is hard to believe that this company is only 10 years old, having been founded by current head Tor Svanes as an e-navigation service provider.

In 2012, NAVTOR introduced the first type-approved “pay as you sail” ENC service, which was followed two years later by the world’s first digital chart table — NavStation.

The company has since grown to be one of the leaders in e-navigation services with offices worldwide and a portfolio of more than 7,000 vessels.

In order to be able to expand further, in August, 2020, Accel-KKR, a US Silicon Valley headquartered investment firm with more than $10bn in capital commitments, took a majority stake in NAVTOR, giving the

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Tres Solutions Houston control room

company the financial backing to take business development to the next level.

Through its NavBox — a GPS and AIS solution, the company was tracking 150,000 vessels at any one time and claimed to have the world’s most updated database. Svanes and his team then asked themselves: what do we do with it?

By having the backing of a large investor, NAVTOR was able to look to extend its service offering into vessel analytics and performance optimisation. Some six months later, NAVTOR acquired Tres Solutions, which gave it access to a team of naval architects and marine engineers.

This purchase followed hot on the heels of the launch of NavFleet in February this year. This fleet management application delivers real-time operational insight, performance optimisation and enhanced business decision making and was launched after several tests with leading shipowners.

Tres Solutions’ core expertise and digital products will be integrated into NAVTOR’s offering, creating a unified platform to help shipowners and operators enhance operations and achieve competitive advantage.

The acquisition gives NAVTOR a holistic performance optimisation tool, including operationally and environmentally, driving a return on investment through fuel savings, resulting in emissions control.

A unique blueprint of each vessel can be built up for use by owners, charterers and managers by using software and analytics. The system can be fitted to third party software systems by a “plug and play” solution.

Svanes explains: “Vessel performance optimisation is an obvious next step for NAVTOR, by utilising our cyber secure, seamlessly connected and cloud-based e-navigation ecosystem as a platform to enable real-time data sharing, analytics and enhanced decision making.

“The launch of NavFleet gives our customers a unique shoreside tool for better fleet management, and the addition of Tres Solutions’ expertise and software delivers the power to generate optimal value — taking performance data and extracting the intelligence needed to enable smarter, more profitable, and efficient operations,” he says.

A single integrated system can now be offered using NAVTOR’s NavFleet

and NavStation systems linked to the onboard computer system. Svanes describes it as a modular approach as it starts with a solution and then adds to it as needed.

NavFleet integrates real-time data from vessels, fleets, offices and other sources within a single, user-friendly, shoreside application. NavFleet’s manager, Arild Risholm Saether, explains that the crew are able to take charge, but the system can be overridden by the shore team.

In addition, the port of another organisation can get access to the data, which can be configured for different types of ships and whether using 2-stroke or 4-stroke engines as a prime mover.

Saether explains that the system has two key advantages: 1) Dual validation — collecting ship data from the trials and by using the general arrangement drawings.

2) Analysing the charterparty requirements — position, fuel consumption of main engine and auxiliaries, speed, weather related issues, the type of machinery and fuel on board, machinery running hours.

Performance optimisation is a key NavFleet selling point, with the ability

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to benchmark, troubleshoot, refine and share best practices across fleets, while solving individual vessel issues.

For example, if a shoreside team knew what rpm should produce a speed of 10 knots in good weather conditions, vessel engines could be set accordingly and ongoing speed monitored. If the speed doesn’t meet expectations, a hull performance issue could be identified, such as bio-fouling producing frictional drag, hampering performance and impacting on fuel consumption and efficiency.

Svanes says that is just the tip of the iceberg, as NavFleet also enables easier compliance, alongside simplified reporting and administration, with the ability to automate key reports.

Among these will be the mandated EU MRV/IMO DCS reports, which can be produced at the touch of a NavFleet button later this year.

In addition, a new approach to operational report handling will allow reports (for example noon reports) to be sent directly from vessels, but accessed from anywhere through the application.

NavFleet’s real-time monitoring capabilities will also help shore-based management determine if vessels are falling short of KPIs or deviating from passage plans, facilitating swift remedial action. The company says that this will make it easier for owners to adhere to charterparty clause agreements, potentially avoiding performance claims.

Svanes says “We’ve listened to our customers and the officers on the thousands of vessels we deliver services to and tailored a solution that helps them tackle some of their most pressing everyday challenges.

NavFleet is powerful, flexible and will constantly evolve as we develop new functionality and refinements to meet the changing demands of this dynamic industry.

Speaking about the Tres acquisition, Svanes says: “Performance optimisation is key to a more sustainable business future, so it’s a natural progression. We’ve been impressed by the Tres team and their development for some time and now look forward to bringing an expanded suite of navigation and vessel analytics

Tor Svanes, Founder and CEO of NAVTOR

solutions to the market.”

Aaron Holton, Tres President & CEO, comments: “Shipping companies are increasingly looking for a total ship operations platform, helping them simplify workflows, improve the speed and reliability of their operations, and facilitate better decision-making.

In joining the NAVTOR family, our combined businesses will offer a unique full-suite platform, giving users one powerful source of truth for their fleet operations and analytics. We see this as a very exciting step forward.”

By using the NavBox, data can be streamed every 15 minutes if necessary for analyses. This tool can be plugged into the bridge consoles.

As the charterers tend to be responsible for the fuel bill, there is a need for data transparency, which is challenging. “We are trying to remove the veil between the charterers and owners,” Svanes says.

For the past 12-18 months, charterers have become more discerning, illustrated by the setting up of Sea Cargo Charters. They also now need solutions to better manage environmental efficiency.

In areas such as route planning and weather analysis, discussions between owners, managers and charterers is becoming more important.

NAVTOR’s Chief Commercial Officer Borge Hetland explains that there

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are no issues with compressed data transfer from ship to shore, as most of the market relies on HTML or Excel formats.

Not stopping there, NAVTOR has continued its evolution with the launch of a new operation in Denmark. NAVTOR Denmark opened its doors with Managing Director Jacob Clausen at the helm. Clausen and his team will focus on creating awareness of digital solutions that deliver enhanced efficiency, safety, simplicity and performance to shipowners and operators within this key maritime market.

Clausen was formerly Vice President Operations at Tres Solutions, and held executive positions at Marorka and Maersk Maritime Technology, among others. He recently recruited Dennis Ingham, formerly of FORCE Technology, as Senior Data Analyst and will expand the team further in the coming months.

MIROS MOCEAN UNVEILED

NAVTOR is not the only company to address vessel performance, as BW Group and Miros have formed a joint venture called Miros Mocean.

Miros Ocean will provide vessel performance optimisation with regards to accurate real time weather and currents data.

There has been a lack of reliable performance data in actual operating conditions leading to questionable data and built-in tolerances in today’s charterparties, the companies claim.

A lack of vessel speed control accuracy and a lack of accurate weather data are the largest known factors contributing to sub-optimal vessel performance, leading to excess fuel oil consumption and CO2 emissions.

BW Group’s own experience with Miros’ technology underpins the joint venture, following more than a year of joint development, the company says.

“To be able to understand if an investment is truly optimising the performance of your vessel, you need to account for weather,” explains Christian Bonfils, Managing Director, BW Dry Cargo.

“The technology Miros Mocean introduces is what we at BW Group had been looking for. It gives access

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Miros Mocean will cover the whole ship’s performance

to accurate speed through water and weather data at the precise ship location and combined with fuel flow and main engine power meters, we can quantify fuel savings of up to 10% on a single voyage. It has also helped to change the legal contracts to actual performance instead of warranties, setting the standard for the future of this industry,” he claims.

Miros Mocean combines fuel oil consumption and main engine power measurements with real-time accurate environmental conditions at the vessel’s actual location. This allows vessel owners and operators to: » Make real-time decisions about the operation of vessels with the objective of saving fuel and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. » Integrate highly accurate weather data into their existing vessel performance systems for further performance enhancements. » Optimise charterparty contracts by using the measured performance of a vessel rather than warranties.

The new system provides real-time decision support for the enablement of performance optimisation, fuel

savings, reduced carbon emissions and documentation of true weather conditions to remove uncertainty from charterparty warranties.

By measuring a vessel’s speed through water with unprecedented accuracy, the output (transport efficiency) of a vessel can finally be measured at a given input of fuel, load, weather, and so on. Without accurate speed through water, it is not possible to accurately describe the performance of a vessel, the companies said.

Instead of using traditional underwater instrumentation, the speed through water can now be measured by the patented Miros Wavex, which is based on X-band radar images. This solution can provide measurements with high accuracy, with no need for any equipment to be installed or maintained underwater.

Speed through water can be measured using radar images covering local areas of interest, at a reasonable distance from any disturbing structures, including the vessel’s hull.

The instrumentation can be connected to an already existing X-band radar or to a dedicated set.

The data is collected via a Miros Edge computer on board the vessel and transferred securely to Miros Cloud. There the data is stored and archived where it can be processed and analysed to gain further insight.

There are also a number of applications to help customers with decision making, which can be accessed from a web browser and can provide insight into both real-time and historical vessel performance. An application is also available to specifically compare the actual vessel’s performance with the charterparty warranties.

The data can be downloaded easily, or transferred to a third-party vessel performance system on board or ashore.

Considering vessel fuel optimisation, speed through water data input can be used to operate a vessel at the lowest total cost. Having data with an accuracy of a few centimetres per second rather than, for example, one metre per second, can make a big difference. For example, it can mean a decreased daily fuel consumption of tens of tonnes for a single ship, the companies say.

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At a presentation, Miros CEO Andreas Brekke explained that the coming together was a sixmonth project. It started from the premiss that the ship had already been digitalised.”We are looking to add the missing piece by means of digitalising the ocean, detailing in real time the wave parameters, ocean surface currents and true speed through the water,” he said.

Describing the application for charterparties, he explained that a warranty of 12 knots at 16.9 tonnes of fuel per day only applied in good weather. The software is colour coded to enable the user to determine if the vessel is within the warranty stipulated.

There will soon be two main products. The first is already available and gives digitalised sea data, fuel consumption and power to manage charterparty warranties and performance. The second is still under development, but will include normalised vessel performance in measured weather and speed through water with very accurate data.

Miros Mocean is currently working with a classification society on how to deliver and store the data and verify the accuracy of fuel savings devices, coatings, and so on. This will give an accurate emissions recording, which can be sent to the relevant authorities and is tamper proof.

The core platform can be integrated with other shipboard performance systems. The company claims that between 8-10% in fuel savings can be achieved on a transpacific voyage at certain speeds.

“We need to know the speed through the water to calculate the specific fuel consumption and emissions reduction. We are working on it, “ Brekke said, adding that a wind speed of at least 2 m/s is needed, but the speed is mostly much higher.

Mirror sea conditions are rare today.

Miros Ocean is collaborating with forecasting modellers and the system is integrated with Microsoft to ensure the information is encrypted.

It is a subscription-based service, which can be split into layers.

AOT FUNDING SUCCESS

Another initiative saw Alpha Ori Technologies (AOT) secure $6m funding from shipowners Hafnia and BW LPG, and Mikael Skov, Hafnia CEO, join the AOT board.

The money will allow AOT to expand its products and invest in future technologies to add to its SMARTShip, SMARTVoyager, ShipPalm and VIO. AOT claimed it was transforming the maritime industry by replacing disjointed analogue systems with smart digital enterprises. It had surpassed its target of 100 SMARTShip deployments by the end of last year.

Anders Onarheim, BW LPG CEO, says: “BW LPG is pleased to be among the earliest adopters of SMARTShip technology in our journey to digitalise our fleet. Over the years with Alpha Ori as our partner, we benefit from improved fleet management as we build real-time, transparent and reliable ship-to-shore connections. We look forward to continued growth with Alpha Ori as we progress our digital transformation journey.”

Skov comments: “Hafnia is pleased to now be an investor in Alpha Ori. Our work together thus far has empowered Hafnia to make decisions based on real-time and accurate data analytics.

Alpha Ori helps us rest assured that we are actually making progress towards improving performance and reducing impact on the environment.

SMARTShip also ensures that any company is ready for all future environmental reporting requirements.

I look forward to further strengthening our partnership and performance through this new investment and my participation on the Alpha Ori board of directors.”

Rajesh Unni, AOT’s Founder and Co-CEO, adds: “Challenging the status quo and creating opportunities that have the power to transform the maritime industry by embracing new technologies have been the defining objectives of Alpha Ori. We are thrilled with the support of our investors who bring in their capital, knowledge and network to further our vision.”

Sanjeev Namath, AOT’s Chief Business Officer, tells Clean Shipping

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International that both Hafnia and BW LPG are currently clients of the company’s SMARTShip solutions and have realised the value out of using the solution.

“Hence, this can be considered as a vote of confidence or rather a safe bet investment,” he says. “This funding will help us not only develop niche AI based solutions but also help us scale that much faster by investing in futuristic technologies.”

He continues: “It is a shame that the industry is yet to realise the value real-time data analytics can provide towards improving the operational efficiency and reducing the risks that have huge consequences such as the Wakashio or even the Ever Given incidents.

“Communication bandwidth was a huge bottleneck four years ago, but this is being eased up progressively and as things stands now is not a deterrent towards digitalisation,” he says.

Namath explains that one of the key differentiating factors of the solution is that edge applications are provided to augment the crew capabilities.

Crew are still the first line of defence when it comes to incident/accident prevention and by providing decision support to the crew basis real time analytics, the ship’s operations safety and reliability can be improved, as well as achieve higher operational efficiency by prompt interventions based upon the AI-based intelligence provided to the crew.

In February, AOT announced that it had signed a contract to supply 40 SMARTShip systems to Bahri Ship Management.

The platform provides a “live connect” experience by connecting to all the ship’s machineries — navigation, cargo and engine control systems.

With 3K to 5K data points flowing at 30 second intervals directly from the machineries to the AOT’s Cloud, SMARTShip uses machine learning algorithms to bring the power of AI in vessel management, fuel savings and predictive maintenance, AOT says.

The Bahri contract was finalised following the completion of a threemonth trial on one of Bahri’s VLCCs.

PORT AND TERMINAL OPERATIONS FOR BULK CARGOES – Short Course

on-line

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delive

Subjects covered include: » » » » » » » » » » » »

Ship unloading technologies Conveying technologies Storage and discharge technologies Loading and unloading control Rail and road out loading equipment and control Explosion and fire risks and management Mobile plant and safety Developments in automation and autonomous vehicles Dust control and environmental protection Controlling cargo damage Wear protection and maintenance Cargo characterisation for handleability and other issues

an

urse

y co n a p m o in-c

For anyone concerned about or For anyone concerned about or responsible for the safe handling responsible for the safe handling and storage of bulk materials in and storage ports of bulk materials in and on the sea ports and on the sea Course Leader: Mike Bradley, Course Leader: MikeParticulate Bradley, Professor of Bulk and Professor of Bulk and Particulate Technologies and Director of Technologies andof The Wolfson Centre, University Director of The Wolfson Centre, Greenwich University of Greenwich

Next open course – March 2022 To register an interest in attending and further course details, please contact Simon Gutteridge events@bulkterminals.org +33 (0)321 47 72 19 or see bulkterminals.org/events/courses-and-training.html

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ALFA LAVAL INVESTS

One company not frightened of investing to improve its maritime offering is Alfa Laval.

The Swedish Group has recently agreed to buy StormGeo, a producer of weather intelligence software and decision support services.

The purchase price quoted was about NOK3,630m on a debt and cashfree basis. Closing is expected during 2Q21, subject to customary conditions.

Once the deal goes through, StormGeo will become part of Alfa Laval’s Marine Business Division.

“The acquisition of StormGeo will be a strong addition to our toolbox of solutions that help our customers address the de-carbonisation challenge in the industry,” says Tom Erixon, Alfa Laval President and CEO. “Furthermore, StormGeo fits excellently to our digital acceleration ambition and we will use its digital and customer experience to level up our offerings and to get deeper experience in the digital space.”

“Joining Alfa Laval, a world-leading industrial owner, benefits StormGeo by developing our business through increased geographic and technological expansion,” says Søren Andersen, StormGeo CEO. “By investing even more into developing leading software and SaaS products, we enable our customers to improve efficiency and reduce their carbon emissions while keeping their people, assets and operations safe from increasingly extreme weather.”

Private equity company EQT invested in StormGeo in 2014 and

Søren Andersen, StormGeo CEO

during its ownership, StormGeo’s market and product positions were strengthened through digitalisation and investments in six acquisitions, doubling customers, revenues and EBITDA.

NAPA’S UNIQUE POSITION

As a solution provider for vessel desig, and with access to a wealth of real time and past voyage data, NAPA is uniquely positioned to provide shipowners and operators with advanced data analysis, says Ossi Mettälä, NAPA’s Customer Success Manager.

Speaking to Clean Shipping International, he says that NAPA is currently the only provider to combine hydrodynamic modelling, based on decades of expertise in ship design software, with big data analysis.

“NAPA sees its role as fundamental in increasing the benchmark for efficiency standards in the maritime sector, with its cloud-based ship performance monitoring platform, NAPA Fleet Intelligence, integrating voyage monitoring, reporting, analysis and optimisation into one platform.

“The unique combination of hydrodynamic calculations, bathymetry data, weather and environmental monitoring, AIS and noon reports, creates an accurate 360 deg analysis.

This information can then be applied by those operating vessels out at sea to secure efficiency gains,” he explains.

He also claims that NAPA is taking monitoring operational efficiency to another level. The application of NAPA Fleet Intelligence extends to shipowners, operators and shipyards alike.

“With emission reduction targets fast approaching, the application of real-life operational data to improve current voyage performance and future vessel design, will be critical to increasing the efficiency of the global fleet,” he stresses.

Given the rush towards alternative fuels, will real time data become even more important to gauge a vessel’s actual performance? “Yes,” he says, adding that the maritime industry is currently under-utilising real-time data to improve vessel and voyage performance, with most vessels sticking to a default route, except in

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extreme weather conditions.

“This means the benefits of optimised routeing are not actualised, as voyages that could consider upto-date weather conditions currently fail to do so. Alongside factors such as speed profiling, vessel-specific characteristics and Emission Control Areas, real-time changing conditions, such as ocean currents, arrival time and wind to name a few, must also be combined to secure the safest, most efficient, and cost-effective route.

“Greater control and the ability to record influencing factors affecting each voyage would enable us to understand a vessel’s actual performance,” he says.

With alternative fuels costlier than HSFOs, with a scrubber, the argument for optimisation technologies to increase fuel efficiency not only extends to environmental compliance but is important in maintaining economic viability in a competitive market, he adds.

NAPA is a champion of the fully integrated approach to data which Mettälä said was at the core of the company’s software creation and development.

“By marrying vessel and voyage optimisation from the design phase through to everyday performance data, we aim to integrate all possible factors impacting voyage performance to ensure the highest levels of safety, efficiency and profitability.

“Most importantly, from cruise industry leaders to smaller ship owners, solutions such as this must be scalable and affordable for everyone in the industry to be effective. This is why we offer different levels of NAPA solutions to ensure everyone is able to access an effective and truly holistic overview of performance, without having to outsource to different providers,” he says.

Furthermore, voyage data analysis and consequent implementation of actions should be a collaborative process. The solution providers should provide the tools, expertise and software to enable all key stakeholders within a shipmanagement team to conduct a thorough analysis, which can then inform decisions made on routing, for example, he concludes.

Designed to help delegates identify and resolve common problems when handling various biomass materials.

This new course is aimed at the manufacturers and suppliers of biomass materials, at the users – particularly those responsible for maintenance and management on site – and at the manufacturers and installers of equipment used to transport and store biomass materials.

BIOMASS OPERATIONS AND HANDLING TECHNOLOGIES SHORT COURSE – ONLINE

Dates to be announced March 2022 Subjects covered include: » Material types, flow properties and handling equipment requirements » Self-heating, fire, explosion and safety » Dust and degradation, pneumatic conveying and wear » Dust control and management » Explosion protection and ATEX regulations » Engineering of equipment for storage and discharge » Ship unloading » Biomass potential and possible future trends For further course details and to register please go to www.gre.ac.uk/engsci/research/groups/wolfsoncentre/coupro/sc/biomass or contact Caroline Chapman wolfson-enquiries@gre.ac.uk – +44 (0)20 8331 8646

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EVENTS

UPCOMING EVENTS 2021 Clean Shipping International (CSI) recognises and addresses the need for current and detailed information about environmental compliance and sustainability, offered in a compact and readily digestible format.

The CSI Events programme highlights current issues as well as flagging up the over-the-horizon matters that will have to be addressed by shipping with a series of Environmental Compliance webinars. The programme also offers more detailed learning through similarly focused short courses and seminars.

CSI Events is ideally positioned to provide shipping with all the information it needs to achieve environmental compliance and sustainability. CSI also publishes Clean Shipping International magazine, the maritime industry’s only periodical solely focused on sustainable shipping – supporting the efforts of the Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 (CSA 2020), Zero Emission Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs), Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association (EGCSA), The Methanol Institute (MI) and all trade associations and membership bodies promoting sustainable shipping.

To discuss participation in any of the CSI webinars, short courses or seminars – whether as a speaker, sponsor or delegate – please contact Simon Gutteridge T: +33 (0)321 477219 M: +44 (0)7733 242750 E: director@maritimeamc.com W: csi-newsonline.com

CSI ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE WEBINAR SERIES

CSI Environmental Compliance Webinars are offered in a format where industry experts highlight issues of immediate and current concern to shipping, bringing participants up to date with the latest thinking through a combination of presentations and panels.

A MAJOR STEP FORWARD WITH EMISSIONS IMO combined technical and operational approach to reduce ships carbon intensity Tuesday 29 June 2021 NOISE POLLUTION What is being done about the problem?

Tuesday 13 July 2021 SCRUBBERS Where are we now?

Thursday 15 July 2021 ALTERNATIVE FUELS: METHANOL The environmentally friendly option with fewer challenges in adopting than the alternatives?

Thursday 22 July 2021 ALTERNATIVE FUELS: GREEN HYDROGEN AND AMMONIA Are they the future for zero-carbon shipping? DAY ONE – HYDROGEN Tuesday 27 July 2021 ALTERNATIVE FUELS: GREEN HYDROGEN AND AMMONIA Are they the future for zero-carbon shipping? DAY TWO – AMMONIA Thursday 29 July 2021

SHORT COURSES & SEMINARS

ALTERNATIVE FUELS: LNG The cleanest alternative today and the route to a zero-carbon future for shipping?

Tuesday 3 August 2021 ALTERNATIVE FUELS: BIOFUELS A non-sustainable option or near-term alternative to reduce emissions?

Thursday 5 August 2021 DEVELOPMENTS IN PROPULSION Thursday 26 August 2021 SHIP RECYCLING Are there enough yards in the EU to cope?

Tuesday 21 September 2021 WIND POWER Thursday 30 September 2021 WATER AND SHIPS: UPDATE ON BIOFOULING AND BALLAST WATER Tuesday 12 October 2021 WATER AND SHIPS: DEALING WITH BLACK AND GREY WATER Tuesday 26 October 2021 WATER AND SHIPS: PREVENTING OILY WATER LEAKAGE Thursday 18 November 2021 DECARBONISATION Is IMO on the right path?

Thursday 2 December 2021

CSI BUNKERING 2021 Monday 5 – Friday 9 July 2021

SHIP RECYCLING OPERATIONS Monday 8 – 12 November 2021

SHIP NOISE AND VIBRATION SEMINAR Monday 9 Friday – 13 August 2021

LNG INSTALLATION AND OPERATION Monday 8 – Friday 12 November 2021

SCRUBBER TECHNOLOGY AND INSTALLATION Monday 6 – 10 Friday September MARITIME ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE Monday 4 – Friday 8 October 2021

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

BIOFOULING AND BALLAST WATER SEMINAR Dates to be confirmed

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LAST WORD

SCRUBBERS: SETTING THE SCENE Perhaps a pointer towards the success of exhaust gas abatement technology, was BIMCO’s recent comments on the level of high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) sales in Singapore during the first quarter of this year.

Sales actually increased and it was the only bunker fuel to register a year-on-year growth pattern in the world’s largest bunkering hub.

“After the quick adjustment to the global sulphur cap, the decline in HSFO’s share of total bunker sales has stopped,” says Peter Sand, BIMCO’s Chief Shipping Analyst. “Although its share is much lower than any time prior to 4Q19, the steadily rise in scrubber-fitted ships has supported demand for HSFO and will remain until new solutions and future fuels are widely introduced on the industry’s path to de-carbonisation “In addition to changing the share of fuel types being sold, the global sulphur cap has also resulted in larger bunkering hubs gaining an even larger market share, and recording growth in 2020 despite a drop in total bunker sales.

“This development was due to owners and charterers seeking to minimise risks by choosing the biggest bunker hubs in the face of uncertainty surrounding the new fuel types,” Sand adds.

FITTINGS DOUBLED

BIMCO’s research showed that the number of scrubber-fitted ships doubled in the 13 months after the global sulphur cap came into force, fuelling a rise in highsulphur fuel sales. There were 4,006 scrubber-fitted ships at the end of 1Q21, up from 2,010 ships in January 2020.

Across the four major shipping segments, this averaged 24.1% of the total fleet, when measured in deadweight tonnes (and TEU for containers) terms.

Crude oil tankers had the highest share, at 30.5%, while the oil products tanker fleet had the lowest at 13.8%. At the start of 2020, the average share across these four fleets stood at just 12.9%.

However, scrubber fittings have slowed since their peak in January, 2020, during which 259 ships either had a scrubber retrofitted or were delivered with a system on board. In the first three months of this year, 228 ships were fitted per month.

Of the 228 ships fitted with scrubbers thus far this year, some 153 were newbuildings, with only 75 ships being retrofitted.

This is almost the exact opposite of the split in 2020, when out of 1,768 ships fitted, only 479 were newbuildings, while 1,289 were retrofits.

Although the pace of scrubber installations has slowed, the economic case for a scrubber is still strong. After the ups and downs of 2020, the price spread between HSFO and LSFO has stabilised at an average of $100 per tonne in the major bunkering hubs.

Sand says: “With the spread now stabilising at a more normal level, a scrubber investment still represents a solid economic decision for owners, as higher earning — thanks to lower voyage costs — are enough to cover the initial cost as well as the running costs of the scrubber within a reasonable period.

“Low demand for certain oil products as a result of mobility restrictions has helped lower the price of LSFO. However, as demand for products such as jet fuel starts to recover, the HSFO/LSFO spread may well increase, solidifying the economic case for scrubbers.

“A return to the high levels of scrubber installations that we saw at the end of 2019 and start of 2020 is, however, unlikely as the majority of owners who wanted to retrofit their ships have now done so and the majority of scrubbers being added to the fleet now come from newbuilds,” Sand concludes.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2021

EVENTS

CSI SHORT COURSES AND SEMINARS

CSI BUNKERING 2021 – ONLINE 5-9 July 2021, 12:00 – 15:00 GMT

CSI Bunkering is a comprehensive course spread over five days that equips bunker and shipping industry professionals with all the essential knowledge they need about the bunker market place: its structure; contractual obligations; domestic & international regulations & standards; the refining process and bunker operations.

Key coverage includes:

CSI Bunkering is essential learning for:

» History and commercial evaluation of the bunker business » Buyers, sellers and other parties – de-mystifying the bunker deal » Controlling costs in the bunker contract – and avoiding mistakes » Refining, fuel oil production and technical specifications » Significance of ISO and CIMAC specifications and standards on buyers and sellers » From shoreside refinery to the ship’s engine » Methods of delivery governed by ISO 13739 and SS600

» New entrants to the bunker business who are looking for an introduction to the bunker market and operations » Maritime professionals who need to enhance their knowledge of this niche market vital to their operations

For further information about our courses programme and fees please contact our Events Director, Simon Gutteridge. simon.p.gutteridge@gmail.com

It will provide students with a strong foundation in the structure and operation of the bunker market place, its relationship with the global oil markets and how the fuel oil bunkering industry is being shaped by international developments.

www.csi-newsonline.com

Knowledge grows

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