CSI Summer 2022

SUMMER 2022

TOWARDS A BRIGHT FUTURE

How can shipping get the trajectory to net-zero right and at a rapid pace?

SMOOTHING THE PATH

Why the industry’s swift digitalisation is the silver lining in a perfect storm

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

Meeting climate-related targets brings benefits across the globe

supporting Clean Shipping initiatives

1

FROM THE EDITOR

A ROCKY ROAD TO NET ZERO

Sandra Speares Editor, Clean Shipping International

There has been something of a sea change in recent months as issues like the war in Ukraine and re-alignment of energy supplies have meant a changing pattern in market behaviour.

As those affected by sanctions against Russia have been seeking new supplies from new suppliers, other countries have been forced to rely on more traditional forms of energy, including coal, which is a less-than-green power source. That said, investment in new greener sources of energy is continuing apace, although the question remains on whether these will come on stream in large enough quantities to take up the slack.

As classification society DNV says in an opinion piece we reference in the magazine, one question is whether actions taken in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine – notably a shift in sourcing supplies of oil and gas away from Russia – will affect the drive to respond to the climate change crisis. The tone of the piece suggests that the current situation will not affect the drive to tackle climate change and there are certainly plenty of new initiatives out there, many of which involve collaboration between market players, irrespective of whether they are in competition or not.

As new rules come into force progressively, market players will have to consider how these work in practice, as it should not be a question of merely ticking regulatory boxes, but ensuring that those measures put in place to address climate change will actually work on a practical basis. This may mean that back-up procedures need to be put in place to make this happen.

It is not just a case of coming up with alternatives fuels – some of these may be easier to handle and more freely available than others – but also a question of using fuel in a more efficient way. One aspect of this is to ensure that technology can be used to make the use of greener propulsion methods most effectively. One example is the use of weather routing technology to assist those vessels using wind power as a form of propulsion to optimise performance.

Another interesting development is the use of nuclear technology to seek a solution to the water shortages that can be found in certain parts of the world as a result of climate change – a more positive use of nuclear energy than has perhaps been the case in the past.

The concentration on emissions-related issues is also leading to new legal questions. One that emerged recently was on the part played by air pollution and emissions when it comes to consideration of General Average.

This and many other issues relating to the follow through when seeking to meet emissions targets will be exercising industry minds in the years running up to the next emission deadlines. We hope you enjoy reading about some of the latest initiatives and viewpoints in this edition of Clean Shipping International.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

BULK TERMINALS RIGA 2022 THE ONLY EVENT AIMED AT THE ENTIRE BULK TERMINALS INDUSTRY

The Annual Conference of the Association of Bulk Terminal Operators (ABTO)

11-12 OCTOBER 2022

CONFERENCE AT THE FREEPORT OF RIGA AUTHORITY AND POST CONFERENCE TERMINAL VISIT Organised by

THE ONLY EVENT AIMED AT THE ENTIRE

BULK TERMINALS INDUSTRY

Each year with a full programme focused on the concerns of operators the ABTO Bulk Terminals conference offers sound practical solutions for improving safety, streamlining operations, ensuring environmental protection as well as a market analysis and development opportunities – and crucially how the wider industry serving them can provide solutions.

On top of the continuing effects of covid, the war in Ukraine will create massive changes in bulk trade flows.

Bulk Terminals 2022 Riga will fully examine the impact of the conflict on bulk terminal operations – both short term and in the future.

To discuss speaking and sponsorship opportunities please call Simon Gutteridge +33 (0)321 47 72 19 or email events@bulkterminals.org

Host Port

Supporting Organisations Media Partners Official magazine of Association of Bulk Terminal Operators (ABTO)

For more details and to register, visit: bulkterminals.org/index.php/events

Editor: Sandra Speares speares1@ aol.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

CLEANSHIPPINGALLIANCE2020

csi-newsonline.com

THE SCRUBBER MAKER PureteQ scrubber systems feature the lowest OPEX in the business and are easy to install.

All scrubber systems come with state-of-theart intuitive control systems with full remote accessibility.

Servicing hundreds of scrubber systems of almost all brands, we have gained extensive knowledge of most scrubber systems. PureteQ offers service agreements without binding and without pre-payment. You only pay for the services that you need and this at a fair price. As an integral part of this agreement, we offer a 24/7 service desk manned by professional marine engineers, who have undergone a comprehensive training in all components of a scrubber system, including sensors. The Service Agreement is an umbrella agreement that has several options tailored to match your needs. In other words, we offer you an unparalleled “one-stop-shopping center for scrubbers and associated equipment”.

Today, we service all brands of Scrubbers worldwide.

WWW.PURETEQ.COM

01

FROM THE EDITOR

37

FUEL EFFICIENCY

Why current geopolitical events make

A new report highlights key opportunities

it a rocky road to net zero

to improve current international

07

WELCOME

Don Gregory, Director, Exhaust Gas

efficiency measures » p08

40

DECARBONISATION

Cleaning Systems Association

08

Why the right infrastructure is vital, plus

WORLD NEWS

why de-risking the low-carbon transition should be a strategic priority

All the latest innovations and initiatives from across the globe

16

48

SCRUBBERS

A look at the new rules and regulations

» p23

that are coming into force, plus the ports

Industry initiatives to install inert gas systems on oil and chemical tanks of less than 8,000dwt have been welcomed

that will not allow washwater discharge

23

REGULATION

54

BALLAST WATER

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS

How data can drive sustainability, plus is

A fresh approach to the aftpeak ballast water tank problem, plus why blanket

the accelerated digitalisation of shipping

exemptions to new rules are unlikely

the silver lining amid a perfect storm?

29

RENEWABLE ENERGY

» p29

61

Windpower is proving the way forward in

The challenge of managing hull fouling

the search for eco-friendly options in the

will step up a gear at the same time as

shipping industry

32

decarbonisation moves up the agenda

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

64

Shipowners are pushing ahead with orders that include duel-fuel LNG

ANTI FOULING

» p59

propulsion, but has the market peaked?

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

LAST WORD

A round-up of news and views from across the globe

5

IXA

NEW

Insitu S02/C02 CEMS to avoid sampling

Exhaust out

SO2/CO2 analyzer

Cost effective Continuous Emission Monitoring System for installation after the scrubber MES 1002 measures SO2 / CO2 directly in the exhaust pipe, which ensures fast and accurate measurement. It is easy to install, requiring only compressed air, data cable and power. Crew intervention and special training isn’t needed. Operational costs are minimum with few consumables.

Key benefits • Compact In situ CEMS • Onsite calibration performed by crew in 10 min. with one small bottle of span gas • Easy installation, operation, and maintenance exclusively by crew • Real-Time measurements using UV and IR lights

Exhaust into Scrubber

• Covid19 has affected the maritime business and sending technicians around the world is not feasible anymore. MES 1002 design ensures easy onsite calibration and change of consumables on the CEMS can be performed by vessel’s crew on site.

• On site gas calibration performed by crew ensures less administrative tasks for the operator. There are no service technician hours, travel time or rental equipment invoiced. This guarantees low cost for operators on the SO2 / CO2 CEMS. • MES 1002 is ideal for monitoring SO2 / CO2 gases at the outlet of the Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS) or Scrubber. It can withstand the harsh sulphury acid in the scrubber tower.

ixa@danfoss.com · danfoss-ixa.com

7

WELCOME

TIME TO ADDRESS BEHAVIOUR

Don Gregory Director, Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association

The long debates on upgrading the ambitions in lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the virtual session of MEPC 78 in early June this year really indicate that there are significant challenges to overcome to achieve consensus among member states. There were serious differences of opinions as to member state’s roles and contributions in reducing and eliminating fossil carbon emissions and other climate forcing emissions.

But it is not the member states that are the source of maritime GHG emissions. The decisions made by charterers, shipowners, banks, private equity and ship operators create the source of GHG emissions and can be the solution to accelerated reductions.

The methodologies to reduce GHG emissions has been discussed at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for more than 25 years. The obvious method which was adopted was the so-called ship indexing, which groups ships into types, trades, etc to enable a comparison of relative GHG emissions performance. Two indexes were initially evolved.

The Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and the Energy Efficiency Operational Index (EEOI).

The indexes became the baseline with better performance required for new builds and over phased periods.

However, there is no real survey evidence that indexing has reduced GHG emissions.

The indexes now appear to be an opportunity to “game” the system to achieve compliance without actually achieving the goals of reducing maritime industry GHG emissions.

In general, the maritime industry bases decisions on financial models and not indexes.

To date, at IMO, a dollar value has never been placed on GHG emissions avoided.

Should IMO re-assess some of its approaches to rule making based upon an agreed and increasing value placed upon the environmental impact avoided and GHG emissions avoided?

The basic premise of any business investment is that “money today” is worth more than “money tomorrow”. This relates to the notion of the “time value” of money and the “discount factor” applied to any investment decision. One of the outcomes of the assessment is the notion of a “net present value” (NPV) of the investment decision. Instead of incentivising the building of ships with under-powered main propulsion

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

the GHG reduction investment decisions should identify which investments derive the best NPV. Just like the time value of money notion, there is real relevance in the time value of GHG emissions abatement. GHG emissions reduced today are massively more valuable than GHG emissions reduced tomorrow.

The science of climate change is not perfect, but it is clear that the so called tipping temperature is not fully evaluated and we are seeing what appear to be accelerating effects with the current concentrations of GHGs in the atmosphere. So, the reduction of 1 tonne of GHG today is likely to be immensely more valuable than reduction of 1 tonne of GHG tomorrow. In fact, the NPV notion for the removal of, say, two tonnes tomorrow may simply not be enough.

The discount factor needed to be applied to achieve a positive NPV to climate change may be infinity. In other words, at some stage, it could be the zero GHG emissions will not be enough to halt accelerating climate change.

There are some existing opportunities for massive returns with very little financial investments, though. An example is just-in-time (JIT) arrivals. The wholesale application of JIT could overnight reduce the maritime GHG emissions by possibly more than 10%. Ships would be maximising their purpose, which is the transportation of goods while minimising their use as mobile storage.

The use of JIT has paid dividends in many other industries. It plays to the modern digital world of shared information and optimisation of resources. It reduces costs and creates higher standards of living. Why has it not been adopted in the maritime sector?

On the fundamental understanding that the maritime sector bases its actions on just two things – regulation and profit maximisation – IMO should look at moving, in some cases, away from regulations to drive the desired goals.

We have noted regulation don’t always work.

It should instead begin to understand how to create systems that result in maritime industry profit maximisation and take a financial basis for achieving the goals.

Some will argue it is too difficult. A financial approach acknowledges and addresses the fundamental behaviour of the maritime industry.

There is no reason why it should not be developed as the potential rewards are massive.

8

NEWS ROUND-UP

From EU-wide energy plans to new partnerships between organisations, greener fuel is at the forefront of many current global strategies

TAKING THE INITIATIVE The European Commission has set up a new Task Force within its DirectorateGeneral for Energy to provide support to the EU Energy Platform and implement the REPowerEU goal of supply diversification.

Following a mandate from the European Council in March 2022, the Commission and Member States have established the EU Energy Platform to co-ordinate measures to secure energy supplies for the EU, including through the voluntary common purchase of pipeline gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and hydrogen.

The new Task Force will help deliver on the REPowerEU objective of reducing dependence on Russian fossil fuels, by enabling member states and neighbouring countries to have access to alternative energy supplies at affordable prices in the coming years.

Endowed with €195bn, the plan aims to stop importing Russian fossil fuels by 2027 focusing on three and strategies: scaling up renewables, mobilising energy savings and diversifying energy sources.

Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, says: “In our REPowerEU plan, we outlined how Europe can get rid of Russian fossil fuels. Now we are giving ourselves the tools to make it happen. It is time to diversify our energy supplies and make best use of our infrastructure. The Energy Platform Task Force will contribute to Europe’s energy security and independence. Through the collective political and economic weight of the EU’s 27 Member States and 440m citizens, we will work to ensure affordable and secure energy imports.”

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB), the largest European network of green NGOs, has welcomed the unprecedented boost in renewables envisaged in the plan.

“Deploying millions of solar panels and heat pumps, coupled with building renovation and energy efficiency measures, take us one step closer to being on track with our Paris Agreement Commitment and are our best tools to isolate Putin’s regime,” says Patrick ten Brink, Deputy Secretary-

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

9

NEWS ROUND-UP

General of the EEB. “Stepping up solar and wind power, energy efficiency and heat pumps is the right way forward to replace the EU’s reliance on Russian gas.

“We celebrate the historic push for clean energy outlined in the RePowerEU, but we also look with great concern at the emphasis put on new gas routes. The EU should be wary of creating more fossil fuel dependencies from autocratic regimes or climate-wrecking fracking projects.”

While joint procurement and other short-term market measures can be understood in the context of the geopolitical crisis, diversifying energy sources would simply replace Russian fossil fuels with other fossil fuels, leading to further dependencies and CO2 lock-ins, says the EEB. Moreover, the European Commission has put the focus on switching to LNG, which can be much more carbon-intensive than Russian gas if the overall emissions of shipping and regasification are taken into consideration.

The plan includes an increase in both EU’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy targets of the FitFor55 package, which was one of the main demands from civil society organisations when Russia’s military aggression started.

“Yet those targets are still falling short of the needed ambition to keep the Paris Agreement’s climate goal alive: a 50% increase in renewables and 45% in energy efficiency by 2030,” the EEB concludes.

action plans to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between specific points along a shipping route in the Asia-Pacific region. These Jointly introduced by IMO and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the NextGEN Connect Challenge is the next phase of the NextGEN initiative (“GEN” stands for “Green and Efficient Navigation”).

Launched in September 2021, the NextGEN database currently lists more than 150 decarbonisation projects with more than 500 stakeholders worldwide, including IMO Member States, shipowners, technology developers, classification societies and nongovernmental organisations.

Proposals can be submitted via nextgen.imo.org/challenge

MAPPING THE OCEANS

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project, which will see the parties work together to advance the industry’s understanding of ocean bathymetry, and in support of the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Seabed 2030 – a flagship programme of the Ocean Decade – is a collaborative project between The

Nippon Foundation and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO), with the goal of the complete mapping of the world’s oceans by 2030, as well as compiling all bathymetric data into the freely available GEBCO Ocean Map. GEBCO is a joint programme of the International Hydrographic Organization and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, and is the only organisation with a mandate to map the entire ocean floor.

BHP LINKS TO DNV CLOUD

DNV and BHP have announced a partnership focusing on the use of DNV’s independent cloud platform, Veracity, to enable timely and accurate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting, management and insights from BHP’s chartered vessels.

The project aims to support BHP in its ongoing efforts to see Scope 3 GHG emissions from its chartered vessels reduced.

Commodity producers and vessel charterers are increasingly understanding the need to report, influence and support the reduction of Scope 3 GHG emissions occurring in their value chains. This creates the need for a sound strategy and fit-for-purpose digital solution to

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

Singapore and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have jointly launched NextGEN Connect, which aims to bring industry stakeholders, academia and global research centres together to offer inclusive solutions for maritime decarbonisation for trials along specific shipping routes.

The launch took place during April’s IMO-Singapore Future of Shipping Conference: Decarbonisation.

Under NextGEN Connect, diverse stakeholders will be invited to propose robust methodologies to jointly develop, on a pilot basis, route-based

Left to right: Paul Marks, Product Manager UKHO; Peter Sparkes, Chief Executive UKHO; Jamie McMichael-Phillips, Director of The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project; and Helena Patton, IBTE Strategy Manager UKHO

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

10

support the journey towards net-zero GHG emissions.

The improved transparency resulting from the introduction of the International Maritime Organization’s GHG emission reporting scheme combined with automatic and daily GHG emission reporting capabilities are key enablers for the service offered. Consequently, DNV has built a standardised solution on Veracity tailored to Scope 3 GHG emissions management.

DNV’s solution is aimed at vessel charterers and commodity producers and will be implemented by BHP for all of its maritime freight operations.

Combining this with DNV’s extensive maritime domain and regulatory competency, BHP will be wellpositioned to receive the support it needs, from gaining a trusted overview of the GHG emissions footprint of its maritime freight operations to receiving technical guidance on aspects of its Scope 3 GHG emissions reduction strategy.

CORROSION CONTROL

Nippon Paint Marine is advising shipowners and shipyards converting existing oil and gas carriers into storage and production units to ensure their fuel, water and cargo tanks are sufficiently protected from corrosion.

According to data from the coatings’ specialist, reduced dependence on Russian oil and gas is leading to increased demand for ships able to transport and, in particular, store gas at key locations around the world.

“We were already seeing increased demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier to floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) conversions before the recent drastic disruption in oil and gas markets, but demand is now expected to exceed those initial expectations.

We are seeing increased interest in countries considering storage and regas units to supplement and strengthen existing shore-based infrastructure,” says Niko Yamanoue, Director, Nippon Paint Marine (Europe).

“The cancellation of Nord Stream 2 is also likely to exacerbate demand for tonnage,” he says. “But whether owners build new, recommission tonnage laid up during the offshore

NEWS ROUND-UP

downturn or convert existing LNG carriers into FSRUs or FSUs, the performance of the protective coatings specified will be key to the commercial and technical success of these vessels.

“As floating oil and gas storage facilities are frequently built to NORSOK standards, we needed to offer certified coatings products. “These assets are designed with much longer service intervals than conventional vessels, and an effective and reliable long-life anti-corrosive coating is crucial to their safe operation,” says Yamanoue.

“NOA60HS eliminates the risk of anti-corrosion coatings applied with low film thickness, a contributory factor in corrosion influenced structural failure.”

WEATHER ROUTING

Norsepower Oy has signed a formal agreement with NAPA, the global maritime software, services and data analysis firm, to offer weather routing software in combination with its rotor sails solution.

Under the agreement, NAPA Voyage Optimization software will be included as an option in all future sales of Norsepower’s rotor sails solution.

The combined offer, which applies to retrofits as well as newbuilds, will enable shipowners to maximise both

fuel savings and emissions reductions.

The combination of voyage optimisation and wind propulsion provides significant potential for increased performance compared to either of the two technologies alone. The software determines the best possible voyage plan for the vessel to maximise the energy savings, taking into account weather conditions throughout the voyage as well as each ship’s design profile and operational requirements.

POWERING UP

As the climate emergency impacts every corner of the world, the basic human necessity of access to fresh water is one of the most urgent challenges facing the planet.

While land-based desalination plants have been built all over the world including Australia, North Africa and Saudi Arabia the cost of construction, maintenance and provision of fuel for these facilities is expensive and they also use polluting fossil fuels for power.

In a new report published by Core Power, The Future of Water - Nuclear Powered Floating Desalination, the company maps out solutions that use floating desalination facilities built on traditional ship hulls, powered by inherently safe advanced micro

Nippon Paint Marine’s NOA60HS eliminates the risk of anti-corrosion coatings applied with low film thickness

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

11

NEWS ROUND-UP

reactors, that can provide both desalinated water and electrical power at its deployment location.

These self-propelled vessels could produce potable water at a rate of between 60,000 and 450,000 m3 per day matching the scale of existing landbased desalination facilities.

These ships would benefit from the efficiencies of shipyard construction, decreasing deployment time and cost while being flexible in their movement, meaning they would be able to quickly scale up and down dependent on need.

“Of all the problems we face, the global freshwater emergency is going to be the most precarious. We will need long-term, sustainable, and flexible solutions to ensure we can provide potable water to where and when it is needed at a massive scale,” says Mikal Bøe chairman and CEO or Core Power.

“Core Power floating nuclearpowered desalination facilities could provide fresh water to all littoral states, safely, sustainably and without emissions. The dramatic changes in weather patterns means that rapid deployment is essential, without the years of planning and construction needed to build land-based desalination plants,” adds Bøe .

The Core Power water solution is designed based on a ship hullbased containing a floating nuclear reactor and Reverse Osmosis water desalination systems. These vessels would be capable of moving under their own power therefore simplifying the deployment and installation process.

To access the special report on the Future of Water, visit: corepower. energy/report/the-future-of-water

LAW OF AVERAGES

Shipowners have a strong case to recover emission levies in a General Average (GA) deviation to a port of refuge, according to the Association of Average Adjusters chairman.

A warning that the shipping industry will soon face the potential impact on GA recoveries of tighter rules on emission prevention was delivered in the chairman’s address to the Association of Average Adjusters.

Chairman Michiel Starmans called for heightened awareness of what planned new levies under green

transition measures could mean for assessing allowances in ship casualties. He devoted much of his address to the Association’s annual conference in May to considering such consequences of what he called “the biggest challenge for mankind in the next 25 years, which is combating climate change”.

High-level legal and insurance deliberations have yet to focus on whether air pollution and emissions from ships should be allowable in GA, the principle that all stakeholders in a “maritime adventure” share damage or losses resulting from the voluntary sacrifice of part of a vessel or cargo to save the whole of such property and/or the expenditure incurred while deviating to a port of refuge for the common safety of ship and cargo.

“The biggest challenge for mankind in the next 25 years, which is combating climate change”

The need to account for air pollution and ship emissions was not foreseen by leading experts in 1994, who in a major review of GA allowed the costs of preventing environmental pollution, said Mr Starmans, who is director of the legal department at Amsterdambased Spliethoff Group.

The question arose, said Starmans: “Can the new carbon levies consequent on a GA act be allowed in GA?” His answer was: “Based on cross references of existing and future maritime legislation, I believe carbon levies under ETS and IMO can be allowed in GA as a direct consequence of bunkers consumed and allowed

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

in GA.” Starmans conceded that some might see that conclusion as an opportunistic attempt to increase GA allowances, but it might be considered too in the context of recent statements in court rulings by senior maritime judges.

Under proposed legislation, CO2 emissions in shipping will no longer be “free of charge”, emphasised Starmans.

The goal is to spur the maritime industry to invest in energy efficiency and switch to cleaner fuels with fewer emissions.

The phased lowering of an emission cap on total greenhouse gas emissions by participants, combined with the rising costs of purchasing carbon levies means that climate costs will rise year on year, and the levies might eventually exceed the costs of bunkers for vessels which have not switched to low carbon fuels, said Starmans.

The EU, which wants to see zero emissions by 2050, has a package of measures that is subject to review by the European Parliament and requires approval by each member state. It includes an ETS, which would compel shipping companies as from 2023 to buy permits for ships of over 5,000 gross tons to cover each ton of CO2 emission. The cap on emissions, which would be converted into tradeable carbon permits, would rise in annual stages from 20% in 2023, to 100% in 2026.

An owner or time charterer would need to buy permits covering 100% of the emissions from voyages inside the EU and 50% of the emissions from international voyages starting or ending in the EU. If the company does not surrender the right number of permits by 30 April of the following year, it would be fined €100 per ton of CO2 not accounted for. Ships can be denied entry to EU ports where the responsible shipping company has failed to surrender permits for two consecutive years.

The relevance for adjusters of these future carbon levies could arise when a vessel is removed for repairs or when GA allowances are made for fuel consumed during deviation to, or detention at a port of refuge until regaining course under the

12

applicable York Antwerp Rules, which regulate GA and are nearly always incorporated in any charterparty or bill of lading.

At present, in a GA deviation to a European port of refuge to carry out necessary repairs for the safe prosecution of the voyage, emission did not need to be compensated by the shipping company, but from January 2023 this “free ride” was about to change, said Starmans. The shipping company would have to settle the bill with the relevant EU member state, which posed the question whether the shipowner (or time charterer) could recover these additional costs in GA. On the EU tax on fuel, Starmans did not foresee any problems in allowing in GA the gross fuel price, including the EU tax, where at present the York Antwerp Rules allowed the net fuel price.

Starmans said he hoped that his scrutiny of whether additional costs might be recovered in GA would be a starting point for a formal opinion to be delivered by the advisory committee of the Association “once legislation has been finalised and adjusters will be faced for the first time with the implications of the emission levies”.

Starmans is succeeded as chairman for 2022-23 by Sir Nigel Teare.

“Most model accuracy figures reported in publications and marketing materials fail to bear relation to the actual utility of those models in real use cases”

NEWS ROUND-UP

NEW APPROACH TO AI

DeepSea Technologies, the awardwinning Al-led maritime technology company and energy efficiency experts, has published research outlining a pioneering way of verifying the accuracy – and therefore utility – of a ship’s AI-generated model in real-world conditions.

The new approach was developed by seven of DeepSea’s 13-strong team of research scientists headed up by Dr Antonis Nikitakis, and presented at the 2022 HullPic Conference in Tullamore, Ireland, in May 2022.

Because the reality of ship-atsea data is highly variable, most model accuracy figures reported in publications and marketing materials fail to bear relation to the actual utility of those models in real use cases.

DeepSea has researched approaches to solving the technical challenge of boosting models’ ability to understand unseen (“out-of-domain”) conditions for years.

However, until today, there has been no benchmark for evaluating this sort of competence within a vessel model.

This is a crucial step of AI modelling because the more accurate the virtual model, the more efficient a ship can be made, and vice-versa.T To read the full paper, visit: tinyurl. com/DeepseaReport

BIOFUEL AGREEMENT

GoodFuels, the biofuels pioneer for the global transport industry, and ITOCHU Corporation, one of Japan’s largest general trading companies, have announced a new partnership agreement to scale sustainable marine biofuel in Singapore, Japan, and Asia-Pacific.

ITOCHU is actively engaged in the wholesale, distribution, and bunkering of petroleum products in both Singapore and Japan, while GoodFuels specialises in the sourcing, development, production, and delivery of sustainable marine biofuels, with a presence in the Netherlands and Singapore.

This new strategic partnership will enable the two companies to build the market and develop the supply chain necessary for wider adoption of marine biofuel.

GoodFuels and ITOCHU Corporation have signed a partnership agreement

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

13

COMPANY PROFILE

ECOSPRAY: HOW THE FUTURE LOOKS The maritime industry today is strongly focused on decarbonisation.

Ecospray wants to make clean energy a reality for a zero-emissions planet, using all expertise to support the industry in making this possible, and ensuring that this is the value proposition the market is looking for.

Ecospray has been studying a range of different solutions to decarbonise the maritime sector over recent years, and is now ready to introduce the carbon reduction journey to the market.

More specifically, there are a number of solutions that the industry can adopt in order to meet the requirements that will enable the 2030 targets to be achieved.

These include using carbon neutral fuels, such as bio-LNG – on which Ecospray has been working since 2018 – but we must also consider the exponential growth of demand for this fuel and the availability for marine applications. In addition, from a regulatory point of view, the contribution of these fuels to the EEXI/CII calculations is still to be established.

Elsewhere, the majority of technologies or equipment that reduce the carbon footprint of a ship are effective, but their impact will not be sufficient alone.

Another possibility is the capture and storage of CO2. Aside from the fact that it is widely understood that without carbon dioxide capture and storage, it will be impossible to keep the global temperature rise below 2°C, there are further reasons for the marine industry to start thinking about implementing carbon capture and storage (CCS): ensuring compliance with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) targets is one of these, but also mitigating the impact of carbon taxes, which are likely to be introduced.

Large-scale investments and subsidisation are ongoing (at both EU and US level) to support climate

mitigation measures, and CCS seems to be the cheapest method to avoid rises in costs.

“In light of Ecospray’s expertise in removing pollutants from exhaust gas, focusing on carbon dioxide removal seemed to us to be the natural evolution of this. The timeline has been established and is challenging but achievable, given that Ecospray is a company with a strong focus on research and development,” explains Alberto di Cecio, Ecospray general manager.

Three technologies are under development, each at different stages.

The reason behind the decision to work on different options is simple: there will not be a single, ideal solution that is suitable in all cases; rather, one or other will be preferable for each individual application, depending on a host of factors such as ship size, operating profile, route, space and type of vessel.

CARBON CAPTURE WITH AMINES

If we consider market readiness and potential segment of application, our amines-based chemical absorption technology will be the first to be implemented, in that it is based on an approach that is already well-known within CO2 production industry.

Our main goal here is to render the solution suitable for marine applications, reducing the footprint of the system and the power consumption thereof – two elements that are usually not the main focus in the oil and gas sector, but which are one of the main drivers when it comes to installation on board a ship.

Availability of space and system complexity will therefore be the main challenges to be taken into account with regard to this technology, while the reliability of the solution is surely one of the main advantages, together with the non-hazardous nature of the chemical used.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

CARBON CAPTURE WITH CALCIUM HYDROXIDE

The second technology in line is set to be calcium hydroxide chemical absorption, which potentially appears to be the best of the three in terms of capex. Bulk carrier ships are the main target for this solution, which necessitates onboard storage of the chemical reagent in bulk, but it does have the advantage of not requiring CO2 storage on board.

MOLTEN CARBONATE FUEL CELLS (MCFCs)

MCFCs are the last solution, and undoubtedly the most complex, but can ensure very low opex along with higher carbon reduction capabilities, both as a result of fuel savings – using the MCFC as a source of electrical power – and due to the specific CO2 capturing capacity of this type of fuel cell, which uses the CO2 from the endothermic engine exhaust gas as a fuel. The ideal candidate for this technology would be an LNG-fueled ship with electric propulsion, but a wider range of marine applications could also be considered.

THE TIMELINE

“We are working on pilot project for the two-chemical absorption-based technologies, which are already in the testing phase,” says Filippo Lossani, director BU Marine. “Our goal is to get to on-board testing by the end of the year, with the scale-up subsequently starting at the beginning of 2023. For the fuel cell-based solution, we are planning to have the first prototype of our Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFC) ready by the end of 2022, with on-board testing during 2023.”

For more information, contact: Email: marine@ecospray.eu Tel: +39 0131854611 ecospray.eu

14

COMPANY PROFILE

YARA MARINE: BUILDING AN ECOSYSTEM OF SOLUTIONS The complex path to greener future requires multiple, interrelated solutions that can benefit everyone and enhance collaboration, writes Per Bjärkby, CTO of Yara Marine Technologies.

The deadline to address climate change is closer than ever, with a mere eight years left to achieve the 2030 decarbonisation targets set by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). This shared focus has spurred innovation in maritime industry, with many pledging a commitment to the ambitious goal of net-zero emissions.

Although this is a complex path, requiring cultural and structural change, it is also a valuable opportunity to drive a change for the better and adopt sustainability as a core tenant of our industry’s future.

Thanks to evolving public conversations, the maritime sector is past the point of working to convince stakeholders to go greener and is now tackling the various logistical, technological and infrastructural issues that would underpin this industry-wide transition.

Although many green solutions are already available in the market, scaling

up these offerings requires greater collaboration. This is true in many cases: emerging products may be created by companies new to maritime or lacking in in-depth experience of the sector, cutting-edge products exist that would benefit our industry if a rapid market expansion could be achieved, or promising concepts may be conceived that have complex supply and production requirements.

Yara Marine helps address this need for collaboration by facilitating innovative approaches to green shipping and connecting these technologies with the market know-how required for success. We offer a variety of means by which to increase collaboration and ensure efficient technologies find their place in shipping: whether through acquisition (such as with Lean Marine in 2021) or via commercial collaboration agreements with other companies. These affiliations exist alongside our own internal research and development processes.

In this way, we have expanded our portfolio of clean technologies that help decrease the carbon footprint of a vessel, while also helping springboard existing green solutions for smaller companies and start-ups. Additionally, we collaborate with companies looking for the support and oversight needed to advance their technologies through testing and implementation, requiring assistance with financing, and potentially supply the market contacts needed to scale and deliver projects.

FACTORING IN MULTISTAGE APPROACHES

Per Bjärkby, Chief Technology Officer

Shipping’s decarbonised future relies on a wide ecosystem of green solutions with multistage approaches. After all, older vessels will have different needs than younger ones, inland vessels will not have the same emission targets as deep-sea ships, and smaller operators in developing nations will be operating in significantly different conditions than larger operators.

Success hinges on meeting the needs of individual stakeholders rather than prescribing a set group of solutions that may not be fit for purpose. Thus, effective innovation must consider geographical factors, vessels, financial means, availability of shipyards and bunkering facilities, operating schedules, and more when coming up with workable and futureproofed solutions.

We believe the best approach is where the design of revolutionary technologies addresses emerging or future needs and creates and ensures access to solutions that meet (and exceed) the current needs of owners and operators. The most sustainable approach is one that extends the lifespan of an asset. Good solutions should try to optimise vessels to comply with the newest regulations, as well as give them room to rise to more ambitious, self-set targets.

ADDRESSING RISK FACTORS

The real hurdle to achieving a net-zero future is not a lack of will, but rather challenges with financing large-scale changes. Maritime can be intimidating to private investors that are unfamiliar with our profit cycles and pay-back periods. At the same time, many governments and companies are experiencing financial upheaval as a result of the pandemic, reducing their appetite for non-essential investment.

While large, well-established companies may develop solutions in-house to address the needs of their fleets, those with smaller profit margins or research budgets are left to source off-the-shelf solutions – not easy given the unique requirements of individual vessels or fleets. Also, many start-ups may have ground-breaking solutions, but be unable to secure long-term investment for product development in a marine setting, easily demonstrate the efficiency of their products, or ramp up enough to gain enough market-share.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

15

COMPANY PROFILE

Yara Marine Technologies is able to offer both operators and innovators peace of mind. We actively partner with up-and-coming technology providers to supply them the resources to go from drawing board to vessel launch – with the backing of an established company.

Simultaneously, operators and owners can rely on our industry reputation and long-term sector knowledge for assurance that the technologies we bring forward are of good quality, fit for purpose and will have appropriate customer care. Working with wellestablished companies is also attractive to company shareholders, who may have a low appetite for financial risk.

ACCELERATING INNOVATION

Caution, while understandable, should never stand in the way of progress – particularly when the stakes are so high. By making entry difficult for new technologies or start-ups, we are losing out across the board. Companies miss out on the best technology for their needs, technology innovators and providers lose out on the chance to prove themselves, and the industry cannot find the wide-scale innovation it desperately needs to achieve net zero.

This fails to benefit any of us.

COMMITMENT TO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

In addition to our own research and development, Yara Marine Technologies is committed to ensuring that valuable technologies find their place in the shipping industry, allowing shipowners and operators to benefit as they transition to a sustainable future.

Among the first of our partnership agreements, we announced our collaboration with innovative simulation-driven marine engineering consultancy BAR Technologies in 2021.

The partnership allows us to expertly facilitate the complex value change of procurement, construction, installation, service and training required to ensure that ship owners gain access globally to BARTech’s WindWings.

As of 2019, we have also offered a specifically designed threemonth tailored start-up accelerator programme, Yara Marine X, which offers start-ups focused on clean

technologies for the maritime sector the chance to win an opportunity to scale up their existing solutions rapidly.

This allows them to expand from smallscale production to larger impact on the market. And as part of the Yara Marine X programme, they will benefit from direct access to our industry competence, network distribution, and knowledge scale.

Yara Marine ensures that these technologies are created in sync with our customer demand, creating a sustainable environment for them to gain market share. This allows for cutting-edge technology to be developed not simply in a single instance or as an unusual outlier in an otherwise distinct fleet, but made available per the rapid scale that the industry currently needs.

The second edition of the accelerator programme concluded in April 2022, with the aim of announcing its winner in May 2022.

RECRUITING THE FUTURE

Using every option available to us to reduce emissions and maximise vessel efficiency is a matter of urgency: after all, every drop of fuel saved at this stage counts towards reduced carbon emissions. At Yara Marine, we believe that people are just as important as technology when it comes to navigating the path to a net-zero future. Recruiting, training and retaining the talent our industry needs, not just for the moment but for the future, is an ongoing commitment. Diversity in thought and action create a robust approach to problem solving, and are vital to delivering a safer and greener future.

We are dedicated to creating a supportive environment for the next generation of maritime leaders to address the challenges of the future, whether these come in the form of changing weather patterns and sea conditions, tighter regulations, or increased digitalisation and automation.

SHARED GOALS

Saving the planet, by its very nature requires global focus from every individual in the present and the future. At Yara Marine Technologies, we believe that an open mind and collaborative approach are the ideal way in which to build a greener future for maritime. Revolutionary technologies have the power to change the market as we know it, but small changes can add up to big results – particularly if managed in a sustainable way. This is why our portfolio contains a wide range of solutions that cater to various vessel types and operator needs, and we welcome partnership opportunities.

Our goal is to ensure that solutions are not ring-fenced by those companies with deep pockets, but are accessible for wider uptake by all relevant stakeholders, including smaller operators. This is how we have committed to saving our planet: by ensuring that solutions that reduce emissions and improve operations are able to benefit everyone.

We look forward to a greener tomorrow together.

For more information, visit: yaramarine.com

Yara Marine Technologies has signed a contract with Algoma Central Corporation, a leading Canadian marine shipping company, to install its FuelOpt propulsion optimisation technology onboard a further eight of their bulk carriers

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

16

SCRUBBERS

Use of scrubbing technology as a means of cleaning higher sulphur fuels continues, while new regulations and requirements have been coming into force

MAKING A CLEAN SWEEP Classification society DNV has put together a resume of changes being introduced for shipowners and manufacturers designing exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS).

DNV explains that the updated MEPC.340(77) 2021 Guidelines for Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems, which were adopted in November 2021, mean shipowners and manufacturers operating or designing EGCSs will need to meet some modified requirements.

The new guideline applies to all EGCS installations that are delivered to vessels or are significantly modified on or after 1 June 2022.

For EGCS installations with a documented contractual delivery date prior to 1 June 2022, but where delivery was delayed due to the pandemic, for instance, the MEPC.259(68) guideline may still be applied, DNV explains.

DNV advises its customers to take an active role in the EGCS business and to finalise their preparation to meet the upcoming challenges clarified in the

MEPC.340(77) guideline by: » Reviewing document templates for additionally required information to be included » Updating data processing and reporting tools to meet the new requirements » Revising specifications of the water monitoring units, reflecting the increased sampling frequency as well as the implementation of the new definition of phenanthrene equivalent » Critically reviewing the piping arrangements directing discharge from temporarily stored process water and evaluating the potential need for additional water monitoring systems.

It has now been agreed that EGCSs following Scheme A approval need to perform daily SO2/CO2 emission checks as a vital parameter to monitor system compliance, DNV explains.

“The Onboard Monitoring Manual (OMM) should now also include the means by which ongoing compliance would temporarily be indicated in case of failure of a single

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

17

SCRUBBERS

monitoring device (8.2.8). Also, guidance should be given on which indicators can be used to identify a malfunction of the EGCS (8.2.10).

“Under Scheme B, where operation of the EGCS is required to demonstrate the functionality of the monitoring system, a description of the operational condition(s) needed for their verification during the initial survey now needs to be included in the OMM (8.4). If properly done, this description may replace the need for the additional submission of a MARPOL survey test plan.

“The EGCS Technical Manual will need to be extended by a clear procedure on how to produce reports that indicate non-compliant conditions or temporarily ongoing compliance as per 8.2.8 (4.2.2.1.9, 5.6.1.7).”

Following the new guidelines, the data recording and reporting tool – in addition to required measurement values – now also needs to record and report the applicable limit values for all operational and emission-related parameters, the class society explain.

“To be able to report applicable emission ratio limit values, the data processing tool needs to be able to identify whether the vessel is sailing within or outside Emission Control Areas. For parameter limits which are allowed to be exceeded by an aggregated period, the logging tool should be capable of automatically evaluating and sufficiently reporting failures in meeting these criteria.”

Discharge monitoring will also be required, the class society explains.

“Unlike as stated in the MEPC.259(68) guideline, separate fixed discharge limit values have been introduced for process water being discharged from any kind of temporary storage, such as holding or zerodischarge tanks. However, stated limit values (pH = 6.5, PAH = 50 µg/L, turbidity = 25 FNU) only apply for direct discharge to the sea. Water from holding tanks can still be discharged together with process water during open-loop operation, provided the respective discharge limits are met.

“The requirements for the sampling and reporting of nitrate analysis results have been eased a bit with the new revision. It is now acceptable to

report nitrate concentrations gathered from similar installations instead of always performing individual water sampling and analysis. Nitrate discharge data can now also be presented as the difference of inlet and outlet concentrations.

“Finally, a special focus needs to be put on the changes made to the minimum recording frequency requirement for monitoring washwater discharged to sea. While MEPC.259(68) required a sampling and recording frequency of not less than 0.0035 Hz (every 4.76 min), it has now been increased to 0.011 Hz (every 90 sec). This may be a challenge for all monitoring units which are installed in a bypass pipe of the main discharge lines.”

WÄRTSILÄ AGREES ORDER

Technology group Wärtsilä has secured an agreement for its exhaust gas cleaning systems to be installed on two newbuild 218m roll-on/rolloff passenger vessels at Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) in China.

The contract, signed in February, will see Wärtsilä fit and commission two 25MW V-SOx hybrid scrubber systems, which can run in both open and closed loop configurations, on each vessel. The order is a result of Wärtsilä’s commitment to the Asia-

Pacific region, where the organisation has regional resources to enable it to provide sales, support and lifecycle services.

By choosing to install Wärtsilä’s exhaust gas abatement technology, the RoPax vessels will immediately comply with the 0.5% global sulphur cap and will also be future-proofed against impending regulatory change. This is because Wärtsilä’s modular, lifecycle technologies can be upgraded to tackle other pollutants, including nitrogen oxide (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and carbon dioxide (CO2).

Wang Bin, area sales manager at Wärtsilä Exhaust Treatment in China, says: “We are very excited to start 2022 with this order of SOx scrubbers onboard two RoPax vessels being built by our partners at GSI. This agreement not only proves our long-term partnership with GSI, but also demonstrates the commercial and technical viability of scrubbers in shipping’s complex decarbonisation landscape.”

“Our technology completely fulfils technical requirements for newbuilds, ensures compliance with current regulation and is also the first building block for future sustainability innovation. We look forward to working with GSI on this collaboration and others in our future together.”

A Wärtsilä scrubber before delivery to GSI © Wärtsilä Corporation

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

18

Jiang Lei, purchasing manager at GSI, says: “It is a real pleasure for us to be working with Wärtsilä to fulfil this latest order on two RoPax vessels.

We recognise the long-term potential of scrubbers for solving many crucial challenges in the shipping industry and we are proud to carry out installations at our development-oriented shipyard.”

Wärtsilä and GSI will complete the delivery and installation of the four scrubber systems by the end of 2023 for both vessels.

NO SCRUBS

Global marine insurer North has released analysis that summarises its understanding of the positions taken by ports that have or will prohibit the use of exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS), or have placed conditions on their use.

EGCS are an accepted equivalent measure in complying with the International Maritime Organisation 2020 global sulphur cap, but their use has split the shipping industry.

Ports around the world are looking at the impact of scrubber use in their waters.

A number of ports and regions have already stated that they will not allow the discharge of washwater from scrubbers.

For more details, visit: tinyurl.com/NorthAnalysis

SCRUBBERS

RULE DEADLINE

The 2021 EGCS Guidelines (MEPC.340(77)) were adopted at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting in November last year. The new rules were set to enter into force six months later and apply to all newbuild and retrofit installations. Alpha Laval explains that they will also apply when an installation is changed to such a degree that the EGCS Technical Manual needs to be amended. So, except in the latter situation (major conversion), the 2021 EGCS Guidelines apply to new installations and do not impact existing installations.

Significant changes from the previous guidelines include: » When a zero-discharge area prevents the immediate discharge of cleaned bleed-off water, the tanks used to for temporary storage of the water must meet a strict PAH limit at the tank discharge point. The new limit is 50 µg/L, independent of discharge flow rate and engine load. » The discharge water monitoring and logging frequency have increased from 0.035 Hz to 0.0111 Hz, which is around every 90 seconds. » There are several changes that impact the logging system and

scrubber documentation, but not EGCS function as we know it today.

Mandatory daily spot-checks are now required for Scheme A scrubbers.

The Committee approved an MEPC circular, MEPC.1/Circ.883/ Rev.1, which applies to all EGCS, old or new. It provides updated guidance for indicating compliance if a single monitoring instrument fails, as well as recommended actions to take if the EGCS fails to meet the provisions of the EGCS Guidelines.

Fortunately for owners and operators, the majority of IMO member states did not approve the suggestion that ships with a scrubber installed should carry compliant fuel for a full voyage. This had been suggested as a redundancy measure to cover any EGCS malfunction and it would have removed the possibility for “indication of ongoing compliance” in the event of a single monitoring instrument failure.

The scope of work for harmonising discharge water regulations was accepted during MEPC 77. This included work to be done to: » Agree on a text to change MARPOL » Finalise a guideline for conducting risk assessments » Finalise a guideline for conducting impact assessments » Develop a guideline for scrubber sludge disposal ashore

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

19

SCRUBBERS

» Establish a database of substances identified in the discharge water.

Once the guidelines above are established, a government can apply for its waters to become a “scrubber sensitive area”. (It remains unclear whether this includes only territorial waters or extends to the EEZ boundary of 200 nautical miles.) An assessment of risk and impact will then be conducted, and following approval the government can ban scrubber discharge in the body of water defined.

To clarify, this is a harmonisation of the regulatory structure, which will result in all member states having the same definitions and guidelines for conducting impact and risk assessments. In other words, they will be aligned on what is considered harmful.

Shipowners will still face a patchwork of regulations, however, in the sense that not all ports or coastal areas will have the same regulations.

PPR AGREEMENTS

The ninth session of the International Maritime Organization’s SubCommittee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 9) was held remotely in April, with a wide range of topics on the agenda, including biofouling, ballast water management, black carbon, sewage treatment and marine plastic litter.

PPR agreed on draft guidelines on risk and impact assessments of the discharge water from exhaust gas cleaning systems when considering local or regional regulations. Topics discussed at the meeting included: » Draft guidelines supporting the implementation of control of cybutryne in the Anti-Fouling System Convention » Draft guidelines on risk and impact assessments of the discharge water from exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCSs) when considering local or regional regulations

» Draft amendments to MARPOL Annex V making the garbage record book mandatory also for ships between 100 and 400 GT » Unified interpretations on biofuels, Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems and issuing certificates for ships using other approaches to ballast water management.

A NEW LOOK FOR OUR SURFACE UTM RANGE! CYGNUS 4+ GENERAL PURPOSE U LT R A S O N I C T H I C K N E S S G A U G E • Multiple-Echo mode for accurate, through-coat measurements, specified by Classif ication Societies • Ideal for heavily corroded metals with thin/no coating • Front sunlight readable LCD display with Live A-scan

SCAN QR CODE FOR A FREE QUOTE OR CALL US ON +44 (0) 1305 265 533 WWW.CYGNUS-INSTRUMENTS.COM

QUOTE CSI2022 WITH ORDER

SEE THE CYGNUS 4+ IN ACTION ON STAND B57!

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

20

COMPANY PROFILE

PURETEQ: STATE-OF-THEART SCRUBBER MAKER PureteQ designs, delivers and commissions built-to-fit maritime scrubber systems for shipowners who want to save money on fuel by continuing use of heavy fuel oil (HFO).

The price span between compliant fuel and HFO have increased to almost historic levels and interest for new scrubber systems is increasing with the larger price span.

All PureteQ scrubbers come with state-of-the-art intuitive control systems, including full real time remote accessibility. This feature allows for detailed troubleshooting assistance to crews without physical attendance.

The technology allows us to regulate waterflow to the scrubber from 10% to 100% of the design capacity, as opposed to other brands that will only allow for minor regulating of waterflow.

The result is superior energy performance and saving of fuel.

PURETEQ Service agreements without prepayment for any brand of exhaust gas cleaning system

SERVICE AGREEMENTS FOR ANY BRAND OF SCRUBBER SYSTEM

At present, PureteQ service most brands of scrubbers, including our own PureteQ Scrubber System. We do this in all parts of the world pending local covid and/or travel restrictions.

PureteQ has offices in Europe and Asia and from there, our trained marine engineers are dispatched from the nearest location to provide service.

Often, we are already working on ships in various ports around the world, for example the US and South America, hence some travel costs may be saved.

We are certified in most sensors and can calibrate and issue certificates for compliance sensors, including CEMS systems when attending the vessels once per year. Depending on instrument air quality for CEMS systems, the cell will have to be

refurbished at intervals. PureteQ offers practical solutions to prolong the life of the cell and increase service intervals.

PureteQ offers service agreements without bindings and without prepayment – you only pay for the services that you need, at a fair price.

As an integral part of this agreement, we offer a 24/7 service desk manned by professional marine engineers, who have undergone comprehensive training in all components of a scrubber systems, including sensors.

In other words, we offer you an unparalleled one-stop-shop for scrubbers and associated equipment.

We conduct numerous training sessions for onshore personnel, as well as for crews and officers. We have established a modular training programme to fit the individual shipowners need. This remains very popular among crews, officers and

From the left His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, CEO of ESTECH Søren G. Larsen, Climate Minister Dan Jørgensen and Mayor of Odense Peter Rahbaek Juel visiting the Combined Carbon Capture and Power to X plant developed by ESTECH a company in PureteQ Group

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

21

COMPANY PROFILE

onshore personnel. The training is done virtually or, if required, with an on-board presence as part of the annual service visit.

All training modules offer sharepoint-based questionnaires and tutorials to aid understanding of the training and when the exams have been passed, training certificates are automatically issued by PureteQ. You will be in safe hands when you enter into a PureteQ/PureServ service agreement. We have the tools, the manpower and the skillset to make a difference. Furthermore, we supply some of the most advanced and easyto-use software in the business. We can even replace software (including some hardware) on other brands of scrubbers if needed.

We are also offering clients cloudbased software for environmental performance reporting and optimisation of scrubbers across the fleet. It features the measuring of MARPOL compliance, operational performance (impact on SFOC) as well as environmental performance reporting, such as CO2, sulphur and later particulate matter reductions.

The software is a perfect match to new International Maritime Organization regulations on EED(X)I & CCI, when well-to-wake principles apply. This software will allow for cross-ship/ fleet learning for crews, hence reducing costs.

The service agreement is an umbrella agreement that has several options tailored to match individual needs. Shipowners may at any time add or exclude the options and include or exclude ships from the agreement – all it takes is an e-mail describing the changes, which will then be confirmed and carried out. Service agreements can be drawn up for any brand of scrubber system.

COMBINED CARBON CAPTURE AND PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN

In 2018, ESTECH – part of the PureteQ Group – began a research programme into carbon capture technology, and we are pleased to announce that we have recently been granted patents in the US as well as Europe on a technology that combines carbon capture from

exhaust gas with power-to-x. The solution is a unique combination of carbon capture and parallel production of hydrogen.

Tests carried out at our pilot plant at a Danish wastewater treatment plant indicates that approximately 80 % of the green energy utilised for carbon capture is stored in hydrogen. The CO2 as well as the hydrogen are building blocks for fuels and other products.

The technology has the potential to become the most energy-efficient CCS technology on the market for small and medium-sized industries, and even for some of the bigger companies.

The technology is based on the PureteQ’s exhaust gas purification technology with patented hydrodynamic fluid distribution, as well as on the existing and well-proven digital platform for other in-house technologies. The hydrodynamic fluid distribution ensures optimal conditions for the gas/fluid reaction, resulting in a smaller reaction chamber/scrubber.

The group has been able to accelerate the product development process and we have begun the task of scaling the technology by more than 100 times existing capacity. When this work is well underway, we intend to build the first commercial plant.

The first full-sized commercial CCCH2 plant is expected in 2023/2024.

And it doesn’t stop there – in 2023, we intend to investigate the feasibility of on-board CCS based on standard amine processes.

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

PureteQ Head of Parts and Logistics Martin Wessel in front of the carbon capture scrubber

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

Michael Mouritzen, Sales Tel: +45 4014 4481 mim@pureteq.com pureteq.com

Ballast Water Management Systems

The wait is over. . .

Filterless & Hybrid ® EcoOne BWMS Reliable Simple to Operate No TRO Sensors Gravity Ballasting Low Power Low Maintenance Low Cost IMO & USCG Type Approved www.ecochlor.com sales@ecochlor.com

23

BALLAST WATER: VIEWPOINT

Konstantinos Dimopoulos, international sales manager at ERMA FIRST, outlines the company’s approach to the aftpeak ballast water tank problem

SOLVING THE AFTPEAK PROBLEM

Konstantinos Dimopoulos International Sales Manager, ERMA FIRST

Aftpeak ballast water tanks typically hold around 5% of the total volume of ballast water onboard a tanker, and play a very different function to a ship’s primary tanks. Yet their crucial role in cooling tube bearings in the vessel’s stern and dampening propeller vibrations means that these tanks are relatively rarely ballasted and deballasted – while the risk of oil contamination from adjacent cargo tanks means they are completely separated from primary tanks.

As aftpeak tanks are covered by ballast water rules, and therefore must have a ballast water treatment system (BWTS) that meets required treatment standards installed, they represent a unique challenge not met by most conventional BWTS. Tanker owners must either find a practical solution, in terms of scale, complexity, and cost, or decommission these aftpeak tanks – and lose their functionality.

Most BWTS use a two-step process to treat water, with water first filtered through a specially-designed system before

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

going through either UV treatment or electrochlorination. This delivers reliable and cost-effective treatment at the scale required for a large ship’s primary ballast water tanks.

However, these systems pose real problems when treating tanks only a fraction of the size of those primary tanks – even when the systems are miniaturised.

Two-stage ballast water treatment creates efficiencies when dealing with large amounts of water. However, these efficiencies do not work on a smaller scale; filters take up precious space, while the UV or electrochlorination systems have minimum footprints in terms of both space and energy use.

As aftpeak ballast water systems must be installed in a busy and crowded lower aft engine room, space is at a premium.

The logistics of re-arranging or amending existing systems to meet a BWTS’ requirements is inherently expensive, and in extreme cases could easily double a shipowner’s installation costs.

24

At the same time, a two-stage BWTS can be difficult to operate and maintain.

Complex processes can be difficult for crews to remember, especially for a system which is infrequently used.

Installing a complex two-stage system creates a high risk of mistake or undetected damage.

Solutions that work well for primary tanks do not deliver value for aftpeak tanks. This means that meeting tanker owners’ technical and logistical aftpeak ballast water challenges requires a new approach to BWTS. This new approach necessitates aftpeak ballast water systems specifically designed for operation in aftpeak areas – that are easy to operate, small, and effortlessly reliable.

At ERMA FIRST, our oneTANK system was developed specifically to meet these requirements.

By utilising filterless technology

BALLAST WATER: VIEWPOINT

and using chemical based treatment that removes the need for UV lamps or electrolytic chlorine generators, oneTANK has delivered an incredibly small footprint of less than 60cm squared. Treatment is delivered by a simple circulation loop and mixing nozzles injecting liquid bleach into the tanks, which can often be delivered by using an existing general service or fire pump.

Together, this cuts out the issues other systems pose in integration and installation. By having such a small footprint, and by using only existing infrastructure, oneTANK provides a seamless solution to an owner’s lower aft engine room crowding issue.

By removing the complicated to operate filters, UV, and electrochlorination equipment associated with most other BWTS, oneTANK is easy for crews to use.

This also means that the system only requires readily available and commonly used chemicals.

Together, these innovations mean that oneTANK’s power consumption is similar to that of a household washing machine.

As we near final D-2 compliance deadlines, aftpeak ballast tanks are continuing to pose a challenge for tanker owners. To lose their use, and the operational benefits they represent, would create commercial challenges for shipowners in an incredibly competitive segment – while conventional systems could easily damage profitability.

Owners need to consider their needs, under the regulations and operationally, and evaluate all the options. A small, filterless, and easy-to-use BWTS may be the perfect solution.

OTHER NEWS BIO-SEA AGREEMENT

Germany’s Hagedorn Products has added the commissioning, maintenance and servicing of BIOSEA ballast water treatment systems to its existing sales agreement with France’s BIO-UV Group.

Close to the major shipping hubs of Hamburg and Bremerhaven, Hemmoor-based Hagedorn will now provide BIO-SEA service support to new and existing customers throughout Germany, its border countries, and Finland.

Commenting on the partnership, Maxime Dedeurwaerder, business director, BIO-SEA, says: “Hagedorn has a successful track record promoting the full range of BIO-SEA UV-based ballast water treatment systems to shipowners, ship managers and shipyards across the region, so we are delighted to extend the company’s remit to include maintenance services.”

The renewed and expanded agreement is part of BIO-SEA’s wider expansion strategy to meet growing

market demand for in-service ballast water treatment system services.

“We are delighted to extend our collaboration with Olaf Hagedorn and his team to strengthen BIO-SEA’s position in this booming market,” says Dedeurwaerder. “The majority of shipowners have of course installed a BWTS but operators will now need global support to troubleshoot, maintain, and service their systems on a regular basis.”

Dedeurwaerder anticipates that more and more vessels will also need specialist support with annual compliance checks.

“It is anticipated that port state control BWTS compliance inspections will increase at ports around the world in coming years,” he says. “Therefore, we do advise the regular testing and maintenance of installed systems as a matter of course.”

While annual system performance tests are currently mandatory under USCG regulations they are

recommended by the International Maritime Organization.

Hagedorn Products managing director Olaf Hagedorn says: “We are pleased to expand the relationship with BIO-UV Group and look forward to assisting new and existing BIOSEA customers with their BWTS installation requirements and ongoing maintenance needs.

“Our engineering teams and service personnel have completed BIO-UV Group’s technical training course and are now approved to provide a complete one-stop-shop BIO-SEA solution.”

Hagedorn adds: “For ballast water treatment system manufacturers it is necessary to establish a network of service centres at key maritime locations around the world to support vessel operations. With a service partner like Hagedorn – close to the major ports of Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven – BIO-SEA can support shipowners in the region at short notice.”

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

25

BALLAST WATER: VIEWPOINT

Mark Riggio, head of marine at Filtersafe, outlines the current rules regarding challenging water conditions, explains why blanket exemptions are unlikely, and provides advice for shipowners and operators concerned about these issues

BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS

Mark Riggio Head of Marine, Filtersafe

Ballast water management in ports with troubling water conditions has recently gained widespread attention.

Groups representing shipowners and operators have submitted letters to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) reporting incidents in which ballast water management systems (BWMS) have been rendered inoperable by poor water quality. While these water conditions do pose significant operational challenges, there is sufficient technology and equipment available on the market today to overcome them.

One of the most common features of a port with “challenging water conditions” is a high level of total suspended solids (TSS). These waters can be found all over the world, from Shanghai to Mississippi and Hamburg to Rotterdam. But, as the band Beautiful South once sang, “this could be Rotterdam or anywhere”, as conditions and TSS levels regularly fluctuate based on weather, seasons, tide, traffic and so on.

MEPC 77 merely reinforced the status quo

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

when it comes to ballast water management in ports with challenging water conditions and there are currently no blanket exemptions or bypassing of systems for ships operating in these conditions. There is no real basis for blanket exemptions. They would be contrary to the environmental aims of the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) and against the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 Life Below Water. Exceptions would allow cheap, lowquality systems to be by-passed in less-thanideal ballasting conditions.

The desire for blanket exemptions highlights the challenges that shipowners and operators face if they purchase a poorly performing BWMS or filter. Filtersafe has seen cases where filters have been retrospectively added to filterless systems ahead of operations in sediment-rich waters.

The team was also asked to retrofit one of its high-quality filters as a “pre-filter” to a shipowner’s existing system and low-quality filter from another supplier.

While these workarounds are effective,

26

they are a needlessly expensive and complex route to compliance when compared with simply fitting an appropriate BWMS with a highperforming filter from the outset.

Without blanket exceptions, there are essentially two options. The first is to seek concessions for a low-quality system. This involves operators taking the risk that they can succeed with running a low-quality filter and ineffective system, asking to use contingency measures on a case-bycase basis. This is not a long-term solution and has high opportunity costs. Crew will waste time, and therefore operators’ money, negotiating with the port on current water quality and whether they are compliant or not.

There also remains a high risk that the vessel will not comply with regulations; resulting in fines, damage to reputations and the eventual need to install an effective system at extra cost. Additionally, using contingency measures may result in contamination of ballast tanks and piping, increasing the risk of downstream compliance testing failures long after leaving challenging waters.

The second option, which is much simpler, is to ensure that purchasers are buying a BWMS and filter designed for the vessel’s route and operating profile. Initial CAPEX costs may be marginally higher, but OPEX costs are much lower. Operational delays and disruption and loss of hire are minimised, maximising trading time and profit. When properly evaluated, it’s

BALLAST WATER: VIEWPOINT

an obvious choice. So, how do you spot an appropriate high-quality system?

While current IMO testing standards require a BWMS and filter to function at 50mg/L TSS, ports such as Shanghai have TSS levels of up to 1,000mg/L. To simulate these conditions and to highlight how a BWMS and filter performs in real waters, the Shanghai Test was developed. This test is the gold standard for filters – which remain at the very heart of a BWMS – especially a system that is effective in sediment-rich waters.

The first piece of advice for owners and operators is to check the Shanghai Test score of the filter used in your prospective BWMS. Control Union, which independently verifies the tests, considers filtering to 1,000mg/L without clogging a pass. However, some filters, such as Filtersafe’s BS 101E filter with a 40μm and standard scanner, have filtered water as high as 2,450mg/L. A scalable cleaning mechanism is key to success in the Shanghai Test and therefore to success in sediment-rich waters. Cleaning can then be increased when ballasting in challenging water conditions to ensure a consistent flow rate and avoid clogging. Choosing a filter with an automatic self-cleaning capability will also save crew time and effort, allowing them to focus on other ballasting priorities.

Another key question to ask when choosing a system is, does this system keep my ballast tanks clean? A good BWMS filter doesn’t just remove

harmful organisms, it also filters sediment and other debris that can accumulate in ballast water tanks.

You need to clean these out for safety, regulatory and vessel efficiency reasons. Not to mention the extra carrying capacity you have without heavy sediment on board.

Ballast water management is one of the toughest water treatment challenges in the world – therefore it demands the best technical solutions.

Ship owners and operators who don’t put time and effort into choosing an appropriate BWMS and filter will be caught out and will ultimately end up paying more or paying twice for a BWMS. It is also important to choose a supplier who provides after-sales support and has in-depth knowledge.

Manufacturers should work in partnership with crew when they need assistance in managing challenging water conditions. This approach is essential, not least because ships’ crew have many, higher-priority tasks to complete during ballasting operations.

The bottom line is, operators should ask their vessel owners to purchase a high-quality system and shouldn’t charter a vessel with a poor one, especially if they’ll be charting potentially troubling, sediment-rich waters. Owners should ask shipyards to fit a BWMS with a high-quality filter when purchasing a new vessel or retrofitting a system. Otherwise, in the words of Abba, you’ll likely to be losing “money, money, money”.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

27

COMPANY PROFILE

ECOCHLOR: A FLEXIBLE APPROACH TO BWMS Ecochlor was founded in 2001 to provide simple, reliable, cost-effective and easy-to-use ballast water management systems (BWMSs) that can stand up to the most stringent regulations in the world.

Our BWMSs are “engineered for reliability” all the way down to the component level and are simple to operate with very few major components to maintain. This ensures maximum uptime, minimising equipment failure and extending the life of the BWMS. Therefore, OPEX costs are reduced, giving peace of mind to ships’ crew when entering any port worldwide.

Ecochlor systems use a chlorine dioxide (ClO2) treatment technology, which is highly effective in ALL water conditions – its efficacy is not affected

by salinity, temperature or turbidity, allowing for more flexibility with a ship’s trade routes.

Filtration is not necessary prior to treatment because ClO2 is not affected by suspended sediments or turbidity and primarily only reacts with living organisms.

Our range of BWMS put shipowners back in control of the ballast water management process by allowing them to choose which mode of operation is best for their vessels.

Our BWMS line of products includes:

ECOCHLOR® BWMS (FILTRATION & ClO2)

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

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

FILTERLESS EcoOne® BWMS (ClO2 ALONE)

Vessels operating this system can operate anywhere in marine and brackish waters (≥ 1 PSU), with no restrictions on temperature or turbidity.

HYBRID EcoOne® BWMS (FILTRATION & ClO2 OR ClO 2 ALONE)

This system allows shipowners to operate their BWMS either with or without a filter. This option is suited to shipowners who wish to have the flexibility of unrestricted operation globally, with the convenience of a no-filter system. Vessels that already have an Ecochlor BWMS with filters installed can easily upgrade to the hybrid option.

28

COMPANY PROFILE

Our spare parts and service network is located in multiple areas throughout the three major time zones to offer real-time response to our clients.

Everyone knows that Ecochlor’s BWMSs are very simple to operate, but we still offer multiple training alternatives for the crew postcommissioning. While on board for our chemical resupply approximately twice a year, we can provide shipboard training to any new crew members, as well as a simple maintenance check on the system if time allows. We also offer computer-based training, training at the shipowner’s facility and virtual training for the crew or land-based offices.

CHEMICAL RESUPPLY

EcoOne® filterless ballast water management system generator

Did you know? Ecochlor technicians analyse data from every ballast operation to ensure system operability.

Currently, 98% of Ecochlor’s installed systems are operational. All Ecochlor® BWMSs are International Maritime Organization and United States Coast Guard Type Approved. This stringent testing demonstrates that our technology can meet and exceed demanding regulations for compliance.

ECOCHLOR BWMS BENEFITS

Ecochlor’s BWMSs offer numerous advantages: » Filterless operation available with EcoOne® and Hybrid variants » No problematic Total Residual Oxidants (TRO) sensors that can interrupt ballasting or deballasting operation » No electrodes » No complex power supplies » Very low energy requirements, possibly the lowest in the industry » No secondary treatment or neutralisation allows for overboard de-ballasting from topside tanks » Only minor piping modifications for installation » Treatment for flow rates up to 16,200 m3/hour » Low power costs when cold ironing » Very low CO2 footprint

Did you know. We now offer turnkey installation options?. Through a network of partners, Ecochlor offers a full range of options to provide shipowners additional support for system installations. These services include: » Integration engineering » Door-to-door shipping, including assistance with ocean or air shipping, customs clearance and storage » Installation supervision and commissioning testing attendance (with Class approval) » Purchase and shipment of highgrade steel and plastic pipe » Materials to support the installation » Spare parts for redundancy on board the vessel The installation of an Ecochlor system initiates a relationship with the shipowner and operator that will last for the life of the vessel. Ecochlor has service engineers located throughout the US, Europe and Asia. We supply both local assistance and support, as well as having regional service managers in the US, China, Singapore and Europe.

We continue to strengthen our in-house team supported by carefully selected authorised installation and service partners strategically located worldwide.

We manage the logistics for: » Tracking chemical use with information supplied by the crew after every ballast operation » Ordering and delivering chemicals to the nearest port or vessel » Filling the chemical storage tanks and clean up Ecochlor is here for the long-term to provide reliable BWMS and as an Innovative “Green Marine” Technology Company. This year marks Ecochlor’s 21st year in the BWMS marketplace.

We aren’t in this business for the shortterm: our focus is to continue to offer shipowners systems that keep their vessels compliant both now and well into the future.

Additionally, our collaborations with other innovative maritime environmental technology providers have made Ecochlor a Green Marine technology and service solutions company, providing more than just BWMSs for our clients.

For more information, visit: ecochlor.com

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

29

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Using windpower is just one of the ways that companies are harnessing their resources to come up with eco-friendly solutions to existing power demands

WINDS OF CHANGE New data released recently has revealed how the global shipping industry will require the equivalent of the world’s entire current renewable energy demand in order to replace fossil fuel use.

Fuelling the Fourth Propulsion Revolution

by Stefan Ulreich from Germany’s University of Applied Sciences, and commissioned by the International Chamber of Shipping, highlights the enormous opportunity for investors and governments represented by the global shipping industry’s need for new, green fuels.

To reach the industry’s 2050 netzero goal, shipping’s fuel needs would require electricity from renewable sources to increase by up to 3,000TWh, the report showed. This is the equivalent of the entire world’s current renewable energy production.

It found that to achieve the International Energy Agency’s net-zero emissions by 2050 scenario, the world would need an 18-fold increase in existing renewable production capacity.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

Taking the global trading of hydrogen as an exemplar, the report identified substantial potential benefits for exporting and importing countries, particularly in the global south. This is due to the expected production cost differentials of such fuels across the world (expected range of €72.60/ MWh to €156.40/MWh in 2050).

The cost range reflects the abundance of renewable potential, such as solar and wind power, in many African and Latin American countries, which can generate the electricity needed in the production of hydrogen fuels at much lower cost.

The report identified the first movers who are looking to seize these investment opportunities, including Germany, Algeria, and Chile, who have signed multiple bilateral agreements on the production of hydrogen fuels (seen as key for powering ships).

Unveiled at the World Ports Conference in Vancouver, Canada, the report urgently calls for increased R&D in green fuels, and to specifically develop production infrastructure

30

in key geographic locations such as Latin America and Africa.

Estimates show a production potential of more than 10,000 TWh for net-zero carbon fuels in coastal regions worldwide. Shipping views investment in these areas as key to helping countries realise the potential gains present in their bilateral agreements.

Up to this point, there continues to be a lack of investment in zeroemission technologies, with the IEA highlighting that the total amount of corporate R&D investment for maritime has decreased, from $2.7bn in 2017 to $1.6bn in 2019.

Yet by 2050, at least half of net-zero fuels traded globally are expected to be moved by ships, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. The report indicates that this makes maritime a key enabler of the decarbonisation of land-based industrial sectors.

Professor Ulreich comments: “To meet the enormous demand for hydrogen-based fuels in the global north, production centres in the global south are urgently needed.

“While governments are beginning to realise the need to transition to fuels like hydrogen, little thought to date seems to have been given to how they will actually transport those fuels.

“Shipping must be part of wider energy transition negotiations, and shipping and ports are going to need investment. But with this investment comes huge opportunity for return.”

Stuart Neil, director of strategy and communications at the International Chamber of Shipping adds: “Shipping will be a key enabler of the global energy transition, providing cost effective and flexible solutions to transport at least half of the net-zero carbon fuels traded around the world.

“A great deal is talked about the global energy transition to zeroemission fuels outside of shipping. But what we have found in this report is that there is a tremendous opportunity for all.”

To download a copy of the report, visit: tinyurl.com/FourthPropulsion

RENEWABLE ENERGY

JOINT EFFORTS

Netherlands-based Econowind and Vertom have recently announced a collaborative project to install windassist VentiFoil units on multiple vessels by the end of this year. These will be retrofitted on the general cargo vessels Progress and Perfect, making it the first fleet order for Econowind.

Econowind will install the next generation VentiFoils on the vessels.

The suction method has been upgraded, which results in limiting the number of moving parts. This next step by Vertom allows Econowind to further invest in production methods, making production faster.

Thomas van Meerkerk of Vertom says: “Vertom recognised the momentum for partnerships with a clear focus on decarbonising our business activities and supply chain. After considering the business case of the VentiFoil units, we are pleased to extend our collaboration with Econowind with an order for two vessels.”

Vertom has been studying wind assisted propulsion in more detail for their vessels since signing the contract for the retrofit of two VentiFoils on the Anna, which will be installed in June.

Vertom made the decision to invest in the VentiFoil, by also closely considering the following key variables: EEXI, Carbon Intensity Index for existing ships; CII, CO2 per nautical mile in operation; EEOI, emission per cargo.

Rolf van Leeuwen, senior technical superintendent of Vertom, says: “Installing the VentiFoils is a big step forward in reducing (CO2) emissions and fuel consumption for our current fleet. It is, along with our upcoming newbuilding program, a good step towards reducing our carbon footprint.”

Frank Nieuwenhuis, chief of Econowind adds: “We are delighted to make this next step in making shipping more sustainable together. The more installations we can retrofit, the more data we can attain and learn from. This provides us with solid proof of how wind-assisted ship propulsion is reducing emissions per nautical mile and improving vessels their EEXI / EEDI. This also serves as a justification for the investment – the costs of systems can be covered by the savings.”

ODFJELL APPROVAL

Classification society DNV has awarded Odfjell Oceanwind Approval in Principle (AiP) for its new Deepsea Semi floating wind foundation design. The design has been developed for use in floating wind farms and for off-grid applications including temporary electrification of oil and gas installations in harsh environments.

The Deepsea Semi foundation is designed for wind turbine generators up to 15MW and has been developed for low cost, industrial massproduction. The design basis includes all areas for floating wind farms currently in planning in the North Atlantic region, including Scotwind and Utsira Nord, and covers a range of 601,300m water depth “This AiP marks an important milestone for us,” says Per Lund, chief executive of Odfjell Oceanwind.

“Building on the long-term relationship with DNV, we have chosen to work closely with them from day one in our development and will continue to do so for the class approval and certification of our fleet of Mobile Offshore Wind Units. The mindset from shipping that we share with DNV has proved to be valuable for us in creating a product and service for floating wind power that scales much faster than what we have seen in the industry before.”

“Several recent expert reports have highlighted how important it is to tackle the climate crisis today. As such, we need to be exploring solutions that can maximise the contribution of sustainable, zero carbon energy generation to the energy transition,” comments Erik Henriksen, director of business development - offshore classification at DNV. “Novel solutions

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

31

RENEWABLE ENERGY

need the grounding of solid technical standards to build the trust that is essential for them to succeed in the market.”

The design has been developed for use in Odfjell Oceanwind’s fleet of Mobile Offshore Wind Units. Odfjell Oceanwind plans to order the first batch of units later in 2022, with a plan of going into operation in 2024. The units will be operated as one fleet under Odfjell Oceanwind’s management.

SUPER-SIZE SAIL

Classification society Bureau Veritas has provided Approval in Principle (AiP) to shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique for its sailing propulsion system, Solid Sail, tailored for the large ships market.

Solid Sail is a 1,200m² rigid sail made of composite panels assembled together, which was developed specifically for large vessels. The system overcomes the usual size limitations of standard fabric sails.

Moreover, the rigidity of the sail panels induces less flapping and therefore increases the estimated life compared to a soft sail.

Increasing the energy efficiency of cruise ships and lowering their impact on the environment are two of the main objectives of Ecorizon®, Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s R&D pioneering 14-year old programme dedicated to ship energy and environmental efficiencies.

The approval in principle step paves the way for the commercialisation of Solid Sail and its installation on large cruise ships.

Frédéric Grizaud, senior vice president at Chantiers de l’Atlantique, says: “The concept of Solid Sail is the first of its kind and is the most advanced and innovative solution of sailing propulsion of the large ships market. The integration on-board a passenger ship of such an innovative solution is only possible thanks to the tremendous collaborative work done with Bureau Veritas on its new rules on Wind Assisted Propulsion.”

Laurent Leblanc, senior vice president technical and operations at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, comments: “The power of the wind, even if it is not always available, can

make a significant contribution to greenhouse gas-free ship propulsion and ship design. We are pleased to deliver this AiP to Chantiers de l’Atlantique, bringing trust in wind propulsion systems and supporting the GHG emission reduction of shipping more generally. That’s how we can help shape a better maritime world.

We look forward to seeing the system in operation.”

ROTOR SAIL FOR RO-ROS

Wind propulsion provider Norsepower Oy, recently announced an agreement signed with CLdN, the logistics specialist for road, sea and rail, to install two tilting rotor sails onboard a 2018-built ro-ro vessel. Preparations are currently taking place with the installation anticipated to be completed

by December 2022.

The Delphine, a vessel with a cargo capacity of close to 8,000 lane meters, transits between the UK, Ireland and Europe and is the largest short sea ro-ro vessel operating in the world today. With two 35mx5m rotor sails, Norsepower has estimated that the technology would achieve a fuel and emission reduction saving of between 7 to 10% for this vessel, depending on the route.

The Norsepower rotor sail solution – which can be installed on new vessels or retrofitted on existing ships – is a modernised version of the Flettner rotor, a spinning cylinder that uses the magnus effect to harness wind power to thrust a ship. At the time the contract was signed, this was the seventh vessel to be installed with Norsepower’s rotor sails.

Tuomas Riski, chief executive of Norsepower, says: “Seeing the interest

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

grow in our tilting rotor sail design demonstrates how the industry is looking for proven, flexible solutions to lower carbon emissions and reduce fuel costs across a range of vessel sizes and operations.

“Norsepower’s rotor sail installation on the Delphine demonstrates how the use of clean technology can modernise and evolve the performance of fleets’ younger vessels to manage emissions and help to increase asset value. With fuel becoming increasingly expensive, making savings will also have a huge impact on commercial success. Working with CLdN and its ambitious team is an opportunity to demonstrate what our technology has to offer to continue strengthening the environmental and commercial performance of its fleet.”

Gary Walker, COO Shipping at CLdN, adds: “ This demand for cleaner shipping is growing and we are committed to making measurable progress. Installing two of Norsepower’s rotor sails will maximise our fuel and emissions savings on the MV Delphine, and this pilot project will help determine how the rotor sail technology could be rolled out on the current CLdN fleet and our newbuild vessels. We look forward to the installation and subsequent results.”

The company claims the Norsepower rotor sail is the first third-party verified and commercially operational auxiliary wind propulsion technology for the global maritime industry. Norsepower adds that the solution is fully automated and detects whenever the wind is strong enough to deliver fuel and emission savings, at which point the rotor sails start automatically.

© HR Wallingford

32

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

As shipowners and operators have pushed ahead with ship orders including duel fuel LNG propulsion, there are fears that the market has already peaked

PEAKS AND TROUGHS The recent run of newbuilding capesize bulk carrier orders featuring dual-fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion may have peaked, according to research and forecasting company Maritime Strategies International.

The fall-off in interest in LNG-fuelled ships raises concerns over their long term viability against tightening regulation and growth in availability of ammonia and methanol-ready dual fuel engines.

Concern over the shape of future lowcarbon regulations are partly to blame for muted dry bulk newbuilding orders during 2021, despite bulkers registering the highest average annual earnings since 2007/08.

Contracts declined sharply over the second half of last year and have all but disappeared in 2022: for the year to March, just seven new dry bulk contracts have been reported.

One of the most notable trends from last year was a sharp uptick in LNG’s share of contracts – 31 of the 77 capesize vessels ordered were dual-fuelled ships. Most of

these were built on the back of long-term charter agreements between miners and shipowners, stretching over a period of between five and 10 years.

MSI’s Q1 Dry Bulk report notes that there does now seem to be an emerging consensus on future fuels for shipping, converging on ammonia or methanol, which may have the effect of supressing contracting if a workable low-carbon solution is deemed to be just around the corner. It suggests that the ordering of ships with dual-fuel LNG engines may have already peaked, as a commercial solution for ammonia and methanol fuels looks to be edging closer.

“Given the commitments by the major mining companies already in place, the recent spate of capesize dual-fuel contracts may have already run its course,” says AlexStuart Grumbar, dry bulk analyst at MSI. “Owners ordering dual-fuelled ships with an economic life of more than 15 years will also be mindful of the expected market conditions towards the end of the 2030s and the

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

33

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

composition of the fleet. The question is how much will LNG-fuelled ships be penalised should a majority of the fleet by then be using non-fossil based zerocarbon fuels.”

Many of the early designs for ammonia as fuel have so far originated from Japan: Sumitomo Corporation in conjunction with Oshima Shipbuilding is developing an ammonia fuelled Kamsarmax bulker, with aim of taking first delivery by 2025. Another compelling solution has been proposed

by Nippon Yusen Kaisha and Elomatic Oy, which have just completed the development of a concept designs for an LNG- fuelled but ammonia-ready post-Panamax bulk and are also aiming to construct the vessel by 2025.

For more information on the MSI Dry Bulk Q1 2022 report, Demand Destruction, visit: msiltd.com

NUCLEAR DECARBONISING

A new report from Core Power shows that the US now has the ideal opportunity to demonstrate to the world the clear benefits of advanced nuclear technologies to decarbonise maritime transportation in its own domestic market.

The US maritime trade sector is a $50bn market that employs around 150,000 people, transporting goods on the Great Lakes, up and down the three coasts as well as transporting goods on the major US inland waterways.

Airborne emissions from US domestic shipping stand at more than 60m tonnes of CO2 per year from the burning of heavy fuel oil as well as liquefied natural gas and marine gas oil.

Tony Huston, US country head at Core Power, says: “The transport of goods on the US coasts, Great Lakes and internal waterways offers strong proof of concept for nuclear powered decarbonisation without the complex regulatory hurdles of moving reactors between nation-states.”

The US has a long record of using nuclear power in its navy with an exemplary safety record. This has led to increased interest in the use of nuclear power for civilian vessels, particularly from US special presidential envoy for climate John Kerry, reflecting on his own naval

career during COP26 in Glasgow last year.

Huston says: "Kerry made it clear that the US nuclear navy has operated for almost 70 years without incident and has the best-trained seafarers in the world. We believe the deployment of commercial nuclear vessels would offer an entirely new career path for these seafarers once they leave the Navy. STEM qualified students from the US college system seeking wellpaid careers in an exciting industry could also be recruited to supplement the skills of the highly trained ex-US Navy personnel."

Advanced nuclear ships would be true zero-emission vessels and be immune to carbon pricing as it is introduced to fossil fuels. Large ships that consume close to 500,000 tons of fuel over a lifetime, emit more than 1.5m tons of CO2 whilst in service. With a carbon levy of $200 per ton, these ships would see an increased OPEX of $300m over a lifecycle. Advanced nuclear-powered ships would save this cost, making them highly competitive.

"The US would be in a prime position to become an exporter of transformative advanced nuclear technology for the maritime sector to trusted partner nations like the UK, allowing the US to create a valuable export market for technology built by highly skilled American workers.

By embracing the possibilities of advanced nuclear shipping, the US now can reinvigorate its shipbuilding and maritime sector putting itself at the forefront of one of the world’s most important industries," Huston concludes.

Read the full report at: corepower.energy/report/2022-02

UKRAINE IMPACT

As Europe struggles to build energy security in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, uncertainty looms on many fronts. One question is whether by turning its back on Russian oil and gas, will Europe speed up or slow down its transition to cleaner energy?

Class society DNV’s Energy Transition research team has looked into this complex question using DNV’s forecast model to quantify the impact.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

Its conclusion is that improved energy security does not come at the cost of decarbonisation and there is likely to be a small acceleration in Europe’s energy transition.

To read DNV’s analysis on how the ongoing war is likely to impact Europe’s energy transition in the short, medium, and long term, visit: tinyurl.com/DNVUkraineReport

BIOFUEL PIONEER

GoodFuels is expanding its activities into the Asia-Pacific region with the opening of a Singapore office. This new permanent presence in the region will enable GoodFuels to respond to fast-growing global demand for its advanced sustainable biofuels, which reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by up to 90%.

The Singapore office will be GoodFuels’ second office and its first outside of Europe. From the new office, GoodFuels will source and deliver its sustainable advanced biofuels directly to one of the world’s most important shipping and marine fuel hubs. The announcement marks the arrival in Asia of GoodFuels’ unique technology and biofuels blends, which “drop in” conventional tanks to cut carbon emissions without requiring any alterations to the fuel infrastructure or marine engines.

Singapore was chosen as the target for GoodFuels’ first international expansion because of its importance to the global shipping industry and its leading position as a key bunkering hub, with mature bunkering infrastructure that will support the delivery of marine biofuel.

The new Singapore office will be led by Jing Xieng JX Han, GoodFuels’ newly appointed general manager for Asia-Pacific.

GoodFuels’ advanced biofuels are produced from feedstocks which are certified as 100% waste or residue, including sawdust, crude tall oil (a by-product of wood pulp manufacture), tallow, sewage sludge and used cooking oils from industrial applications.

Over the past seven years, GoodFuels has completed hundreds of bio-bunkerings with companies from around the globe and on a

34

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

variety of vessel types, including dry bulk, container ships, tankers, and ro-ro vessels.

Dirk Kronemeijer, chief executive of GoodFuels, says: “The launch of this first regional office is a major milestone for GoodFuels, strongly setting us up in one of the most important shipping hubs. This is a unique opportunity to have an even greater positive impact on the environment, by scaling up our sustainable biofuels to enable more shipping companies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions today.”

DUEL-FUEL VLCC

AET, an owner and operator of maritime transportation assets and specialised services, has named its latest vessel, which is also one of the world’s first dual-fuel and among the most environmentally friendly VLCCs in the market.

Eagle Valence is the first of two dual-fuel VLCCs built for long-term charter to Chartering and Shipping Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of TotalEnergies.

The 300,000dwt tanker was unveiled earlier in the year at a virtual naming ceremony held at the Samsung Heavy Industries Shipyard in Geoje, South Korea.

Making the announcement, Rajalingam Subramaniam, chief executive of AET and COO of MISC Berhad says: “AET and TotalEnergies both have clear ambitions to

decarbonise shipping and we pushed boundaries to move towards a lower carbon future when we collaborated to build two of the first dual-fuel VLCCs in 2020. I am very proud that we are now setting a new benchmark for the maritime industry with our state-of-the art Eagle Valence, which is one of the first and among the most environmentally friendly VLCCs in the market.

Datuk Yee Yang Chien, president/ group CEO of MISC Berhad and chairman of AET says:“Our investment in dual-fuel vessels illustrates our commitment as the MISC Group, and in this instance through AET, to invest in solutions that contribute to the decarbonisation of the shipping sector over the long-term. We believe that LNG is the best fuel option available immediately for use while we continue our on-going efforts by leading, collaborating and contributing to other long-term initiatives that we hope will bring us closer to achieving a fully decarbonised sector.”

DNV SIGNS UP FOR CSOVS

At the Nor-Shipping trade fair in April, DNV signed a classification contract for two new commissioning service operation vessels (CSOVs), ordered by the Norwegian pure play offshore wind operator Edda Wind.

The vessels will be built at Colombo Dockyard in Sri Lanka and are designed for service operations during

the commissioning and operation of offshore wind farms and are prepared for hydrogen operations. They are scheduled to be delivered under the Norwegian Flag in January 2024 and July 2024.

Advanced CSOVs that offer both next-generation technology and comfortable accommodation are an important part of the value chain in a booming offshore wind segment that is expected to grow as the demand for renewable energy soars over the coming decade.

The new additions to the Edda Wind fleet will function as mother ships for wind turbine technicians as they perform commissioning and maintenance work on wind turbines, with accommodations for up to 97 technicians and 23 marine crew.

The planned hydrogen fuel system will be based on the liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) design by Hydrogenious LOHC Maritime AS and prepares the vessels for future zeroemission operations.

“Ordering these purpose-built CSOVs will further strengthen Edda Wind’s leading position within offshore wind, and we are very pleased to have DNV as our classification partner on this journey,” says Håkon Vevang, chief commercial Officer of Edda Wind.

“Tremendous growth is expected in the offshore wind market over the next decades, and the move is a clear signal of Edda Wind’s ambition

“Tremendous growth is expected in the offshore wind market over the next decades” The class contact signing at Nor-Shipping: (L-R Håkon Vevang, Chief Commercial Officer of Edda Wind, Tuva Flagstad-Andersen, Regional Manager, Region North Europe at DNV, and Lal Hettiarachchi, General Manager (Projects engineering) at Colombo Dockyard)

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

35

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

to be a world-leading provider in this segment and our commitment to ensuring that our newbuilds are environmentally friendly.”

The CSOVs will measure 89.3m and will have accommodation for up to 97 technicians and 23 marine crew

EMETHANOL INVESTMENT

Liquid Wind, a leading eMethanol producer, has undertaken a lifecycle assessment that concludes that eMethanol produced from renewable energy sources can have carbon equivalence of up to 94% lower than fossil fuels.

The results are contained in a White Paper produced by Liquid Wind. The paper’s conclusion reinforces calls for maritime regulators to assess the carbon impact of marine fuels on a lifecycle basis, in the process providing the means to dramatically lower the carbon emissions from merchant shipping.

To meet the growing demand for carbon neutral fuel and the need to reduce CO2 emissions, Liquid Wind is developing FlagshipONE, a commercialscale renewable eMethanol facility that will capture CO2 emissions from a biomass combined heat and power plant.

To quantify the environmental benefit, Liquid Wind performed an internal lifecycle analysis to determine the emissions of the eMethanol to be produced at FlagshipONE, considering all stages of the eMethanol lifecycle and identifying the greenhouse gas reduction potential compared to conventional fuels.

The well-to-gate emissions of FlagshipONE eMethanol (life-cycle emission when leaving the production facility) are relatively small, at around -1.3 kg CO2eq per kg of eMethanol produced. About -1.4 kg of CO2 is from capturing the carbon and is credited as negative emissions.

When the scope is expanded to include the “use phase”, well-towake, the emissions of transport and combustion are considered. The captured CO2 is re-emitted, which results in a net positive climate change potential of about 5gCO2eq/MJ. “Together with our consortium partners, Liquid Wind is demonstrating the potential that sustainable marine fuels can make to reducing carbon emissions when carbon is considered on a lifecycle basis,” says Claes Fredriksson, CEO and founder of Liquid Wind. ”With further regulatory alignment, marine fuel buyers and end users can understand how to make their operations cleaner and greener and demonstrate that to their stakeholders.”

HYDROGEN MOU

Bureau Veritas, Vinssen and the EcoLabs Centre of Innovation for Energy at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with plans to demonstrate commercialisation of eco-friendly marine propulsion system technology and products in Singapore and Korea.

Under the agreement, BV, Vinssen and EcoLabs, which is based in the university’s Energy Research Institute, will be working together to develop a pilot project in Singapore demonstrating hydrogen-based power generation by discovering in-depth knowledge about hydrogen to be used as an eco-friendly marine

fuel by integrating hydrogen fuel cell systems on harbour crafts.

David Barrow, vice-president of Bureau Veritas South Asia Zone, Marine & Offshore says: “Bureau Veritas is glad to have the industrial expert, Vinssen, and a world-renowned university, NTU Singapore, working together hand in hand to come up with solutions for the changing industry needs. With strong industrial collaboration, BV shall continue to provide turn-key services for marine environment protection and innovation towards sustainable maritime.”

BV’s new Centre of Excellence innovation and Centre for Alternative and Renewable Energy (iCARE), will be leading the initiative and working with Vinssen and NTU’s EcoLabs to produce commercially feasible studies that could empower organisations to take up sustainable growth and work towards a greener future together.

“With strong industrial collaboration, BV shall continue to provide turn-key services for marine environment protection”

Bureau Veritas, Vinssen and NTU Singapore will develop hydrogen fuelled vessels together

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

36

ALTERNATIVE FUELS

FERRY FIRST

Bureau Veritas approves Energy Observer Developments REXH2®, a turnkey electro-hydrogen power generator for the supply of low carbon electricity on board ships

POWER GENERATION

Bureau Veritas recently approved the second generation of the REXH2® developed by Energy Observer Developments (EODev), a turn-key power generator for the supply of lowcarbon electricity on board ships.

The hydrogen PEM fuel cell at its heart makes it possible to meet energy needs ranging from 70 kW to about one megawatt when several REXH2® are installed in parallel.

The Approval in Principle (AIP) obtained by EODev for its REXH2® fuel cell design follows a thorough design review against the latest classification rules and regulations, assessing its compliance with the IGF Code specific

“The procedure to obtain Type Approval on the definitive version of the new REXH2 has already started”

safety regulations for vessels using gases and low-flashpoint fuels. It also follows the recently released BV NR 547, applicable to the use of fuel cells onboard ships.

Collaborating closely through all the stages of development of the final product, Bureau Veritas and EODev achieved the AIP in record time to allow the start of serial production of the much-awaited marine power generator. The procedure to obtain Type Approval on the definitive version of the new REXH2® has already started and is expected to be completed by the end of 2022.

Both EODev’s and Bureau Veritas’ missions are to ensure the safe implementation of hydrogen technologies and promote the use of hydrogen as an energy source to support the decarbonisation of the shipping industry. BV and EODev will therefore continue to cooperate on the following activities: » Perform preliminary assessment of new marine hydrogen power solutions developed by EODev » Share technical expertise regarding hydrogen technologies to enable ramp-up of hydrogen usage onboard ships » Leverage relevant Class rules and Regulatory frameworks.

The southern hemisphere’s first fully electric, carbon fibre commuter ferry has successfully completed its inaugural round trip with a Thordon seawater lubricated propeller shaft arrangement supplied by New Zealand’s Henley Engineering.

Ika Rere, Mãori for flying fish, joined the East by West fleet in December, operating the company’s Wellington to Eastbourne route.

Commenting on the ferry’s first trip, between West Queen’s Wharf and Days Bay, Henley Engineering managing director, Mark Power, says: “Ika Rere runs like a Tesla Model S. It’s fast, efficient, smooth and quiet. It is a truly inspiring vessel. We hope to be involved in more projects like this.”

Auckland based Henley Group – Thordon’s authorised distributor for New Zealand – designed and supplied the vessel’s driveshafts aft of twin 325kW battery-powered electric motors.

The scope of supply included a pair of Thordon SXL seawater lubricated propeller shaft bearings installed in Easiflow GRP sterntubes; shaft seals with Thordon XL oil/grease-free guide bushes; shaft lines and propeller; couplings, mounts, thrust bearings and brakes.

The 62ft, 135-passengercarrying fast cat is also the first vessel delivered by the Wellington Electric Boat Building Company (WEBBCo), a joint venture between the ferry operator and established boatbuilder Fraser Foote.

WEBBCo managing director Fraser Foote says: “The ferry is very quiet at 19 knots and silent at 10 knots. It is faster and uses less energy than we anticipated.

“Ika Rere is a hugely successful project for us. We are the first in the southern hemisphere to have taken a vessel of this kind off the drawing board and onto the water.”

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

37

FUEL EFFICIENCY

Given the costs involved, particularly in the current environment, ensuring maximum fuel efficiency is essential for the maritime industry

EFFICIENCY AT THE FOREFRONT More than 250 shipowners and operators using the PortsDirect platform will be able to take advantage of Svitzer’s new EcoTow towage solution to reduce in-port emissions and drive sustainability in their supply chains.

PortsDirect, a leading company for the structured procurement of discounted rate agreements with quality port services providers for the benefit of its customers, has announced a landmark partnership with Svitzer, a global towage operator and part of AP Moller-Maersk. The collaboration will give PortsDirect’s 250 ship-owning and operating customers the ability to choose Svitzer’s new carbon-neutral EcoTow service.

Svitzer’s 10 EcoTow tugs powered by marine biofuel in London and Medway operate entirely on hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) – an ISSC and RSB-certified sustainable second-generation biofuel produced by using waste material such as used cooking oil as feedstocks. The biofuel reduces carbon emissions by 100% on a tank-to-wake basis and 90% on a well-to-

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

wake basis compared to marine diesel.

By choosing to use EcoTow, PortsDirect’s customers will be able to lower their Scope 3 emissions, which make up the majority of a company’s carbon footprint and improve the sustainability of their supply chains.

Svitzer will partner with an independent auditor which will enable the organisation to provide PortsDirect customers with a CO2 savings certificate compliant with regulatory authorities.

For shipowners and operators, PortsDirect’s services include the provision of discounted rate agreements for port services such as towage, launches and pilotage. PortsDirect also deals with the management and administration of such service agreements for the benefit of its customers which takes away the time and hassle of negotiating separate contracts with individual suppliers, and enables them to benefit from PortsDirect’s discounts, saving money every year.

Commenting on the partnership, Kenny Bjergstad, managing director of PortsDirect,

38

says: “Our customers recognise the importance of reducing their CO2 emissions and supporting the rest of the industry in meeting shipping’s decarbonisation pathway and targets.

“The entire supply chain is under scrutiny for where efficiency gains can be made and our partnership with Svitzer provides our customers with the opportunity to address and further improve their Scope 3 emissions within the port environment, improving their sustainability, but also their competitiveness in the eyes of counterparties.

“We remain committed to always supporting them in meeting their own sustainability strategies and targets in what is the biggest challenge for the shipping industry.”

Sven Lumber, head of EcoTow at Svitzer, says: “The reception for EcoTow in London and Medway has simply been fantastic, proving that the shipping industry is looking for solutions to help it make decarbonisation progress in the near term.

“Our innovative and world-first carbon-neutral towage solution is an obvious fit to be able to offer to PortsDirect’s customers, and we look forward to further collaboration as we work together to reduce the environmental impact of towage and other services in the port ecosystem.”

EFFICIENCY REPORT

The Blue Sky Maritime Coalition (BSMC) has released a new report, A Perspective on IMO Efficiency Measures: Opportunities for Improvement, which highlights key opportunities to improve current international efficiency measures.

“This report is a great example of industry collaborating to find opportunities for improvement and spurring further discussion among key stakeholders. As a member-led organisation focused on decarbonising the maritime industry, BSMC brings together diverse perspectives with the goal of getting to net-zero emissions by 2050, and this report offers another step in that direction,” says David Cummins, BSMC president and CEO. Developed by the Finance, Commercial and Chartering

FUEL EFFICIENCY

Workstream, the report offers insights on how decisions made by charterers can affect vessel operations, ultimately impacting the efficiency rating of shipowners.

The report concludes that more work will be needed to fine tune the existing calculation method and benchmarking. Maritime stakeholders welcome the opportunity to improve vessel operational performance through robust reporting regimes, necessary to consistently measure emissions.

To address the issues raised, the report recommends mutual responsibility and obligation by both the charterer and shipowner to reduce emissions.

To accomplish this, both parties must have transparent negotiations and data sharing under a new era of chartering contracts where environmental key performance indicators become instrumental to vessel selection criteria and commercial utilisation.

To read more, download a copy of the report at: tinyurl.com/BlueSky-Report

“Maritime stakeholders welcome the opportunity to improve vessel operational performance through robust reporting regimes”

DIGITAL GREEN TANKER

Leading Swedish tanker operator Terntank recently accepted delivery of Tern Fors. The vessel is the second tanker of a series of two that combine liquefied natural gas (LNG)/LNG engine-powered engines, are 100% biofuel compatible, emit no greenhouse gases or carbon particulates during port operations and facilitate enhanced digital solution for just-in-time management.

The ship was delivered from China Merchants Jinling Shipyard, Yangzhou, Dingheng.

Designed by Terntank and Kongsberg Maritime, Tern Fors is the second 15,000DWT chemical and product tankers. The vessel has been uniquely designed with a hybrid solution combining a dualfuel-powered engine that uses liquefied biogas or LNG, which means that it is able to operate on completely fossil-free fuel.

Additionally, Tern Fors has been installed with Kongsberg’s digital solution vessel insight. The digital solution installed upon the vessel optimises voyages, achieved by constantly adjusting the vessel’s speed to meet its agreed time of arrival and utilising slow streaming, which allows the vessel to send a virtual NOR, moving directly into port, instead of dropping anchor and waiting to berth.

This also ensures compliance with the BIMCO clause on slow steaming and tracks real-time savings.

This digital solution offers enhancement to the company’s just-in-time management, which is continuously being developed, providing vessel-to-cloud data infrastructure capturing and aggregating quality data in respect to the vessel’s overall operation.

The data gathered ranges from engine and piston performance, hull build up, to even contact with ice.

This data is then utilised to allow efficient and proactive maintenance, evidently leading to reduced emissions, placing Terntank’s green operations in another league.

Furthermore, Tern Fors and sister vessel Tern Island are 100% biofuel compatible. The main engine, boiler and auxiliary engine are designed to

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

39

FUEL EFFICIENCY

reduce the environmental impact and perform safe operations running on biofuels.

By combining the optimised hull and rudder design with dual fuel capability, when utilising 30% biogas, in comparison to a same-sized conventional vessel, Tern Fors reduces emission by -70% of CO2 and almost eliminated the emissions of sulphur oxide (-99%), of particle emission, (-99%) and nitrogen oxide (-97%).

Claes Möller, CEO of Tärntank Ship Management, notes: “The delivery of Tern Island and Tern Fors mark our ongoing journey to evolve and learn, in respect of continuously developing sustainable shipping across all range of our operations. The innovative ship design of Tern Fors and Tern Island, unites technical and digital solutions that optimise voyages, achieves a drastic decrease in emissions and most significantly assists our crew onboard in daily operations. ” The ships not only drastically lower emissions via fuel consumption and digital solutions, as well as the ability to eliminate the use of fossil fuel during port operations with their HYBRID SOLUTION®, the delivery of the vessels is also a clear signal of Terntank’s ambition to be a forerunner in the sector and an indication of the important role of digital solutions in shaping the new green era in shipping.

Tern Fors has a cargo capacity of 16,500 cubic meters in 14 epoxy coated tanks, will be commercially operated by the Finnish North European Oil Trade (NEOT) in the Baltic Sea area and will

be included in a pool along with other vessels from Terntank. The vessel, which has been delivered before contract date due to the efforts of everyone involved, will now proceed to Europe fully loaded with bio products.

CLEAN AGREEMENT

Clean technology company Silverstream Technologies recently announced that it has reached an agreement with Klaveness Combination Carriers (KCC) to install an innovative new version of its proven air lubrication system, the Silverstream® System, on up to 11 vessels, including three CABU II class and eight CLEANBU class vessels.

The Silverstream® System uses a series of air release units (ARUs) in the vessel’s flat bottom to generate a uniform carpet of microbubbles that travel the full length of the hull, reducing friction between the hull and the water and substantially reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions as a result.

Silverstream’s patented technology maximises these net efficiency gains through the system’s low power consumption and highly effective delivery of microbubbles into the boundary layer.

The retrofit installations will commence in early 2023 and take two years to complete. The collaboration between Klaveness and Silverstream Technologies has resulted in a pioneering solution suitable for any standard tanker and bulk carrier of this size. The deal enables KCC to further

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

enhance the already market-leading environmental performance of its combination carrier fleet.

With its capability to carry both types of cargo and other design improvements, KCC’s vessels emit up to 40% less CO2 per ton-mile compared to standard tanker or bulk carriers in similar trading patterns – a high performance benchmark that will be boosted by the installation of the Silverstream® System.

Noah Silberschmidt, CEO of Silverstream Technologies, says: “We are delighted to sign this deal with KCC and begin work to retrofit our technology across its fleet. KCC has a strong and well-deserved reputation for being a sustainability leader and a genuinely green-minded innovator, and we are confident that our system will help to boost these credentials even further.

“The deal also proves Silverstream’s ability to take on complex retrofit projects and again underlines the attractiveness of our unique technology to a wide range of shipping segments and vessel operations. It also strengthens our ability to be able to serve unique vessel types and positions us perfectly to scale up adoption of our solution in both dry bulk and tanker shipping.

“Shipping has precious little time to act on its environmental footprint and proven clean technologies like the Silverstream® System are one of the only ways that owners and operators can get ahead of the curve.

We look forward to further scaling our technology across a range of vessel types and fleet sizes in the near future.”

Engebret Dahm, CEO of KCC, adds: “Maximising the energy efficiency of our fleet is a top priority for KCC. It is a prerequisite for reaching our decarbonisation targets and succeeding with the future energy transition. We are pleased to conclude the deal with Silverstream and to start the installation of Silverstream’s air lubrification system on two vessels in 2023, with the intention to roll out the system on a further nine vessels during 2024-25.

“The system is an important part of a larger planned energy efficiency retrofit programme at KCC.”

40

DECARBONISATION: VIEWPOINT

Having the right infrastructure, including fuel supply systems will play a key role in ensuring efficiencies, continuity and safety, says John Bergman, chief executive officer at Auramarine

A FUEL-AGNOSTIC APPROACH

John Bergman Chief Executive Officer, Auramarine

The phrase “take action now” couldn’t speak more truth when it comes to tackling the marine industry’s decarbonisation pathway.

Achieving the upcoming regulatory targets will require shipowners and operators to embrace an effective future fuel strategy to drive emissions reduction and sustainability.

The transition to decarbonise the shipping industry is unprecedented in both urgency and breadth. In recent months, we have seen climate debates unfold and reports emerge that place pressure on industries to take action in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Examples of this can be seen with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) most recent climate change report that emphasises the need for immediate action – “every tonne of emissions reduction matters, and every investment in adaptation matters” – and

at COP26 for including shipping for the first time that solidifies the importance of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

The challenge here lies in the need for the shipping industry to start showing sustainability progress. So how should companies approach the energy transition?

While the momentum is building, we can all recognise that there will not be one single solution to reach shipping’s GHG emissions targets. There will be a gradual evolution as future fuels continue to be developed, and questions over availability and cost become clearer.

In conjunction with this, there needs to be complete scrutiny of every aspect of the supply process and the supporting fuel supply infrastructure that is needed to drive the widespread and successful uptake, which will ensure the continuity and safety of operations in a future fuels world.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

41

DECARBONISATION: VIEWPOINT

A key element of this is to ensure that the right bunkering and onboard operational infrastructure are fully developed, proven and in place to inspire ship owner and operator confidence; indeed having the right fuel supply system for alternative fuels must become part of the overarching decarbonisation solution for maritime players.

Providing owners and operators with an expert technical review of a vessel’s or fleet’s fuel supply system will determine the best adaptation of existing onboard technology to effectively and safely handle new and future fuels.

Right now, one of the most viable pathways to drive decarbonisation for shipping is the use of methanol as a marine fuel. Powering vessels with methanol could be a major first steppingstone for ship owners and operators looking to achieve full carbon

neutrality as it opens the door to green methanol. By choosing methanol, owners and operators will immediately comply with EEDI and EEXI regulations, as well as support the drive to achieve the IMO’s GHG emissions targets for 2030 and 2050.

To meet the demand for methanol as a viable future fuel, at Auramarine we have already taken the necessary steps to bring this fuel into operation, and are in advanced discussions and collaborating with shipowners, operators, OEMs and shipyards for the development of a fuel supply system for methanol.

Another option that can help to reduce shipping emissions immediately is sustainable biofuel. As this fuel can be corrosive and wear on metals, it is important to ensure every element of material used in a vessel’s fuel supply units is analysed and examined to underpin a safe environment for the

fuel. It is this attention to detail and assuring that all bases have been covered that will be the foundation in enhancing shipowner confidence and drive further uptake.

With our long-standing knowledge of marine fuels, we have developed a blueprint in determining the requirements of bringing new fuels online, while also enabling the use of fuels currently available to the market from a supply system perspective.

We are delivering a full suite of modular fuel supply and auxiliary systems for alternative fuels with a full lifecycle service to support this critical energy transition within the industry.

What is most important to remember is that there are partners and solutions available to the market today that can support shipping on its decarbonisation journey to create a more socially and environmentally responsible industry.

The Transition to decarbonise the shipping industry is unprecedented in both urgency and breadth

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

42

DECARBONISATION: VIEWPOINT

Last year’s climate talks have accelerated the decarbonisation debate in the shipping industry, demonstrating the need to focus on immediate gains and set the industry up for long term success

DE-RISKING DECARBONISATION

Sebastiaan Bleuanus General Manager, Wärtsilä

Following the global COP26 climate conference at the end of last year, many green shipping actors were left disappointed by the outcomes of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) MEPC77 meeting a few weeks after.

Although these talks have reinforced the scale of the challenge shipping has to transform itself into a more sustainable industry in a relatively short timeframe, no drastic action has been taken by the IMO to the regulatory landscape set out for 2030 and 2050. Add to that the mounting social pressure from consumers who are pushing for more transparency in environmental, social and corporate governance, the challenge is unprecedented in both urgency and complexity.

Despite this, decarbonisation frontrunners can lead shipping’s energy transition if they make decisions in the short term to set themselves up for long-term success. Add this all together and you have the ingredients for transformational change in an industry

responsible for around 90% of world trade volumes.

But the big question remains: how can shipping get the trajectory to net-zero right and at a rapid pace?

What is clear is that emissions in the global maritime industry are likely to increase unless action is taken today.

It won’t be an easy mountain to climb, but it’s one we can start taking steps in today if we utilise the solutions already available to the market today and make de-risking decarbonisation a strategic priority.

The good news is that we have started to see progress across the industry. We’ve seen key players, including Wärtsilä, sign the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonisation initiative, which aims for net-zero emissions by 2050.

To deliver on the most ambitious requirements of 2050, we will not only need sustainable fuels but also efficiency enhancing technologies. Going into 2022, technology is at the forefront of this

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

43

DECARBONISATION: VIEWPOINT transformation. Zero-emission ship concepts have started to emerge, and we are seeing a wave of low carbon fuel bunker trials.

But before we consider achieving net-zero, there are many steps to take before then. Stalling or failing to take action could greatly impact a vessel’s profitability or even render it a stranded asset, so a step-by-step approach gives us the best chance of achieving full decarbonisation whilst safeguarding profitability.

To enable the first right steps towards the IMO’s 2030 and 2050 goals, owners and operators should de-risk the energy transition by reducing baseline emissions now.

Taking this course of action will contribute to a further reduced fuel consumption and in turn, lower emissions. Options here include installing efficiency-boosting technology, such as wind-assist, propulsion system improvements, air lubrication, or hybridisation.

The main reason for this is that changing from fossil to sustainable fuels is currently, and will remain, quite expensive – hence the need to improve energy efficiency today.

The other key area to invest in is the engine room. The engine is an excellent platform to use any fuel, and will remain a big part of the business model in future decades.

Now that the green transition is underway, investing in an engine that unlocks a wider range of fuel options and possibilities for the future is a good insurance premium indeed. LNG for example will be a viable pathway for delivering on immediate decarbonisation because it can be used today and opens the door to zero-carbon fuels in future, such as bio-LNG, methanol, ammonia or hydrogen.

It is vital our industry remembers that it is possible to make sustainability progress today if we make de-risking the low carbon transition a strategic priority. So what first steps will you take to achieve decarbonisation?

How can shipping get the trajectory to net-zero right and at a rapid pace?

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

44

DECARBONISATION: VIEWPOINT

The industry coalition says it is disappointed to see an ongoing campaign of misinformation when it comes to methane slip

SEA-LNG FIGHTS BACK Methane slip from liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fuelled vessels is a recognised problem that the maritime industry has been actively addressing for well over a decade. As a multi-sector industry coalition established to demonstrate LNG’S benefits as a viable marine fuel, we are disappointed to see the ongoing campaign of misinformation that misrepresents the progress the industry has made, and is continuing to make, to reduce slip.

Sensationalist claims lacking scientific evidence are a transparent attempt to distract the industry from investing in LNG – a solution that can deliver immediate greenhouse gas emissions reductions and provide a low risk, incremental pathway for full decarbonisation of the maritime sector.

At SEA-LNG, we believe in and support transparent and professional studies and analyses using

current data and peer-reviewed by academics. We are confident in the analysis published in 2021 by ESG lifecycle experts, Sphera, based on primary data from all major engine manufacturers and reviewed by independent academic experts.

This study shows that LNG-fuelled engines have greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits compared with current oilbased engines of between 20% to 30% for two-stroke slow-speed engines, and 11% to 21% for four-stroke medium speed engines, inclusive of methane slip. With the ongoing steady technological advancements, the GHG benefits will only improve in the future versions of LNG-fuelled engines as the technologies are more widely adopted by the shipping sector.

It is important to recognise that methane slip represents a waste of precious energy. Engine manufacturers are commercially

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

45

DECARBONISATION: VIEWPOINT

incentivised to reduce slip to improve overall efficiency and performance. LNG-fuelled engines are available now which have minimal levels of slip: these engines represent at least half the LNG new build order book.

For those technologies for which slip remains an issue, levels have fallen four-fold since the early 2000s and engine manufacturers continue to identify technological pathways that will mean all LNG-fuelled engines have minimal levels of methane slip by 2030, if not sooner.

Regulations are also being developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union to further reinforce this industryled direction. The regulatory initiatives can be expected to make methane slip a regulatory compliance issue for the shipping industry.

Further, the industry is also undertaking projects to improve on-board monitoring of methane slip and develop exhaust gas after-treatment catalyst systems to deal with any methane that may inadvertently escape the combustion chamber.

In summary, LNG is a step in the right direction today. It is the only widely available marine fuel that immediately cuts GHG emissions compared with traditionally powered vessels.

The LNG pathway that SEA-LNG supports also offers a route to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for the shipping industry through the continual introduction of available bioLNG and ultimately renewable synthetic LNG. Emissionneutral bioLNG is already being bunkered in Europe and North America.

We continue to be confident that bioLNG and renewable synthetic LNG will be an integral part of a basket of net-zero emission marine fuels in the future.

It is important to recognise that methane slip represents a waste of precious energy

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

46

DECARBONISATION: NEWS

A number of new innovations aim to have a positive impact on the environment

CUTTING THE CARBON Technology company ZeroNorth says its platform prevented 218,000 tonnes of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere in 2021, at a time when shipping’s emissions as a whole increased by 4.9%.

Significantly, this saving occurred at the same time as users were able to improve their earnings, proving that there is latent potential for shipping to optimise its operations for both profit and planet.

To calculate the emissions savings, ZeroNorth examined vessels whose voyages were optimised using its software. The results are a clear indicator of the ZeroNorth platform’s potential to cut emissions from shipping, and come as the company places a particular focus on working with customers to optimise operations for the benefit of the planet as well as earnings.

To further support the maritime decarbonisation transition, ZeroNorth has unveiled a new CII optimisation functionality in its platform.

The new CII optimisation option means that shipowners and operators can optimise their voyages for CII-based decision-making.

By combining a huge variety of vessel, market, bunker, and weather data together with its advanced algorithms, the ZeroNorth platform now offers a green route – that considers emissions together with profit – to improve or maintain vessel CII ratings.

Lora Jakobsen, chief purpose activist at ZeroNorth, says: “We have now been able to quantify our positive impact in 2021: a reduction of nearly 220,000 tonnes of CO2 from our customers’ fleets. We see this as a strong first step in making global trade green and are proud that our platform has made a positive contribution in a market where emissions are still going in the wrong direction.

“We also believe that launching our CII optimisation feature will give the industry another means to act on its environmental footprint. The tightening regulatory environment in shipping is creating an urgency to act, which in turn can help the industry’s green transition. Commercial entities need to do their part, which is why we are building a platform to drive the industry’s sustainability.”

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

47

DECARBONISATION: NEWS NIPPON ADDS ADVANTAGE

The staging of the United Nation’s COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, towards the end of last year finally put the focus back on tackling humankind’s longer-term challenges after the considerable distraction of covid-19 for the past two years, according to Nippon Paint Marine.

In terms of its impact on global climate change, shipping has spent several years on the environmental naughty step due to its spewing in excess of a billion tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year, accounting for around 3% of all human-made emissions, as it transports 90% of world trade, the company says.

In addition to alternative propulsion systems and alternative marine fuels, hull coatings have long been recognised as playing a significant role in reducing the environmental impact of vessel operations, as Bill Phua, managing director, Nippon Paint Marine (Singapore), says.

“Energy efficiency and carbon emissions are inseparably linked to fouling growth. Algae and barnacles add significant frictional resistance [drag] requiring more engine power to move the ship through the water.

This results in speed loss and, as a result, fuel consumption and carbon emissions increase.”

Additionally, the accumulation of marine fouling may cause the spread of invasive aquatic species in the environment they have been transported to, thus affecting biodiversity and its ecosystem. “An effective antifouling paint minimises all of these environmental impacts,” says Phua.

In 1990, Nippon Paint Marine developed Ecoloflex SP, the world’s first tin-free, self-polishing copolymer (SPC) antifouling paint that pre-dated the AFS Convention (the law prohibiting the use of TBT [tributyltin] antifouling paint on ships), by more than a decade.

The popular low friction antifouling paint LF-Sea series was launched in 2008, followed five years later by an ultra-low friction version, A-LF-Sea. Then, in

2017, the world’s first completely biocide free, self-polishing antifouling paint AQUATERRAS®, a technology that incorporates a patent protected SPC antifouling resin material based on a carefully formulated mix of hydrophilic and hydrophobic components.

The technology, similar to that used in the medical industry to create artificial hearts and blood vessels where surfaces are required to suppress platelet aggregation, contains no heavy biocidal pigments, active ingredients nor silicone but is proven to reduce a ship’s drag (frictional resistance) by up to 10%.

Nippon Paint Marine’s latest innovation is FASTAR, which incorporates nano-sized hydrophilic and hydrophobic resin binders, enabling the antifouling ions that come from the biocide to be extracted to a high level of accuracy and uniformity.

“We expect the number of vessels drydocking in the Asia Pacific region for a new coating to be 680-800, slightly up on the previous two years, but still only 60-70% of the 980 docked in 2019 that had a combined tonnage approaching 76m deadweight,” predicts Phua.

“For vessel owners and operators, the inevitable commercial imperative is to minimise time spent in drydock,” he continues. “For Nippon Paint Marine, the reduced thickness and fast drying time of FASTAR – up to 37% faster for a large container vessel, depending on the ambient local temperature – gives them a key commercial advantage.”

For Nippon Paint Marine, the regulatory and commercial imperative for any shipowner is clear: “Working to improve fuel efficiency by using advanced antifouling coatings will increase competitiveness and reduce impact on the environment.

“The enforcement of ever stricter regulations requires ship operators to up their ante to comply with the many regulations that will come into force. Investing in green technologies will help them to save costs, as well as conserve the environment.

Keeping a clean hull is the way ahead,” says Phua.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

JOINT INNOVATIONS

The collaboration between bound4blue and Louis Dreyfus Armateurs emerged more than three years ago as part of moves by the shipping company to reduce its carbon footprint.

Both companies worked together during 2020 on a preliminary project to assess the viability of the installation on one of the shipowner’s vessels. In parallel, the financing to launch the project has been closed, with the support of the European Innovation Council (EIC) Acceleration Program, allowing the installation of bound4blue’s technology on one of LDA’s vessels during 2023.

José Miguel Bermúdez, CEO of bound4blue, highlights that this is “a great milestone to expand our technology, as it gives us the possibility of scaling up our systems for larger ships and doing it with a top-tier shipowner in France and in Europe, which is undoubtedly a big step forward for bound4blue”.

Regarding the support received from the EIC, Bermúdez states that “it is very important for our company, not only financially, but also in terms of accelerating our development and launching far-reaching projects. This will undoubtedly take our technology a step forward, increasingly becoming a standard for sustainable maritime mobility”.

Kamil Beffa, CEO of Louis Dreyfus Armateurs: “We pay particular attention to the decarbonisation of all our ships and are taking a proactive approach to study, develop and adopt solutions in this direction.

“Our ship project management, engineering and innovation teams have been working for more than three years in partnership with bound4blue to implement an innovative and environmentally virtuous solution to assist in the propulsion of our ships.

“With the eSAIL® system, the sail propulsion will take the form of boundary layer suction wing profiles and will take advantage of the apparent wind encountered by the vessel to generate additional thrust.

This device should make it possible to generate substantial fuel savings.”

48

REGULATION

Ensuring the safety of ships at sea has always been of paramount importance and industry initiatives to install inert gas system on oil and chemical tanks of less than 8,000 dwt have been welcomed by survival technology specialists such as Survitec

PUTTING SAFETY FIRST Amendments to the safety of life at sea convention SOLAS were introduced in 2016 which made the fitting of an inert gas system to newbuild tankers of 8,000dwt and above mandatory. Survitec says it has seen a number of IG installations to smaller vessels following recent industry calls for a revision of the rules to include all tanker sizes.

Bernt Ohrn, managing director for Survitec’s Maritime Protection brand says: “The amendments written into SOLAS II-2/4.5.5 and II-2/16.3.3 have gone a long way in preventing fatal explosions aboard larger oil and chemical carriers but we do recommend that operators of existing and smaller oil tankers not already covered by the SOLAS requirements should consider installing a system.

“If you are carrying a cargo with a flashpoint of 60°C or less, then you really should have an inert gas system onboard.”

Prior to 2016, only oil tankers of 20,000dwt were required to have an IG system installed, but the rules were revised after a spate of serious incidents,

including 2004’s fatal explosion aboard the Bow Mariner.

A number of incidents involving vessels of smaller tonnage, however, led to calls for another revision to include all oil and chemical tankers, irrespective of size.

Referring to an inter-industry working group study published in 2017, Ohrn says the majority of reported incidents occurred during tank cleaning, venting or gas freeing.

And in several cases, the tank atmosphere for non-inerted tanks had not been evaluated or was not being monitored.

“These incidents are avoidable, as reports show,” Ohrn says. “The installation of an inert gas system on tankers of all sizes that carry flammable cargoes is both technically and operationally feasible, yet only a small percentage of the global tanker fleet has installed technology designed to purge cargo spaces of hazardous vapour.”

An IG system is used to remove oxygen in a space with hydrocarbon vapours in cargo tanks to less than 8% by volume.

Where tankers are not fitted with the system, flammable vapour is vented until outlet

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

49

REGULATION concentrations are less than 30% of the lower flammable limit.

Ohrn says that given the mass and energy of an explosion at a shorebased terminal or port storage facility, a number of operators are making it compulsory for tankers to be inerted prior to entering the facility.

“I think the transportation side of the industry can learn from the ports and storage terminal side. When it comes to safety there should be no debate, no discussion. Safety comes first.”

BASKET OF MEASURES

Draft guidelines to support implementation of ship carbon intensity measures coming into effect in 2023 have been finalised by an International Maritime Organization (IMO) Working Group.

The 12th session of the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG 12) also discussed a number of concrete proposals for mid-term measures and associated impact assessments, in the context of IMO’s Work plan on the development mid-term greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction measures.

The Working Group agreed to continue developing a “basket of candidate mid-term measures” – integrating both technical (for example, a GHG fuel standard and/or enhancement of IMO’s carbon intensity measures) and carbon pricing (for example, through a market-based measure) elements.

The ISWG-GHG 12 report will be considered by MEPC 78. The ISWGGHG 11 session report will also be submitted to MEPC 78, including an update on its work to develop marine fuel lifecycle GHG assessment guidelines, which would cover well-towake, including well-to-tank and tankto-wake emission values, and how to conduct future assessments of possible impacts on States of IMO’s basket of candidate mid-term measures.

The short-term measure to reduce carbon intensity was adopted as amendments to MARPOL Annex VI in June 2021 and includes the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI); annual operational carbon intensity indicator (CII) rating and an enhanced Ship Energy Efficiency Management

Plan (SEEMP). The new and updated guidelines will supplement (or replace) guidelines already adopted to support the implementation of the EEXI and CII regulations. These guidelines provide additional clarity to Administrations implementing the regulations and to the shipping industry.

The Working Group also finalised the following guidelines/guidance, for adoption/approval by the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 78, 6 to 10 June 2022): » 2022 Guidelines for the development of a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) » Guidelines for the verification and company audits by the Administration of Part III of the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) » 2022 Guidelines for Administration verification of ship fuel oil consumption data and operational carbon intensity » 2022 Guidelines for the development and management of the IMO Ship Fuel Oil Consumption Database » Guidance for the submission of data to the IMO data collection system from a State not Party to MARPOL Annex VI » 2022 Guidelines on the method of calculation of the attained Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) » 2022 Guidelines on survey and certification of the attained Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) » Guidance on methods, procedures and verification of in-service performance measurements for EEXI calculation » 2022 Interim Guidelines on Correction Factors and Voyage Adjustments for CII Calculations (CII Guidelines, G5) » 2022 Guidelines on Operational Carbon Intensity Indicators and the Calculation Methods (CII Guidelines, G1) » 2022 Guidelines on the Reference Lines for use with Operation Carbon Intensity Indicators (CII Reference Lines Guidelines, G2) » 2022 Guidelines on the Operational Carbon Intensity Rating of Ships (CII Rating Guidelines, G4) The Working Group also discussed draft amendments to the Procedures for port State control, 2021 (resolution

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

A.1155(32)), related to enforcement of the short-term GHG reduction measure

by Port State Control authorities.

MEETING EEXI DEMANDS

The new regulatory framework (Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index EEXI) around CO2 emissions for existing shipping come into force in January 2023 and many shipowners are now considering how to meet these through either operational changes or technical alterations.

Windship Technology has published proprietary research that allows ship operators, owners and charterers the ability to easily see the positive, game-changing operational effect that installing just one 36m rig can have on their vessel going forward.

These regulations seek to measure the efficiency of ships through the amount of CO2 emitted per tonne per mile of freight carried in a year. Ships will be rated annually, from A, the highest performing, to E the lowest and the results will be recorded in the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP). Ships rated D for three consecutive years or E for a single year need to develop an approved corrective action plan as part of the SEEMP. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has currently set a 2% reduction per year on Carbon Intensity Index (CII) requirements until 2025, at which point the reduction will need to increase to get towards the overall IMO CO2 reduction goals of 2050.

Wärtsilä has reported the results of its CII Insight tool, which has predicted that when CII comes into force, about 45% of the fleet is forecast to be in category D, with a further 16% in category E. It further predicts that, if nothing is done and assuming the IMO trajectory stays constant, by 2030, 81% of the bulker fleet, 57% of tankers and 80% of container ships will be in category E. The most common approach to achieving compliance as of 2023 is to reduce the speed of the vessel through engine power limitation (EPL), which will reduce the amount of fuel per tonne per mile used, as ship resistance is proportional to the cube of the speed of the vessel. For some vessels this will be a short-term solution, for others the EPL

50

required maybe significant, potentially meaning the engine will be operating well outside of its ideal parameters.

Apart from operational changes such as EPL, owners can implement technical efficiency improvements, and it’s here where the obvious installation of Windship Technology’s patented, high-performing rigs are most efficient. The performance of the Windship 36m rig has been calculated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This performance data can then be combined with the EEXI wind matrix to enable the reduction in EEXI for a given vessel to be assessed.

Windship Technology has conducted this assessment for a range of vessel DWT (deadweight tonnage) to provide owners with a guide as to the powerful effect a single 36m rig could have on their ship. This technology can be used in conjunction with EPL if required to achieve compliance. A further benefit of this approach would be to consider adding a second rig, if in due course the CII required further reductions.

Clearly the final EEXI reduction will be dependent on actual ship performance characteristics, the firm says. However the graph provides a good indication of the potential.

AMMONIA PREPARED

Class society Bureau Veritas (BV) is supporting the classification and construction at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) in the Republic of Korea of two 40,000 cbm liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers that will be “Ammonia Prepared”. The HMD hull numbers are 8350 and 8351 and the first delivery will be in June 2023.

Ulrik Dan Frorup, chief commercial director, Bureau Veritas M&O, says: “It’s great to confirm this project for the first ships that will receive our ‘Ammonia Prepared’ notation. BV was among the first class societies to develop such classification rules for future installation/conversion of ammonia propulsion. The expertise that we have developed in risk methodology and our track record in LNG as a marine fuel has supported our ability to develop these rules for new low carbon fuels like ammonia. Ammonia presents specific safety issues related to its toxicity that have to be addressed. The industry leadership we have shown in

REGULATION

multi-stakeholder hazard identification (HAZID) and hazard operations projects has supported the development of our rules and notations for ammonia as fuel.”

The new notation AmmoniaPrepared is applicable to newbuildings, and was developed to support shipowners, designers, shipyards and charterers. Ammonia-Prepared certifies that a ship has been designed and constructed to be converted at a later date to use ammonia as fuel.

The notation targets the spaces and structural components that will accommodate future ammonia fuel tanks, fuel handling equipment and ammonia vapour treatment installations. Ammonia-Prepared also covers specific requirements for the conversion of engines and boilers from using fuel oil, LNG or multiple fuels to ammonia.

Mark Etcheberry, general director at Geogas, says: “LPG carriers are frequently used to carry ammonia.

From a technical point of view this makes the design suitable to be prepared to burn ammonia as a fuel. At Geogas, we are committed in our ESG objectives to promote greener propulsion technologies that are technically feasible. LPG, LNG and ammonia gas fuels support these objectives.”

Bureau Veritas has also developed new rules for ammonia-fuelled ships designed to be applied to newbuildings that will use ammonia as a fuel from delivery. BV Rule Note NR 671 for ammonia as fuel addresses the safety aspects of managing ammonia in storage tanks, fuel-piping systems and during bunkering.

NR 671 was published in its earliest form on July 1, 2021 along with the requirements for the Ammonia Prepared notation.

Geogas BV is supporting the classification and construction at HMD of two ‘ammonia prepared’ LPG carriers. © Geogas

FUEL CELL NOTE

BV has also released a new rule note (NR 547) on fuel cell power systems on board ships. The rule note covers safety requirements for ships using any type of fuel cell technology, providing rules for the arrangement and installation of fuel cell power systems and the delivery of electrical energy.

Over the last few years, fuel cells have proved to have strong potential to help decarbonise the maritime industry. The technology, which is based on an electrochemical reaction like that in batteries, can run continuously without recharging as long as energy is provided.

Fuel cells can bring significant environmental benefits, eliminating NOx, SOx and particle emissions while reducing CO2 emissions compared with diesel engines. However, this technology comes with a number of challenges that must be addressed to ensure safety.

Bureau Veritas’ NR 547 outlines requirements on the design, construction and installation of fuel cells systems to ensure that the safety of the ship is maintained. The aim is to identify and mitigate risks to persons on board, the environment and the structural integrity of vessels. Fuel cell systems and ship design must limit the risk of explosions, the spread of toxic chemicals and fire outbreaks.

Among the requirements outlined

by NR 547, maritime stakeholders developing and using fuel cells must carefully assess the risks associated with their design, from construction to installation and operation. Shipyards and equipment manufacturers have to meet specific safety requirements to earn certification for fuel cell systems.

Once fuel cells are integrated onboard, ship operators must safeguard crew and ensure proper handling of fuel cell equipment. An extensive range of risk assessments are required for the fuel cell additional service feature to be granted. These assessments include a Hazard Identification study of fuel cell spaces, a Hazard and Operability analysis study of the fuel cell power system, and a Failure Mode and Effect Critical Analysis of the fuel cell power installation (if used for essential services).

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

51

REGULATION

In addition to covering fuel cells using hydrogen, the new note rule addresses fuel cells technologies that are adapted to multiple alternative fuel types, each with their own risk profile.

NR 547 is used in conjunction with several other rule notes to address other alternative fuels, including ammonia, methane, LPG, methanol and ethanol. For practical purposes, NR547 is therefore to be combined with other Bureau Veritas rule notes, including NR 670 for methanol and ethanol, NR 529 for methane, NI647 for LPG, and NR 671 for ammonia.

KEY COLLABORATION

Blockchain solutions technology company FuelTrust and the Isle of Man Ship Registry (IOMSR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

IOMSR will use FuelTrust’s fuels and emissions digital technology to validate vessels for the flag’s Green Ship scheme and to collaborate on further projects to incentivise and enable emissions reductions.

The collaboration and cooperation agreement will enable shipowners and operators registered with the IOMSR to use FuelTrust’s Bunker Insights® product to predict, measure and authenticate their fleets’ emissions reductions.

Under this collaboration, IOMSR will

accept FuelTrust’s AI-based validation of a vessel’s performance regarding its emissions and fuel quality programs.

This will make vessels using Bunker Insights eligible for IOMSR’s green ship designation and benefit from discounts or offerings on their annual registration fee.

The Green Ship discount programme, which came into effect on 1 April 2022, is available to operators of cargo ships, commercial yachts or passenger ships that invest in biofuel, alternative fuels, wind, or shore-side energy technology. FuelTrust and IOMSR will collaborate further to explore methodologies for tracking emissions reductions from zero-carbon fuels, among other projects, to reduce GHG emissions.

“The agreement with Isle of Man Ship Registry creates significant opportunity for vessel owners,” says Darren Shelton, chief product officer of FuelTrust. “IOMSR recognises how advanced technologies such as ours can help its members reduce their carbon emissions, track fuel usage and monitor performance.

“The advent of low or zero-carbon fuels, each with their own supply chain, is making the bunkering market even more complex. Owners and operators need to demonstrate

to charterers, shippers, insurers, financiers and regulators that they are purchasing fuel that delivers against decarbonisation targets.

“Digital technologies are required to ensure shipping companies have a validated analysis of their fuel profile and environmental impact.”

Cameron Mitchell, director of the Isle of Man Ship Registry, says: “As the world’s first flag state to reduce registration fees for ships deploying green technology, we want to support our members’ efforts by giving them access to the best technology for supporting fuel choice and to manage and monitor vessel emissions for regulatory compliance.

“Our collaboration with FuelTrust provides Isle of Man-registered ship operators and charterers the insights, expertise and transparency to assess the collective carbon output of their fleets and to manage compliance with emissions regulations.”

FuelTrust’s solutions use its AI Digital Chemist to simulate combustion on a molecular level to track fuel quality, energy, and emissions profiles. AI Digital Chemist combines the known characteristics of a fuel batch, with class data on the vessel engine, and data from the day logs to precisely establish what results when fuel is burned.

This gives a far more accurate picture than current emissions models and estimates, which don’t account for chemical interactions, source fuel data, or supply and delivery chain impacts.

Many approaches require significant amounts of manual input, or the installation of costly, high-maintenance devices aboard vessels.

DATA STANDARD CALL

Darren Shelton, Chief Product Officer of FuelTrust (left) and Cameron Mitchell, Director of the Isle of Man Ship Registry (right)

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

Industry working group Impact Today has released its new Vessel Reporting and Data Quality White Paper, which calls for the maritime sector to create a new data standard aimed at evolving noon reports into holistic vessel reports to support vessel and voyage optimisation, and therefore propel industry decarbonisation.

The paper is the result of months of collaboration between members of the working group, which was formed by

52

ZeroNorth in March 2021. The newly named Impact Today working group includes representatives from 14 organisations spanning ZeroNorth, EuroNav, FedNav, Cargill, Q88, Teekay Tankers, Maersk Tankers, Ultrabulk, and Siglar Carbon.

These representatives met across several workshops to define the types of vessel data that should be gathered daily from vessels, as the first step in improving ship data quality. Representatives also discussed how the industry can ensure this data is fit for purpose and can be validated on board, effectively transitioning noon reports from a checklist exercise into holistic vessel information repositories.

Evolving noon reports in this way will enable the industry to unlock better voyage and vessel optimisation outcomes, generating emissions reductions in the near-term.

To support change, Impact Today has created a framework for further development, which includes a method of standardising data to ensure it is fit for purpose and a definition of terms.

The framework also includes a method for onboard validation of vessel information spanning two levels; checks to ensure that data fits within reasonable minimums and maximums, and a method of verifying if that information makes sense within the scope of normal operations, such as power usage not exceeding power generation.

Noon reports are the most widely used form of data collection from vessels across the value chain today although sensor data is also utilised, and many companies such as Teekay Tankers are committed to digital flow meters. The call to action outlined

by Impact Today as part of the White Paper includes conclusions on how onboard validation could benefit both vessel reports and sensor data.

Impact Today’s mission is to unlock immediate emissions reductions through partnerships and the creation of shared data standards. In the context of shipping’s decarbonisation pathway and the power of voyage optimisation to generate immediate change, improving data quality from

REGULATION

Søren Meyer, CEO of ZeroNorth

vessel reporting is an obvious and relatively easy challenge for the sector to solve in the near term.

Noon reports have also historically been time-consuming for crews, and it is widely accepted that data quality improvements are needed.

Improvements to noon reports as they currently exist, via a shared data standard, would generate time efficiencies across the supply chain, cutting down the requirement for crews to deliver multiple reports to different stakeholders.

A shared data standard would also come as an important statement of intent in the maturity and development of shipping’s data landscape, particularly as it relates to multilateral collaboration and partnerships to achieve

decarbonisation goals.

Impact Today’s group of ship owners and operators, data specialists, emissions experts and optimisation organisations agreed that much of the data needed for vessel and voyage optimisation is already being gathered within noon reports, therefore the focus is on raising the quality. However, some essential data is missing when it comes to bunker and emissions optimisations and reporting, especially with new CII and EEXI regulations pending and as the industry is accelerating its green transition.

Speaking on the release of Impact Today’s Vessel Reporting and Data Quality white paper, Søren Meyer, CEO of ZeroNorth, said: “Data quality is a critical factor in underpinning

The newly named Impact Today working group includes representatives from 14 organisations spanning ZeroNorth, EuroNav, FedNav, Cargill, Q88, Teekay Tankers, Maersk Tankers, Ultrabulk, and Siglar Carbon

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

53

REGULATION

voyage, vessel, bunker and emissions optimisations for vessels in the global fleet. To ensure reliable, useful output from digital platforms, it is critical that the data we collectively input is high-quality, standardised, and interoperable.

“What we have seen is that shipping currently faces a data challenge, with noon reports lacking the standardisation and sophistication needed to generate optimisation recommendations. The data landscape in our industry has changed, and reporting needs to as well. Increasing the quality of data so it is fit for purpose must, therefore, become a priority as we look ahead to decarbonisation.

“Together, Impact Today has defined the types of data that we believe are critical to unlocking better optimisation outcomes. This white paper we are launching today calls for a new industry standard to be created for vessel reporting that will benefit the commercial performance of vessels, inform sustainability decisions, and generate better outcomes for the entire marine value chain.

“We welcome wider industry participation and look forward to sharing more results as this vital work continues.”

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT

A new programme to develop and implement a Sustainable Maritime Transport (SMART) system in the Caribbean has begun in a preparatory phase, aimed at supporting the small island developing states (SIDS) of the Caribbean region.

SIDS economies in the Caribbean are heavily dependent on the maritime sector. The long-term programme will aim to deliver safe, secure, efficient and reliable transport of goods across the region, while minimising pollution, maximizing energy efficiency and ensuring resource conservation.

The work plan recognizes that a Sustainable Maritime Transport (SMART) system should provide a seamless and reliable service in the most efficient manner. To achieve this, the complexity of the interrelation among various actors in the Maritime Transportation System of Caribbean SIDS should be recognized and taken into account in planning specific actions.

The development of the programme will acknowledge that a SMART System in the Caribbean region requires well-organised administrations that cooperate regionally and promote compliance with global standards, supported

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

by institutions with relevant technical expertise.

This would start with the transposition and implementation of the international maritime conventions and regional codes through legal, policy and institutional reforms as well as through building the necessary capacity to implement and enforce these regulations.

The SMART System will also focus on co-ordinated support from the shore-side entities intrinsic to shipping, such as providers of aids to navigation, oceanographic, hydrographic and meteorological services, search and rescue services, incident and emergency responders, port facilities, trade facilitation measures, and cargo-handling and logistics systems – as well as a reliable supply of fuel for ships.

The need for a qualified and flexible work force will be an essential part of the SMART System. The programme will seek the collaboration of shoreside actors, from both industry and governments, for the protection and provision of care for seafarers, to ensure that the system’s social integrity does not become eroded and that qualified, professional seafarers have an attractive and healthy work environment.

54

DIGITALISATION: NEWS

Innovative solutions are solving some of shipping’s pressing problems

HIGH-TECH ANSWERS Marlink, the leading provider of smart network solutions, has signed an agreement to provide a global hybrid network solution to vessels operated by Subsea 7, a global leader in the delivery of offshore projects and services for the evolving energy industry.

Subsea 7 operates one of the most capable and diverse fleets in its market, including chartered and high specification owned vessels. Marlink will provide a secure hybrid network solution to Subsea 7, combining its global Sealink VSAT solution with L-band back-up, global 4G cellular services and connection to the Tampnet network for operations in the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico.

The contract includes provision of guaranteed throughput including a Committed Information Rate (CIR) at a level normally only found in the leisure/cruise sector. Marlink will also provide its XChange platform solution to create a separate network for secure crew communications.

“We are pleased to be working with Subsea 7, whose global operations span

the full energy lifecycle,” says Tore Morten Olsen, president maritime, Marlink. “Our network of networks approach provides a bespoke suite of connectivity, tools and services that enable operators to increase the safety and efficiency of their operations globally.”

MSI ENCHMARKING

Maritime research and forecasting consultancy Maritime Strategies International (MSI) is helping owners, charterers and financiers benchmark the environmental performance of their vessels.

MSI has added a new tool, Environmental Credentials, to its Forecast Marine eValuator (FMV) service, enabling users to understand the performance of their vessels and fleets – and those of their competitors – against regulatory and market benchmarks.

Environmental Credentials assessments are created when users run an FMV report - for individual ships, sectors, classes and fleets – providing ratings against the International Maritime Organization’s EEXI and CII regulations to 2026 and Annual

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

55

DIGITALISATION: NEWS

Efficiency Ratios for 2020 and 2021 measured against the Poseidon Principles trajectory and a ‘zero emissions’ scenario by 2050.

Owners whose vessels fall below the specified regulatory standards or required market measures will need to consider adjustments such as use of engine power limiters (EPLs), optimisation of operations and retrofitting energy saving technologies to improve fuel consumption, or alternatively utilising lower or zero carbon fuels.

In its Q1 2022 dry bulk market report* MSI assessed the EEXI values of the fleet by using a range of data sources, sense-checked with a selection of owners. It estimates that just under 80% of dry bulk ships will not meet EEXI regulations and in almost all cases, MSI believes that dry bulk vessels will fit an engine power limiter to meet the requirements.

Early analysis suggests that the capesize fleet, ironically given its young age, could be impacted the most. This is because a large share of the existing fleet was constructed between 20062011, before more fuel-efficient designs were developed in 2013-14.

“Older vessels requiring a large EPL to meet EEXI criteria would have the least flexibility of operations, reducing their potential to speed up to meet laycan windows when faced with delays such as those caused by bad weather; ultimately this would lead to lower cargo volume and a reduction in potential freight revenue, reducing the economic life of a ship,” says Will Fray, Director, MSI. “A significant number of 10-15 yearold ships are at risk and over the next five years will age into a bracket much more susceptible to being scrapped, particularly if freight markets decline from today’s levels, as forecasted

by MSI.” The environmental credentials are currently available for tankers, bulk carriers and containerships and will be extended to specialist vessel sectors in the very near future. FMV also provides users with historical, current and forecast vessel asset values, one year timecharter rates and operating costs.

The full impact of CII regulations will likely take longer to realise and MSI

will be undertaking more analysis to help understand the likely impact once EPLs are considered. In MSI’s current Base Case, CII is one justification for a sharp rise in vessel scrapping from 2024.

GENERATOR APPROVAL

Global renewable energy company e1 Marine has announced that its M-series methanol-to-hydrogen generator has received Approval in Principle (AiP) for marine applications from Lloyd’s Register, a leading class society.

The AiP represents an important landmark for demonstrating the compliance of e1 Marine’s technology with all applicable regulations, codes and standards. This will act as a springboard for enabling the demonstration of the generator across different maritime sectors from ports and towboats to offshore and deepsea vessels.

Lloyd’s Register has also confirmed that final approval for the technology is possible, including for inland waterways, when following Inland Waterway regulations.

Robert Schluter, managing director at e1 Marine, comments: “The maritime industry faces a once-in-a-generation challenge in managing the way it utilises energy for propulsion as part of the global energy transition to net zero carbon. Using e1 Marine’s technology, with methanol providing a safe and effective carrying medium for hydrogen, enables the adoption of clean zero emission fuel cell power solutions. With the M-series methanol to hydrogen generator, we are making hydrogen a viable fuel option for the maritime industry for vastly different applications.

“Securing Approval in Principle from Lloyd’s Register underscores our technology’s viability. It also provides valuable credentials to support our piloting programme, so that we can demonstrate how our solution can contribute to reducing shipping’s carbon emissions.”

Mark Darley, marine and offshore director at Lloyd’s Register, said: “This Approval in Principle is an important step towards reducing carbon emissions from power sources for ship operations, helping transfer the expertise gained in this technology on land to a potentially wide variety of marine applications. We look forward to assisting e1 Marine with its technological advances to assist the global maritime energy transition.”

Through e1 Marine’s patented hydrogen generation technology, fuel cell-grade hydrogen is safely and cost-effectively generated from methanol and water. It can be delivered on-site, onboard, and on-demand, and it provides an immediately viable pathway to green energy.

The fuel cell grade hydrogen output meets all relevant ISO standards, and it’s ideal for use with fuel cells to generate electricity or to supplement the standard fuel of a conventional engine.

The successful development of this system builds on a collaboration between Element 1 Corp, the leading methanol-to-hydrogen technology company; Ardmore Shipping Corporation, an independent owner and operator of mid-size product and chemical tanker vessels; and Maritime Partners, a tailored leasing solution provider to the maritime industry.

Marlink will provide a secure hybrid network solution to Subsea 7, combining its global Sealink VSAT solution with L-band back-up, global 4G cellular services and connection to the Tampnet network

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

56

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS: VIEWPOINT

Elina Furustam, product marketing manager, NAPA Shipping Solutions looks at how data can drive sustainability

A DIGITAL BACKBONE Shipping’s sustainability transition must begin by using each vessel in the most efficient way possible, to deliver the same transportation work while emitting less carbon. Voyage optimisation is at the heart of this, and the latest digital advances mean that a ship’s unique characteristics – its “digital DNA” – can now be harnessed to make every voyage greener and safer.

Today’s vessels are made of data just as much as steel. Well before a ship’s physical structure is welded together in a shipyard, it exists digitally in the 3D models that are used to design it.

These models constitute what we call a vessel’s digital DNA, containing a wealth of information on its technical characteristics, including its design profile, any energy-saving technology on board and its propulsion systems. As no two ships are exactly the same, this digital DNA helps us understand a ship’s unique design and predict its performance in various conditions.

However, just like for humans, understanding a vessel’s behaviour does not stop with its digital DNA. Ships are also shaped by the way they are operated and maintained, and the sea conditions they encounter throughout their lifetime.

Much like identical twins may become very different depending on their environment and life experiences, even sister vessels can perform differently depending on their operational profile, the state of their hull, the quality of the fuel bunkered, and where in the world they are deployed.

This combination of “nature” and “nurture” is reflected in a ship’s digital twin, which brings together its digital DNA and key operational data reflecting its current condition. Having this full picture is key, because it allows us to tailor voyage optimization to the specifics of each vessel to maximise their environmental performance.

Athletes preparing for the Olympics are likely to follow training programmes that are adapted to their musculature and past injuries. The same goes for shipping’s global

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

57

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS: VIEWPOINT

race to decarbonisation – vessels may share the same goal of reducing their emissions, but success in this regard will depend on how well efficiency solutions are customised to their unique profile.

DRIVING THE SUSTAINABILITY TRANSITION

While shipping has always strived for efficiency, it is undeniable that environmental considerations have now come to the forefront, defining strategic priorities as never before.

In addition to tighter regulations on emissions, the industry is also feeling the pressure from its customers’ customers, end consumers of the goods we transport, who increasingly demand sustainability.

This is already reflected in investment decisions. For the first time, the majority of newbuilds being ordered in shipyards will be able to run on alternative fuels such as methanol, liquefied petroleum gas or liquefied natural gas – 63% so far in 2022, according to data compiled

by Clarkson Research Services.

Clearly, shipowners are taking the green transition seriously, with many committed to go above and beyond the pace of regulation.

However, as fully zero-carbon fuels may not be ready for many more years on the scale needed to decarbonisze shipping, the decarbonisation journey must begin by making the most of every vessel, including the existing fleet. Voyage optimisation is one of the options already available today – and dynamic, vessel-specific insights provided by data represent an exciting opportunity to take weather routing to the next level.

BOOSTING EFFICIENCY FOR EVERY VESSEL

By using the ship’s unique digital twin, we can now model and simulate hundreds of possible routes and predict their impact on ETAs, fuel consumption and emissions. These calculations take into account not only the ship’s design characteristics, but also details of its condition that may impact its performance at that precise moment – including hull fouling or

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

engine wear, for example.

We then integrate these vesselspecific insights with weather forecasts detailing wind, waves, swell and currents, as well as information on safe routes. Bringing all this data together, our NAPA Voyage Optimization solution can estimate how fast and at what fuel consumption rate a specific ship can sail, for a number of potential voyages.

From this, we can calculate optimal routes and speed profiles that will meet operational needs and desired arrival times. These dynamic calculations give captains and operators better visibility on all possible options, enabling them to choose optimal routes to minimise their fuel consumption and emissions for every journey.

The impact of better weather routing should not be underestimated. NAPA Voyage Optimization, for example, reduces fuel consumption and emissions by an average of 5-15%. In addition to the direct impact on bottom lines, these savings can potentially make the difference between compliance and non-compliance with CII regulations – or in other words,

58

between keeping a vessel trading or seeing it stranded prematurely.

The capacity to optimise operations for each vessel will be even more important in the future, as ships become even more complex and unique. As the global fleet diversifies to incorporate a variety of new fuels, wind power, batteries and efficiency technologies, ship-specific digital models will help operational teams understand the specificities of their vessel and make the most of innovative clean technology on board.

For example, advanced weather routing will be particularly important for wind-assisted vessels, helping them catch optimal wind conditions to deploy their sails or wings.

MEASURING THE POTENTIAL OF VOYAGE OPTIMISATION

In a recent retro-optimisation study, we found that MR tankers would have achieved an average of 15.9% emission savings had their routes and speed profiles been adjusted through our NAPA Voyage Optimization software, with weather information available at the time of the voyage.

This comparison of actual and optimal routes shows the importance of seizing the opportunity to maximise operational efficiency through tools that are already at our disposal, including voyage optimisation.

In another study, we evaluated a year of tanker voyages crossing the Pacific to see how they sailed in relation to two specific major currents: the Equatorial current flowing from east to west and the Kuroshio current, also known as Japan current, towards the east. With the help of the NAPA Performance Models that are available for the whole global merchant fleet, we were able to retro-optimise to see how each voyage would have been sailed if the ship was utilising weather routing but keeping its schedule.

In most cases, the tankers took a path somewhere between the two major Pacific currents. They were avoiding sailing against the westward currents at the equator but staying south of the eastward Kuroshio current. Taking a slightly more northern route would have made a

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS: VIEWPOINT

huge difference – an average of 18% fuel savings per voyage. In addition to fuel cost savings, the optimised routes would have sailed 2% (or 16 hours) less in heavy weather, with winds of BF 5 and higher.

A BRIDGE TO FUTURE DESIGNS

The bridges that are emerging between design and operational data go both ways: while the digital models used to design the ship provide crucial insights to optimise voyages, operational data can also be fed back to shipyards to help improve future designs.

Data on fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and speed profiles, for example, help ship designers refine their knowledge on how each model performs in real-life conditions – and from there iterate their concepts to increase the efficiency of the future fleet even more.

Importantly, historical weather data also plays a role in the process of improving future designs, giving a statistical picture of the sea conditions that a ship is likely to encounter on specific routes.

Based on that, naval architects and engineers can determine the level of engine power that will be needed for any given vessel depending on the routes where it will be deployed. This enables ship designers to make smart decisions and choose engines that will be sufficient to meet operational needs, while avoiding installing a more powerful engine that would increase emissions unnecessarily.

from deadweight changes to the number of water-tight doors left open on the ship. This monitoring enables a wide range of calculations related to hydrostatics, longitudinal strength, and the ship’s vulnerability level related to stability, to be made in real time, so any issues can be flagged before they escalate into a serious problem.

These insights are vital, as safety remains a core priority for the industry.

According to Allianz’s Safety & Shipping Review 2022, there were 54 large ships lost worldwide last year – down from 65 the previous year. In the early 1990s, we were losing over 200 vessels a year, so clearly safety at sea has improved, but 54 ships lost is 54 too many – and extreme weather was reported as a factor in 13 of them.

While the number of total losses was down, the number of casualties and incidents was up. Incidents such as the loss of around 90 containers from the Dyros as it sailed through rough weather in the North Pacific in March 2022 confirm what we all already know: weather routing is also an important safety tool.

More than ever, safety and efficiency are intrinsically linked, and breaking down the data silos attached to each will be a hallmark of the future – one that I hope will see a significant drop in shipping losses and incidents and facilitate the reduction of planetharming emissions.

LINKING STABILITY, SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY

The greater use of digital solutions from shipyards to sea will not only make ships more efficient, but also safer. The same 3D models and operational data that are used to optimise operations also feed into advanced stability models, providing a real-time picture of a vessel’s situation.

This creates a constant situational awareness that enables crews and shoreside teams to manage safety proactively.

Here, a vessel’s digital twin is used in combination with a range of variables that may affect its stability,

e1 Marine’s methanol to hydrogen generator M18 credit: e1 Marine

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

59

DIGITAL SYSTEMS: VIEWPOINT

Is the accelerated digitalisation of shipping the silver lining amid a perfect storm? asks Melissa Williams, VP marine – sectors & decarbonisation, Shell

SAILING THROUGH CHOPPY WATERS

Melissa Williams VP Marine – Sectors & Decarbonisation, Shell

Shipping operations may be largely hidden from the average consumer’s view, but the industry remains the backbone of society, transporting around 80% of the world’s traded goods.1 And with an integrated supply chain that branches into sectors from road transport to retail, it’s potentially the most important industry to “get right” when it comes to digitalisation. Despite this, shipping’s digital transition has lagged behind other sectors for years.

Until now, perhaps. Economic turbulence, emerging technologies, the sustainability agenda, and rapidly evolving customer dynamics have caused a perfect storm, propelling the industry towards digitalisation as a means of protection and progression.

CUSTOMERS LOOK TO DIGITAL SOLUTIONS

Given recent shifts in the global trading system, businesses are having to adapt to

higher prices – from container freight rates to fuel – as well as shifting customer needs.

Underpinning these changes is a growing pressure to lower operating costs.

Fortunately, digital tools can help give operators the biggest bang for their buck, allowing them to navigate market volatility intelligently through dynamic pricing, capacity deployment or de-risking.

Over the lifetime of a ship, the digitalisation and optimisation of maintenance alone can potentially reduce costs by between $2-3m, depending on the vessel type.2 So ultimately, this mentality shift could be the difference between a business surviving or thriving.

Part of this cost-cutting exercise also involves streamlining processes. Whether to help reduce supply chain complexity or improve fleet efficiency, we’ve found that operators are increasingly looking beyond single products – like fuels or lubricants –

1 Shell and Deloitte. “Decarbonising Shipping: Setting Shell’s Course.” Shell.com. 2021.

2 Deborah O’Neill and Derek Costanza. “How Covid-19 is Driving Maritime Digitalization.” Oliver Wyman. February, 2021.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

60

towards more holistic services. It’s still about getting from A to B as efficiently as possible, but a digital-orientated service package is now often the best way of achieving this.

Additionally, industry business models are blurring, as competition increases and shipping companies look to either narrow or expand their focus.

In fact, only 7% of decision makers polled by PwC believe shipping will still form the end of the transport chain in five to 10 years’ time, with new – possibly tech-based – market entrants forcing them to extend their range of logistic services to remain competitive.3 Whether this is caused by shipping line consolidation or onshore-offshore rebalancing, digital solutions can help, by improving communication, cost control and integration.

PROCUREMENT: GOING DIGITAL AT THE SOURCE

Procurement is a particular link in the value chain where digitalisation can deliver high returns on investment, since it’s all about having the right product in the right place, at the right time.

However, currently, 75% of orders are amended or cancelled before delivery, while 39% comprise small volumes of less than 2,000 litres.4 Fortunately, automated processes can help deliver a more sustainable, longer-term approach, helping to boost efficiency and reduce costs in the process.

This is where our Shell Accuport service can help shipowners shift from reactive to proactive procurement through smarter use of data. It combines lubricant consumption monitoring with real-time vessel location to predict lifting patterns, tailoring order recommendations, and providing an easy-to-use seamless online buying experience.

As a result, operators can unlock up to 6% savings through optimised lubricant orders and fewer surcharges, reduce operational risks, while gaining operational insights from bespoke data analytics that can cost anywhere between $15-40k a year to run.4

DIGITAL SYSTEMS: VIEWPOINT

OIL MONITORING: IS DATA NOW A SHIP’S MOST VALUABLE CARGO?

Another important area is consumable usage, especially as 45% of machine failures are attributed to poor oil condition monitoring (OCM).5 Today, there’s little excuse, since connectivity and bandwidth improvements mean data exchange is simple, reliable and cost effective.

Shell LubeMonitor, for example, goes beyond traditional cylinder condition monitoring by combining on-board testing with lab analysis. Acting as an all-in-one engine monitoring solution, it identifies both the lowest possible feed rate and optimum wear rate for twostroke engines, supporting decision making, saving money and increasing efficiency in the process.

Meanwhile, VitalyX – developed alongside Bently Nevada – leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and the Industrial internet of things (IIoT) to add real-time sensor data to the mix. By collecting and linking data to establish trendlines, it delivers actionable insights around equipment health and operational efficiency.

These solutions are all about providing crews with ongoing peace of mind. No matter the technology in play, we always keep the customer front and centre when designing applications at Shell, before working back from there.

HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS PERIOD OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT

In the context of another key topic, decarbonisation, the shipping industry’s size is often said to be one of its biggest challenges. For digital transformation however, the ecosystem must lean into this size to put the right structures, processes, partners and people in place.

A study we recently released showed 80% saw a lack of technology alignment to be a major barrier to shipping’s decarbonisation.1 As a natural optimist, I see this as an opportunity, not a challenge. If we can align on technology, who knows what we can achieve next?

Only 7% of decision makers polled

by PwC believe shipping will still form the end of the transport chain in five to 10 years’ time

3 Rachell Lau, Kristoffer Mikkelsen, Tatiana Tkachenko, Anniken L’orange and Malin Brubak. “The Digital Transformation of Shipping: Opportunities and Challenges for Norwegian and Greek Companies.” PricewaterhouseCoopers. September, 2017.

4 Shell. “Shell Accuport.” Shell.com.

5 Shell. “Smarter Maintenance for Optimised Performance.” Shell.com.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

61

ANTI FOULING: VIEWPOINT

The challenge of managing hull fouling will step up a gear at the same time as decarbonisation moves up the operational agenda for shipowners and cargo owners, says I-Tech CEO Philip Chaabane

HULL FOULING RISKS ON THE RISE

Philip Chaabane CEO, I-Tech AB

Thanks to global warming increasing oceanic and coastal water temperatures, the range and intensity of biofouling hotspots around the world are growing, which means the hull fouling issue will only increase in coming years.

Levels of hull fouling across the majority of the global shipping fleet were already past what is deemed acceptable pre-2020.

Since then, tens of thousands of vessels have been catapulted into high risk of barnacle fouling conditions while idling for long periods in warmer waters due to travel restrictions and supply chain issues during the global covid-19 pandemic. The effects of other geopolitical events are still keeping thousands of vessels idling for longer than usual.

Optimising ship efficiency and preventing excess fuel use will remain to be top priority for ship operators over the coming decades as efforts to minimise global warming intensify. Maintaining a

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

clean hull will represent a growing ship efficiency challenge since any increase in hydrodynamic drag on a hull negatively impacts vessel performance in a big way.

This will put anti-fouling coatings in a very important role in the decarbonisation challenge in coming years and decades.

It’s not only the decarbonisation challenge that is at risk from biofouling burden on the hull. The International Maritime Organization’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) rules are also under threat from marine species making ship hulls their home. A fouled hull will impact a vessel’s CII rating and the anti-fouling hull coating on a vessel could make a difference between a B- and an E- rating.

The quest to save fuel, emissions and attain A-C CII ratings will create a perfect storm of pressures that will change the way hull fouling is managed forever and the positive ramifications will be felt for decades if action is taken to prevent hull

62

fouling through the use of anti-fouling coatings suited to vessel activity and trade routes. However, failure to invest in adequate anti-fouling coating technologies across a fleet will negate much of the good work being achieved through investing in other clean technologies.

Given the significant developments of the ISO 19030 standard for measuring hull performance in recent years, it is now easier for paint suppliers to assess the impact of advanced coatings and prove how they impact vessel performance. In May this year, coating manufacturer Jotun announced that it has developed a digital tool to project, for individual vessels, the expected increase over time in carbon emissions for different anti-fouling coatings, against progressively tightening bands of CII ratings.

It took an example vessel to demonstrate the power of a premium antifouling on CII rating. The vessel used for the example, a 388K dwt bulk carrier, has a momentary A-rated efficiency on leaving drydock.

However, Jotun says that the choice of anti fouling for that dry docking will lead to very different scenarios. Performance data analysed using the ISO 19030 standard for measuring hull and propeller performance and compared with fuel consumption records confirmed the drastic change in CII ratings over time due to the use of lower quality antifouling coatings.

In the 388K dwt bulk carrier example published, Jotun states that if that vessel was using a market average anti fouling, its CII rating would show an annual deterioration, falling short of its required CII by the end of the 4th year. However, if that vessel was using a premium anti fouling, it would keep the CII rating of the vessel within regulatory expectations.

Furthermore, if that same vessel was using an ultra-premium anti fouling with proactive cleaning the best CII rating would be achieved. Although that vessel would still move from an A- to B-rating due to the tightening of requirements by the fifth year (under this particular scenario).

This projection by Jotun is

ANTI FOULING: VIEWPOINT

supported by evidence from three sister vessels with consistent operational profiles.

This comes as no surprise. I-Techfunded studies indicate that there are huge improvements to be made when it comes to hull performance form minimising the risk of barnacle fouling accumulating on the hull.

In order to quantify just how significant barnacle fouling issues are for the global shipping fleet, in late 2019 I-Tech contracted independent marine coating consultants, the Safinah Group to analyse underwater hull fouling condition on a sample of 249 ships which drydocked over a four-year period between 2015-2019.

ALARMING FIGURES

This in-depth examination of vessel hull condition revealed that on 44% of vessels surveyed, more than 10% of the underwater hull surface was significantly covered with hard fouling.

On many vessels, fouling levels were even worse: approximately 15% of vessels had between 10-20% hard fouling coverage, 10% of vessels had 20-30% and the remainder had even more.

Extrapolation from data published in a study by Schultz et al (2007) indicates that barnacle fouling could be responsible for the commercial shipping fleet emitting at least 110m tonnes of excess CO2 emissions each year. And this alarming figure was based on our study conducted in 2019.

We can now confidently predict that the level of barnacle fouling on the global fleet has increased due to greater idling rates in the past three years since our hull condition study was conducted, meaning more excess emissions to air from the impact of barnacle biofouling.

More recently, we ran a study with Marine Benchmark to assess the idling patterns of the global fleet across a 10-year period between 2010 and 2020. Based on in-depth analysis of the global fleet patterns, we found a substantial increase in the numbers of idling vessels over the past decade.

“Fouling Idling” – that being when

a vessel idles for more than 14 days in water with a temperature above 15°C, has increased constantly since 2009, with a starting point of 25.4% to a peak of 35% in May 2020. Given the growth of the fleet, this means that the absolute number of vessels idling in the global fleet has doubled between 2009-2020.

At the peak of idling last year, almost half of all container vessels at fouling idling had long idling periods of more than 30 days, exposing the vessels´ hulls to an extreme risk of hard fouling.

Significantly, we also found that vessels are increasingly idling in waters with temperatures above 25°C. Vessels spending the majority of their time sailing in these regions are at a high risk of excessive barnacle fouling accumulation.

To make matters worse, barnacle fouling risk will intensify as ports become more congested and this is already happening worldwide. Already this year, hundreds of ships have been rendered idle waiting off China’s east coast.

For ships stuck in idling mode the risk of barnacle fouling can be mitigated through the technology, Selektope® being present in the hull coating. While advanced coatings can unlock and protect gains from other efficiency technologies and alternative fuels, Selektope unlocks and protects the effect that coatings have when a vessel is sat still in the water, by defending a vessel from barnacle fouling.

With a greater focus on efficiency, anything that impacts a vessel’s efficiency will be a serious issue.

Barnacles have a huge impact on ship efficiency and warming waters will enable barnacle species to flourish in coastal waters putting vessels at increasing risk over the next few decades.

By protecting vessel hulls from barnacle fouling, Selektope extends the amount of time that vessels can spend idle in even the most challenging fouling environments. In this way, Selektope can extend idling guarantees of antifouling coatings and protect decarbonisation efforts across the global shipping fleet.

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

BULK TERMINALS RIGA 2022 THE ONLY EVENT AIMED AT THE ENTIRE BULK TERMINALS INDUSTRY

The Annual Conference of the Association of Bulk Terminal Operators (ABTO)

11-12 OCTOBER 2022

CONFERENCE AT THE FREEPORT OF RIGA AUTHORITY AND POST CONFERENCE TERMINAL VISIT Organised by

THE ONLY EVENT AIMED AT THE ENTIRE

BULK TERMINALS INDUSTRY

Each year with a full programme focused on the concerns of operators the ABTO Bulk Terminals conference offers sound practical solutions for improving safety, streamlining operations, ensuring environmental protection as well as a market analysis and development opportunities – and crucially how the wider industry serving them can provide solutions.

On top of the continuing effects of covid, the war in Ukraine will create massive changes in bulk trade flows.

Bulk Terminals 2022 Riga will fully examine the impact of the conflict on bulk terminal operations – both short term and in the future.

To discuss speaking and sponsorship opportunities please call Simon Gutteridge +33 (0)321 47 72 19 or email events@bulkterminals.org

Host Port

Supporting Organisations Media Partners Official magazine of Association of Bulk Terminal Operators (ABTO)

For more details and to register, visit: bulkterminals.org/index.php/events

64

LAST WORD

LAST WORD NEWS, VIEWS AND MORE FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE

LISTEN UP

As the Posidonia event went ahead at the beginning of June, new technology was in the spotlight. Maritime analytics provider MarineTraffic was there to promote the “shipping is here” message and to showcase technology that provides vessel positions, weather forecasts, container tracking and the like through its maritime data ecosystem.

MarineTraffic is now trialling an onboard device that will allow any vessel to become a listening station, collecting AIS and meteorological data from the surrounding area as well as broadcasting its own proprietary operational and navigational data for inhouse use.

It is anticipated that this will significantly improve the quality of global maritime vessel tracking data and allow smaller craft using AIS transponders to be detected away from shore for the first time.

The device will be available in early 2023. “We have built a platform that goes way beyond a vessel tracking service,” says MarineTraffic chief product officer, Dimitris Lekkas.

“Data thrives when it works seamlessly with other data, turning it into real information and actionable intelligence.

The connected vessel will deliver more accurate models for vessel arrival times and therefore help reduce fuel consumption. Our users will be able to build their own dashboards and combine their own data with information drawn from the huge MarineTraffic ecosystem.”

You “heard” it here first...

SMOOTH AS SILK

Following on from the Silk Road, we now have the Silk Alliance, a new initiative by Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and its partners, which will kick off with the intra-Asia container trade.

Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub is working with 11 leading cross-supply chain stakeholders to develop a fleet fuel transition strategy that can enable the establishment of a highly scalable Green Corridor Cluster.

The Silk Alliance brings together a diverse group of organisations whose collaboration can advance the decarbonisation of the maritime industry. Members will draw from their areas of expertise to develop a fleetspecific fuel transition strategy for container ships operating primarily in Asia, based on the Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub’s First Mover Framework.

This is designed to strengthen leadership and foster collaboration in the maritime industry to meet its COP26 commitments and to demonstrate tangible actions that can lower the investment risk that is currently preventing the wider uptake of sustainable carbonneutral fuels.

The initiative is named after the maritime section of the historic Silk Road, linking Southeast Asia to China, the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Peninsula, which expanded over the course of centuries to incorporate new technologies and cultures.

The cross-supply chain collaboration is dedicated to delivering learnings to enable safe, commercially viable and sustainable marine transport in support of the industry’s longterm strategy to decarbonise international shipping by 2050.

POWER GENERATION

New capacity for generating electricity from solar, wind and other renewables increased to a record level worldwide in 2021 and will grow further this year as governments increasingly seek to take advantage of renewables’ energy security and climate benefits, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The world added a record 295 gigawatts of new renewable power capacity in 2021, overcoming supply chain challenges, construction delays and high raw material prices, according to the IEA’s latest Renewable Energy Market Update. Global capacity additions are expected to rise this year to 320 gigawatts – equivalent to an amount that would come close to meeting the entire electricity demand of Germany or matching the European Union’s total electricity generation from natural gas. Solar PV is on course to account for 60% of global renewable power growth in 2022, followed by wind and hydropower.

“Energy market developments in recent months – especially in Europe – have proven once again the essential role of renewables in improving energy security, in addition to their well-established effectiveness at reducing emissions,” says IEA executive director Fatih Birol. “Cutting red tape, accelerating permitting and providing the right incentives for faster deployment of renewables are some of the most important actions governments can take to address today’s energy security and market challenges, while keeping alive the possibility of reaching our international climate goals.”

C L E A N S H I P P I N G INTERNATIONAL – Summer 2022

Designed to help delegates identify and resolve common problems when handling various biomass materials

BIOMASS OPERATIONS AND HANDLING TECHNOLOGIES SHORT COURSE – ONLINE

DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED FEBRUARY

2023

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, please contact Simon Gutteridge events@bulkterminals.org – +33 (0)321 47 72 19 – www.bulkterminals.org/events/courses-and-training