New partnerships bring alternative fuels to the fore
All the latest digital solutions to increase efficiency and cut costs
Marine paints and coatings that really make a difference
How effective the shipping industry is actually proving to be in its approach to clean fuel issues continues to be a matter of some debate, as some players suggest the industry is not progressing fast enough towards the next set of legislative deadlines.
The waters have been somewhat muddied in recent months due to the impact of the Ukrainian war and its effects on fuel availability, not to mention the availability of low sulphur and cleaner fuels generally.
In his introduction to the shipbroker’s annual review, BRS chairman Francois Cadiou was clear in his message: the industry should be moving to block the use of heavy fuel oil (HFO) and generally bite the bullet on the issue. He suggests that the continued use of HFO is blocking the industry’s transition to cleaner fuels and a more proactive approach needs to be taken on the issue. That said, he does point to the many and varied initiatives to develop the use of cleaner and greener fuels.
In this edition, we look at how liquefied natural gas (LNG) suppliers have been mounting a campaign to combat criticism on the use of LNG, putting up a robust defence for the product’s use in the future. We also see some of the initiatives that have been undertaken on many sides in the race to tackle emissions. There are also a number of ongoing actions to deal with such problems as ballast water and the dangers of invasive species – by no means a new topic. Bio-fouling is the centre of many initiatives, particularly in areas such as paints and coatings, with many interesting new products coming on to the market.
The use of scrubbers to address the issue of continuing use of high-sulphur products may well cause some debate, but their use continues to be attractive to shipowners, at least in the medium term. IT and digital solutions, meanwhile, are playing an increasing role in practically every aspect of the maritime industry, whether from improving efficiency and therefore cutting costs or in the establishment of hybrid systems for ships. And then there is the use of renewable energy developing as areas such as wind power continue to expand.
The International Maritime Organization will have an extremely tough time in meeting the requirements shipping faces during the next few years, with a demanding workload for whoever is selected as its next Secretary General.
We hope you enjoy reading about all this and more in this latest edition of Clean Shipping International
THE ONLY EVENT AIMED AT THE ENTIRE BULK TERMINALS INDUSTRY
The Annual Conference of the Association of Bulk Terminal Operators (ABTO)
Organised by
The 2023 conference will set the scene with the traditional analysis of bulk markets, continuing with a full programme focused on the concerns of operators – offering sound practical solutions to terminal operators for improving safety, streamlining operations and ensuring environmental protection.
The conflict in Ukraine had a serious impact throughout 2022 on bulk trade flows. This will undoubtedly continue this year. And while the world may be opening up, the effects of covid-19 will continue to affect global supply chains. Lisbon will examine the impact of both 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
Editor: Sandra Speares speares1@aol.com
Project Director: Jonathon Ferris jonathon.ferris@ cleanshippinginternational.com
Sub-editor: Samantha Robinson sam.robinson.journalist@ gmail.com
Publisher: Bill Robinson publisher@ cleanshippinginternational.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
hydrogen production based on green electrical power with no thermal heat requirement. The technology behind the CO2 absorption is based on PureteQ’s patented exhaust gas cleaning system and digital platform.
Sandra Speares on why it’s time to bite the sustainability bullet
06
Don Gregory, Director, Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems Association
All the latest news and views from across the globe
The number of ships with scrubbers on board looks set to increase in the years to come as newbuilds are delivered
Alternative fuels are powering ahead across the industry as partnerships are forged to deliver these new propellants
26 Viewpoint: Steve Esau, chief operating officer, SEA-LNG
31 Viewpoint: Dr Cassandra Higham, global marine and energy marketing manager, Castrol
New guidelines have been developed to support the implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention
Exciting developments in wind power put it in prime position to have a huge effect on a cleaner, greener shipping industry
» p14
Efficient bunkering is key to improve fuel efficiency, as well as new engine types and proactive use of operational time
How prepared is the industry to tackle decarbonisation? New research reveals how far shipping has come
Carbon capture solutions are key to reducing emissions and meeting regulatory targets
» p21
Energy storage solutions have to ensure inefficiency is kept to a minimum and safety is the priority
Hybrid systems and vessels are key to the industry’s transition to more a more sustainable way of doing business
» p31
There is a growing range of innovative antifouling products – and new ways to make their application easier
There is a vast range of digital solutions to fulfil previously labour-intensive tasks, saving time and cutting costs
» p53
New deadlines and pieces of legislation are on the horizon with which industry players will have to comply
The world’s ocean surfaces are warming more rapidly than predicted by the scientific models. That was the very under-publicised news that was briefly featured by the BBC in late April 2023.
Apparently, the sea surfaces hit record highs not seen before and the rate of increase has also been extraordinary. To make matters even more concerning, the natural temperature variations caused by the El Nino effect are also about to kick in in the Pacific Ocean, creating further sea surface temperature rises.
What are the implications of this news?
It is claimed that the rising sea surface temperatures can kill off marine life at a rapid rate as well as cause even more extreme weather events than we have witnessed to date. Unlike land, water expands with rising temperatures and it means the predictions for sea-level rises are now likely to need recalculation. Finally, the ability to absorb gases by water decreases with temperature. This is contrary to its ability to dissolve solids, which increases with rising temperature. So boiling water more readily dissolves sugar, while really cold water more readily absorbs CO2. Warm a bottle of fizzy water and it soon loses all its fizz!
So, we have a scenario where marine food sources may become scarcer, where more extreme weather events result in a significant increase in droughts and floods and the inundation of low-lying lands of which much of the world’s population make their homes. Finally, one of the world’s greatest sinks for CO2 is now less able to do its job.
This is not great news at all. In fact, when taking into account mass migration to escape the ravages of the effects of
climate change, there is the perhaps the most insurmountable challenge of all: human migration to the north in the hope of a better life and with nothing to lose in the process.
Earlier in the year, I was in dialogue with a very interesting scientist who has her ear to the ground in terms of observing a more holistic approach to the challenges of climate change and an interest in all things related to air pollution, including a good awareness of maritime air pollution.
I was surprised and shocked when she told me that in the climate modelling community of scientists there appeared to be a lack of awareness of the dramatic change on 1 January 2020 when the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulation in MARPOL Annex VI entered into effect. This regulation saw the cut
“Rising sea surface temperatures can kill off marine life at a rapid rate as well as cause even more extreme weather events than we have witnessed to date”
in the emissions of sulphur oxides and other particles. But apparently the change was something that had not been transmitted to the climate change scientist community and had not been factored into the climate models!
The SOx and particle emission regulations were promoted in the first instance in the 1990s by Scandinavian countries, which had suffered from so-called “acid rain”, damaging flora and fauna in a region where there is little acid neutralising limestones and other such geology.
However, that acidifying effect was more than dealt with by the reduction in emissions of SOx from
land-based sources such as power stations and other high-energy intensity industries, as well as the decline in coal burning. But despite the decline in acidifying rain the Scandinavians and certain sectors of the environmental organisations pushed to reduce the sulphur content in marine fuel.
In the 2000s, there were repeated reports of the beneficial impact of particles in the atmosphere emitted from ships across the oceans creating a shield from solar radiation. It was clear that there was a benefit in that “particle umbrella” that should have been assessed against the improving air quality in Scandinavia due to
massive reductions in land sourced emissions to very low levels or zero.
Unfortunately, it seems to be the nature of activists to ignore the bigger picture and just focus on the singular action, which is often immaterial and exaggerated. The result as reported in the BBC news item is that the loss of emissions from ships across the oceans since 2020 could well be the root cause of the alarming and unexpected rate of rise of ocean surface temperatures.
It appears this is an inconvenient truth that is not worthy of more than a passing news item. But the impacts, on the other hand, are dramatic and need to be considered urgently.
Fuels for the future have been a matter of consideration for many organisations recently, while a series of new partnerships are forging ahead with much-needed innovations and testing
In shipbrokers BRS’ annual review, chairman Francois Cadiou says the shipping industry could show its leadership now by phasing out HFO and in doing so make history.
As Cadiou says in his introduction to the broker’s annual report: “Humankind has a knack for self-inflicting wounds: epidemics, inflation, war, pollution, climate change, pain and suffering from another age… we used to think. Still, there is nothing that we cannot fix with science, technology, common sense, goodwill and determination. One topic on which there should be a clear consensus in the shipping industry is the banishment of heavy fuel oil (HFO).
“Although HFO replaced coal as a fuel sometime in the 20th century, this ‘dirty’ fuel has become increasingly vilified in the 21st century as the industry’s focus has moved towards reducing its environmental footprint. HFO is a danger to human health as it releases during its combustion SOx, NOx, heavy metals, particulate matters, black carbon and chemicals (aromatic
hydrocarbons, benzenes) known to cause cancer. As such, no national authority allows it to power land-based forms of transport. It is only used in the shipping industry due to its attractive price and the sector’s lower environmental standards set out by the international shipping regulator, the International Maritime Organization. These factors combined with wide availability have seen the shipping industry become addicted to HFO. Regardless of the practical and economical convenience of HFO, the industry must escape its toxic grasp.
“At a time when many shipowners are trying to find cleaner alternatives based on molecules such as liquefied natural gas (LNG, CH4) or methanol (CH3OH) or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG – C3H8 and C4H10), including some molecules (methanol for instance) that can be manufactured using renewable electricity (solar, wind, hydro) and existing CO2, shipping regulators can no longer pretend that the environmental footprint of HFO is comparable with the alternatives.
“It must be admitted that the continued use of HFO will slow down the transition to cleaner fuels at precisely the point in time when it should be accelerated. 2030 and 2050 are ‘tomorrow’. We cannot simply expect to hit carbon reduction targets right on these dates without a targeted plan and corresponding action.
“In 2022, we saw too many dual fuel vessels switch back to HFO as extremely strong LNG prices eroded the economics of LNG propulsion. This turn of events was a huge step back as dual fuel main engines are less efficient at using only HFO compared with specialised main engines, resulting in higher consumption.
“In addition, HFO requires heating, not to mention additional fuel consumed to operate scrubbers. These additional demands add up to an extra 3-5 tonnes of HFO consumed on the largest vessels, which could otherwise be saved
“This race to the bottom needs to be stopped and the playing field levelled to enable cleaner molecules to compete with the economics of HFO,” he says.
SEA-LNG has put out a statement in response to recent comments from the “Say No to LNG’ campaign, which it says seeks to misrepresent the clear benefits of the LNG pathway to decarbonisation and overstate its challenges.
“SEA-LNG continues to believe that policy decisions must be based upon peer-reviewed, practical scientific analysis conducted on a full lifecycle (well-to-wake) basis. Thorough independent studies and accurate information that compare alternative fuel pathways on a like-for-like basis, are key to our industry making informed investment decisions.”
“Say No to LNG (SNtL) bases its campaign on a false contention, suggesting the industry is hiding the issue of methane emissions. SNtL states: ‘What they don’t tell you is that LNG replaces CO2 emissions with methane emissions….’ when the opposite is true. The industry has been open about methane emissions,
recognising it is an issue which needs to be addressed with urgency and has undertaken publicly available, peerreviewed greenhouse gas emissions analysis on primary data from all major marine engine manufacturers.
“Levels of methane slip have been reduced by a factor of four since LNGfuelled engines were introduced in the early 2000s and today, the LNGfuelled vessel order book is dominated by engine technologies with low, or negligible levels of methane slip. The industry is engaged in projects to measure operational methane emissions from a variety of vessel and engine types. In September 2022, it launched an initiative, the Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative to monitor, measure and abate methane emissions in the maritime supply chain.”
Technology group Wärtsilä will carry out decarbonisation modelling on two vessels in the Corsica Ferries fleet. The study will create a digital model of the two ships to simulate the effect of various decarbonisation technologies on their environmental compliance. This will enable accurate evaluation of the efficiency gains possible through the implementation of the latest technical innovations. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in March 2023.
The Mega Express and Mega Express II are 176m-long sister vessels. Both operate with Wärtsilä engines and propellers. Propeller re-blading and hybridisation will be among the technologies to be
evaluated during the modelling, as will Wärtsilä’s Energoprofin energy saving propeller cap solution, and the company’s fuel consumption reducing air lubrication system.
“It is a huge benefit to be able to simulate in advance how various products, solutions, and systems will impact efficiency,” says Nicolò Verrina, energy transition naval architect and ocean engineer, Corsica Ferries. “This will help us in our efforts to decarbonise fleet operations and meet our sustainability goals. We respect Wärtsilä’s experience and capabilities, and are pleased to continue the good relationship between our companies with this modelling programme.”
“The International Maritime Organization’s Carbon Intensity Indicator legislation is driving the industry’s move towards greater efficiencies and reduced CO2 emissions,” says Giulio Pacini, manager decarbonisation services, project services at Wärtsilä. “Wärtsilä’s decarbonisation services provide the means by which companies can attain a detailed understanding of the best way forward before making hit-or-miss decisions on product purchases.”
Wärtsilä’s fleet decarbonisation service is designed to tackle the challenge of environmental regulatory compliance. By combining data-driven assessments with expert advice and recommendations, the service enables operators to decide on the optimal route to decarbonised operations with cost-effective investments. The service is in line with Wärtsilä’s lifecycle support strategy, and enhances the
company’s position as a trustworthy partner to its customers.
In addition, Wärtsilä and DNV have entered a partnership, creating secure and seamless connectivity between Wärtsilä’s fleet optimisation solution and DNV’s industry cloud platform Veracity. With the integration, Wärtsilä will send real-time operational data (with customer consent) to Veracity, where it is quality assured and made ready for DNV’s verification services, making emissions compliance reporting more efficient for the partners’ common customers.
Global marine energy solution provider Baseblue recently hosted “The Future of Bunkering 2023 and Beyond” as part of the 10th East Med Expo. The conference featured expert panels and discussions on the role of bunkering in the transition towards a sustainable future, with a particular focus on alternative fuels.
The panel discussions delved into the challenges and opportunities of alternative fuels such as biofuels, hydrogen, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and methanol. The discussions highlighted the importance of alternative fuels and vessel upgraded efficiencies in meeting the International Maritime Organization’s regulatory requirements for 2030 and beyond.
The speakers analysed the immediate pathway to meet these requirements. It was concluded
that there is no silver bullet, and a combination of multiple options will be necessary to achieve the required emission reductions.
The conference opened with a welcome address by Ioannis Efstratiou, director of the safety and environmental directorate at the Shipping Deputy Ministry of the Republic of Cyprus, who highlighted the importance of collaboration and innovation in the industry’s transition towards a sustainable future.
Dr Yiannos Charalambides, a lecturer and geopolitical analyst, provided an overview of the regional shipping and energy landscape.
Vassilios Demetriades, former shipping deputy minister of the Republic of Cyprus, moderated a panel on regulations and operations in the shipping industry, where the challenges and opportunities of the industry’s transition towards a more sustainable future were discussed.
The panel included Captain Harpeet Singh, COO of Société de Navigation, Dr J Kokarakis, VP of technology at Bureau Veritas, and Philipos Philis, president of the European Community Shipowners’ Association.
Nicos Attas, Rina Cyprus marine manager, spoke about using hydrogen as a marine fuel and analysed its biggest challenges, highlighting the need for more research and investment in infrastructure and technology to overcome these challenges.
Bill Stamatopoulos, business development director at Bureau Veritas, discussed the role of biofuels in the new regulations landscape. He mentioned that biofuels are an indispensable stepping-stone on the path to decarbonisation. They may be best viewed as only part of a portfolio of decarbonisation options.
The discussions at the conference highlighted the importance of developing and adopting alternative fuels to reduce the shipping industry’s carbon footprint.
Technical advisory, asset management and assurance solutions organisation Bureau Veritas Solutions Marine and Offshore (BVS) and ENGIE, a global industry leader in low-carbon energy supply and related services, have announced a partnership to provide advisory and hedging services to support shipowners, operators and charterers in navigating the complexities of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirements.
BVS, part of Bureau Veritas, a world leader in testing, inspection and certification, is joining forces with ENGIE’s entity Global Energy Management and Sales (GEMS), the energy management arm of ENGIE, to develop a suite of advisory and market access services to help shipping interests to thoroughly understand upcoming regulatory requirements, manage their risk and identify the optimal low-carbon emissions roadmap for their operations.
This partnership aims to provide vessel owners, operators and charters with the expertise and insight they require in managing their marine fuels and carbon prices exposures in the context of an increasingly differentiated marine fuels market, by fuel type, geographic location, and carbon intensity.
This will provide BVS and GEMS’s customers with a low-carbon emission transportation roadmap that fits with their commercial and operational requirements and aligns with their risk management needs.
The partnership brings together
GEMS’s experience in the analysis and trading of energy products, including emission allowances under the EU Emissions Trading System, with BVS’s technical advisory and consultancy expertise in the marine and offshore sectors, to offer commercial and risk-management solutions to owners, operators and charterers looking at how to best manage their present and future low-carbon operating models.
BVS president Paul Shrieve says: “For customers facing unprecedented complexity in global energy markets and an increasingly diverse marine fuels landscape, this partnership between BVS and GEMS offers a onestop-shop for clarity and expert guidance on developing the appropriate fleet GHG strategy, and associated risk management.
“Understanding the operating profile of your vessels, your marine fuel requirements and GHG impact is an essential step, but it’s important to also understand how that translates into a low-carbon operating model that meets your operating needs, spanning different vessel types and fuels, and different regions and regulatory regimes.”
Marc Pannier, Executive Committee member at GEMS, says: “In an increasingly complex carbon market, the move to include maritime emissions in the EU Emissions Trading System is another important consideration for shipping organisations that want to chart a course towards a low-carbon roadmap that meets their fleets’ needs and cuts their emissions, whilst also limiting their exposure to price volatility.
Through this partnership with BVS, we will work with shipping organisations to develop and execute strategies that manage the risks they face and seize the opportunities in today’s global energy markets through the right choice of hedging tools, as well as carbon offsetting solutions.”
By assessing the energy consumption and carbon emissions of an organisation’s fleet, trading patterns and routes, in conjunction with access to global energy markets and a wide range of risk management strategies, BVS and GEMS will help developing the optimal solution for commercial exposure and carbon objectives.
This will include support on how to best align an organisation’s GHG emissions reduction strategies with the proposal from the European Commission’s ‘Fit for 55’ package regarding the progressive inclusion of emissions from maritime transport in the EU ETS, and the upcoming FuelEU Maritime initiative.
BVS and GEMS will also guide owners, operators and charters on the evolving regulatory and voluntary landscape for managing carbon emissions from shipping operations, including current and impending regulatory requirements, as well as advice on managing their wider sustainability footprint.
This can also include the opportunity for carbon offsetting strategies and products, as part of a wider lowcarbon strategy.
To combat climate change and facilitate the transition towards a more sustainable and low-carbon future, lowering the carbon intensity of the shipping industry is key.
The majority of existing ships are forced to lower their speed by derating engines, which in turn means less trade and more focus on saving costs. Cost of energy in any form is very high and cost of low-carbon fuel even higher. Furthermore, shipowners realise that it may take years before alternative fuel and onboard carbon capture technologies become available for shipping. In the meantime, we must be energy efficient in every way possible.
Maritime scrubber systems allow shipowners to consume less expensive heavy fuel oil (HFO) and still be compliant with MARPOL
regulations. However, shipowners must take the significant variations in energy consumption between different scrubber brands into consideration.
It has become ever-more complicated to choose a scrubber design to match the ship’s actual trade pattern. The most important factor for many shipowners is capital expenditure (CAPEX) but, once installed, operating expenditure (OPEX), technical performance and after-sales support become important factors.
To monitor your ship’s OPEX you need to ensure that the scrubber system can regulate automatically for the lowest possible energy
consumption at various loads, matching the trade pattern of the vessel. Some designs have constraints on how much the waterflow can be regulated and still clean the gas. Others have constraints on the functionality of the software, which is not easily fixed. Most scrubber makers have outsourced software to third-party suppliers who not always understand the needs onboard a ship.
At PureteQ, we take great pride in continuously optimising our products and developing the most advanced software in-house to enable online support and system updates, in addition to our on-site service visits. Our control system logs hundreds of datasets every second to ensure energy efficiency that not only reduces OPEX, but also minimises the carbon footprint.
A PureteQ Service Agreement is all you need to realise the full potential of your scrubber system. Our dedicated service organisation, PureServ, provides service and support to all brands of scrubbers and sensors to safeguard your ship’s continuous operation, reliability and MARPOL compliance. We offer tailor-made service agreements designed to meet shipowners’ specific needs based on the ship’s operational pattern and crew proficiency level. Our service agreements include (but are not limited to):
» Operational advice and environmental performance reporting including access to our web-based Scrubber Performance Optimization Tool (Pure-SPOT)
» Certified calibration and sensor replacement program
» Spare part management and access to our safety stock (shipped within 24 hours)
» Training of crew on-site or remotely via our Internet for
Remote Assistance Services (IRAS) installation for ship-wide wifi access and real-time support
» 24/7/365 hotline service
PureteQ has offices in Europe and Asia and from there our trained marine engineers are dispatched from the nearest location.
In view of the scarcity of energy, it is of great importance that we all become more energy efficient and make use of whatever technology is available to reduce climate impact.
PureteQ is committed to continuous investments in R&D to optimise existing technologies and to develop new technologies within the fields of carbon capture and Power-to-X. PureteQ maritime scrubbers therefore now come as onboard carbon-capture-ready.
A scrubber system with a solventbased Onboard Carbon Capture (OCC) integration results in a CO2 reduction of 30-60% of a ship’s exhaust gas, depending on ship type.
Most scrubbers may be retrofitted with a carbon capture feature when such technologies become readily available for energy efficient OCC and the infrastructure for handling CO2 becomes available. If a system promises new features such as OCC, be sure to ask the cost per ton of CO2, as well as the amount of CO2 being captured, and energy consumption.
According to the International Panel of Climate Change (IPCC), the world will not only need to reach net zero emissions by 2050, but must become carbon negative. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) plays an important role in achieving climate objectives, as the CCS technology contributes to reducing emissions that are difficult to reduce by other means.
For more information, contact: Anders Skibdal, CEO, PureteQ Group
Tel: + 45 4017 1400
Email: anders@pureteq.com
pureteq.com/service
A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO A GLOBAL CHALLENGE
Although installations of scrubbers on board ships were down last year, the number looks set to actually increase in the years to come as newbuild orders reach delivery
According to BIMCO chief analyst Niels Rasmussen: “Scrubbers were installed on 399 ships in 2022, a fall of 24% year on year, and currently 13% of bulker, container and tanker ships have a scrubber installed. Despite the slowing rate of installations, the share of ships with a scrubber is set to increase in coming years as 17% of ships in the shipyards’ order books are expected to have a scrubber installed.”
As he pointed out in a recent comment on the situation, since 1 January 2020, ships have had to use ultra or low sulphur fuel (for example ULSFO or VLSFO) to comply with limits for sulphur emissions. However, ships can continue to use the less expensive heavy fuel oil (HFO) if they install a scrubber. But the price premium for VLSFO has turned out to be less than initially estimated.
“On 31 December 2019, the day before the new International Maritime Organization regulation was implemented, the price premium for VLSFO in six of the world’s largest bunkering ports averaged US$347/ tonne. Since then, the premium has
averaged $149/tonne. It has been as low as $50/tonne for an extended period during 2020 and as high as $ 400/tonne during June/July 2022.
“The higher the VLSFO premium, the more attractive the investment in a scrubber is because the payback period is shorter. The lower-than-expected VLSFO premium has likely discouraged owners from installing scrubbers, particularly on smaller ships with lower bunker consumption and lower savings as a result.”
He explains that the average dry bulk, container and tanker ship with a scrubber has a deadweight capacity of 140,845 tonnes whereas those without have an average of 51,743 deadweight tonnes. Therefore, the 13% of the dry bulk, container and tanker ships with scrubbers represents 29% of the deadweight capacity. The crude tanker fleet has the highest installation rate, with 32% of the ships and 38% of the deadweight capacity having scrubbers installed.
“The percentage of ships with scrubbers is set to increase in the coming years as
17% of the dry bulk, container, and tanker ships in the shipyards’ order books are expected to have scrubbers installed. However, those 17% only amount to 24% of the deadweight capacity in the order book and the scrubber deadweight percentage could therefore decrease.
“In the long term, the use of scrubbers to cut sulphur emissions may reduce as decarbonisation efforts will increase the use of alternative fuels that are sulphur compliant.”
Wärtsilä has received its first order for carbon capture and storage-ready scrubber systems – CCS-Ready scrubbers. Delivery is expected to take place later this year.
Four 8,200 TEU container vessels, being built at undisclosed Asian-based yard, will be fitted with Wärtsilä’s CCS-Ready 35MW scrubber in an open loop configuration.
The scrubbers are termed CCSReady because, as part of their installation, Wärtsilä will perform additional design and engineering work to ensure that future retrofits for a full CCS system on the vessels have already been accounted for during the newbuilding construction stage.
Wärtsilä will take measures to ensure adequate space for the
future installation of CCS systems, incorporate considerations for minimising idle load and optimising utilities, and prepare the control and automation system accordingly. CCSReady scrubbers will also be designed for integration with a particulate matter filter.
Having a CCS-Ready solution assures that the undisclosed ship owner has continued regulatory compliance for SOx emissions today and opens the door to smooth CCS system adoption in the future.
By installing scrubbers that have been designed with the space and capabilities to have a CCS unit added, Wärtsilä is enabling ship owners to futureproof their existing assets, while remaining competitive and compliant.
Scott Oh, director at Wärtsilä’s Exhaust Treatment Asia, says: “We are very excited to announce this worldfirst order for our CCS-Ready scrubber solution. By investing in a CCS-Ready scrubber, ship owners will futureproof their assets and enable a smooth transition to CCS adoption once the technology is mature in the very near future. CCS is one of the key solutions to enable maritime decarbonisation in a short timeframe, and we look forward to progressing our technology further.”
Wärtsilä is currently testing its CCS system at 70% capture rate and a pilot
installation will take place within the next 12 months.
Wärtsilä Exhaust Treatment is a marine exhaust gas cleaning system manufacturer, with a range of lifecycle scrubbing solutions. Wärtsilä offers integrated compliant solutions for all types of ships, and in open loop, closed loop or hybrid configurations. Wärtsilä’s scrubbers are built with a modular approach to future technology development, creating a platform for the abatement of other emissions from shipping beyond sulphur.
Purus Marine has placed an order for four 45,000cbm medium-sized gas carriers from Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea. The vessels, to be delivered in 2025 and 2026, will be dual fuel ammonia-ready and fitted with shaft generators and scrubbers. Purus has also secured options for two additional vessels. The vessels are expected to primarily carry ammonia.
Purus Marine provides innovative low-carbon maritime transportation and infrastructure systems to its global energy customers. It has a fleet of more than 60 low-carbon vessels and terminals with a focus on the offshore wind, liquefied natural gas and ammonia sectors.
Digitalisation and focused automation can reduce the administrative and operational burden on seafarers and let them enjoy life at sea a lot more, writes Mikael
Laurin, Head of Vessel Optimization at Yara Marine Technologies.
Seafarers are the backbone of global trade. They ensure that goods are transported safely and efficiently across the world’s oceans, but they work in a very challenging environment. Vessels are becoming increasingly complex to operate, with new fuels and technologies on the horizon. At the same time, seafarer training is known to be lagging industry developments.
Last year, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved a comprehensive review of the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) convention and code to address inconsistencies and bring it up to date with existing and emerging technologies.
These increased complexities will no doubt create an additional burden upon the seafarers unless emerging technologies that automate certain processes are implemented. If properly
designed and based on first-hand knowledge of the maritime sector and onboard environment, modern technologies can lighten the load and assist seafarers in operating vessels as safely and efficiently as possible. Furthermore, using these solutions will also allow land-based staff to support those at sea more effectively and increase transparency across an organisation through data gathering, sharing and analysis.
Many seafarers are currently working to optimise their vessels in order to consume less fuel, which reduces both cost and emissions. This is in particular focus at present as all operators are getting to terms with how to gather data and calculating the fuel consumption of each ship in order to determine its carbon intensity, as per the mandate from the IMO. While reducing the speed of a ship and weather routing are widely accepted pathways to reducing fuel consumption, a path less taken is the ability to adjust the power needed by a ship to navigate its specific operating environment. Yara Marine’s FuelOpt
offers dynamic propulsion optimisation by leveraging advanced technologies to get the best possible results for each voyage.
FuelOpt is similar to a sophisticated cruise control system on cars adapted the ship operation that controls vessel speed, fuel consumption or shaft power. On vessels with controllable pitch propellers, the FuelOpt system also works to dynamically tune the propulsion machinery. It separately manages the propeller’s pitch and engine rpm to produce the greatest amount of thrust with the least expenditure of power, thereby further improving energy efficiency. Plus, it adds an extra layer of operational safety by avoiding the risk of overload on the engine system and propulsion line.
FuelOpt is designed to ensure that gathering information and analysing the data needed to fine tune vessel operations does not add to crew workload. The system software receives information from the ship’s instruments and, based on considerations of changing environmental conditions, it makes adjustments to the propulsion line in real-time. As the data collection
is automated, vast quantities of information about the ships’ performance can be gathered, including how the equipment on board responds to changing sea conditions.
When data gathering and analysis is applied on a ship-wide scale, it can be sent to the cloud and compiled as reports, as part of a network cloud-based platform called Fleet Analytics. The performance of that vessel can be analysed during a voyage or period, and compared with that of the others in a fleet, yielding many valuable insights. This means that individual vessels are always operating at peak performance for their surroundings, reducing fuel consumption and saving money. Several of our customers measure savings of more than 10% in fuel consumption and related emissions.
The system is designed to provide a direct interface between the machinery and the bridge, allowing the captain and crew to maintain full control of these key vessel efficiency parameters. This means that the safety of the vessel is never at risk.
When commands are set, the automated system dynamically monitors and controls vessel propulsion power in real-time, allowing it to optimise energy efficiency. Operating with a constant consumption or shaft power setpoint ensures that the crew can avoid unwanted overconsumption during harsh weather, while reaping the rewards during good weather. In other words, the system provides the onboard team with full control of fuel consumption, emissions, and operations.
Since FuelOpt automates many of the tasks involved in fuel optimisation, this frees up seafarers to spend their time focusing on other critical tasks. By presenting them with information in a user-friendly manner, it allows them to make quicker and more informed decisions without expending too much energy. This can also improve safety, reduce the risk of accidents and significantly boost seafarer morale by simplifying daily operations.
Data-powered artificial intelligence already underpins many of the world’s industries and is being used in a number of arenas in the maritime sector. As administrative tasks and regulatory compliance increases, seafarers and shore-side personnel are unlikely to have the time necessary to track data patterns, particularly in large amounts of data across several voyages in specific environments. However, lacking insight from data tracking could potentially leave operations open to subjective decisionmaking, which is unlikely to match the peak performance possible by combining data tracking with AI.
AI and machine learning algorithms can process vast amounts of data at an incredible speed, perform calculations with a high degree of accuracy, identify patterns and make predictions that are objectively based on vessel and environmental data. Furthermore, algorithms can perform repetitive analysis on the same dataset repeatedly without making mistakes or becoming fatigued, unlike individuals, and can scale up or down to handle large or small datasets without any loss of performance.
While it is unlikely that AI will ever replicate the twinge in a chief engineer’s gut when he hears a sound out of place in an engine room, there is no doubt that AI solutions are the best way to facilitate the work on decision-making through big data. Furthermore, these solutions can make sure that out of place data always gets noticed by a crew member, even if they are not in the room at the time that something goes wrong.
In our portfolio, AI can be found in the semi-autonomous system Route Pilot. AI certainly does exactly what it says on the label and uses machine learning and AI to assist operators and their crew to plan and execute more energyefficient sea voyages. The software can monitor everything from fuel consumption to engine performance, and even weather conditions to provide recommendations that can be harnessed to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
FuelOpt and Fleet Analytics both feed data into the Route Pilot AI ship operation support system. The data gathered from these inputs is used by deep learning technologies to predict the specific vessel’s performance in different conditions, thereby making it easy to identify the most energyefficient voyage within the constraints of the route and vessel. As soon as Route Pilot AI has enough data to simulate the ideal route for the vessel’s journey, FuelOpt becomes the interface between the captain and Route Pilot AI, empowering the seafarer to cooperate and execute the voyage accordingly.
As the sector becomes more datafriendly and there are larger data pools available, the software will become more sophisticated and allow for even more precise calculations. In the long term, this information and automation can be used to minimise human error and improve the safety of the ship and its crew, while also freeing seafarers and shore staff to focus on priorities that specifically require human intervention.
Despite advances in technology, the future of shipping is likely to rely heavily on human guidance, particularly as we navigate uncharted waters of low- and zero-carbon fuels. It must be remembered that it is the skills and expertise of seafarers that really allow systems to perform optimally and yield impressive results.
We at Yara Marine Technologies believe that using marine technologies to reduce seafarer workload will play an important role when it comes to recruitment and retention of the brightest minds in the sector. The ability to eliminate repetitive or overly complex tasks will create a more balanced and rewarding work environment for the maritime workforce of the future.
This integration of data insights, vessel optimisation solutions, AIpowered solutions, and navigational systems can deliver immense value to our industry, supporting our industry’s transition to a better, greener future.
For more information, visit: yaramarine.com
Performance. Achieving objectives and often surpassing expectations. That’s the key reason why scrubber technology is increasingly becoming the solution of choice for shippers the world over for achieving compliance with MARPOL stringent emissions’ regulations.
Simply put, CROE Marine Scrubbers allow shippers to burn less expensive high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) and meet the 0.1%S and the 0.5%S regulations on fuel sulphur content imposed by MARPOL and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Across the board, this has meant the ability to use less expensive fuel and still remain compliant. And, as an added bonus, in some a quicker-than-expected return on investment (ROI).
Shipping, an industry key to life as we know it, ranks high in the list of polluters. The strict MARPOL emissions standards protect the environment and it’s up to shippers to choose the type of fuel that will meet those standards: use premium, very low sulfur fuel, or use exhaust cleaning technology.
As additional benefits to using exhaust gas cleaning technology (scrubbers), dangerous particulates have been reduced and exhaust gas has been prepared for future decarbonisation technologies. A quick ROI makes scrubber technology even more appealing.
At CR, we have been doing our share in helping industries and the environment since 1917, with various innovating technologies including exhaust scrubbers. As part of that history, we have been
manufacturing scrubbing systems for many decades, gaining valuable experience that forms the basis of today’s CROE system.
Our scrubbers are available in three standard configurations, which are customisable to a ship’s requirements:
» Open loop (hybrid ready): once through scrubber using seawater
» Closed loop: a recirculating scrubber using seawater (or freshwater) with caustic
» Hybrid: a combination of both designs for maximum flexibility CROE Scrubbers normally replace the silencers, are small in size, have compact configuration and have flexibility of design. They can be installed in the funnel or outside. Some of the features of the CROE scrubbing systems include:
» Option of bottom entry I-Type, side entry L-Type or our U-Type entry designs to better fit any funnel configuration and simplify engine exhaust gas duct with or without a bypass. The CROE system can also be installed outside the funnel, if that is preferred, to maximise pre-assembly and expedite the installation.
» Strategically configured exhaust gas inlet and scrubber drainage to eliminate any potential water backflow to the engine.
» Eliminated circulation water storage from the bottom of the scrubber vessel to reduce weight at the higher elevations, thereby improving stability.
» Alloy construction (external and internal) to extend the life of the system and to allow the exhaust gas to travel through the scrubber system at high temperatures in case of dry-run conditions without a bypass.
» Used proprietary internals designed specifically to increase the contact area, with lower liquid flows to save on the typical pumping costs associated with some scrubber designs.
» Proprietary Caustic-AssistTM feature for open-loop assist operating in low alkalinity areas.
The CROE design has proved to be very reliable and effective for the clients.
Until recently, the primary focus for the CROE sales team was on the 0.1%S and the 0.5%S regulations on fuel sulphur content (as issued by IMO effective January 2015 and January 2020 respectively). However, the CROE research team has now been busy developing new technologies for fine particulate reduction (PM<2.5µ), black carbon reduction and CO2 capture and sequestration.
While a handful of ports have implemented restrictions on the use of open-loop scrubbers, several independent studies that have shown that this discharge is not harmful to the sea nor to the sea life.
To avoid conflicts on this issue, CROE has partnered with Oberlin Filter to provide an easily-integrated washwater filtration system to remove sludge in a non-hazardous dry form, streamlining the process to discharge
cleaner water filtrate back in the body of water.
Furthermore, the use of scrubbing systems enables a much smaller carbon footprint than using low sulfur fuels such as very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) and marine gas oil.
Additionally, burning low sulphur fuel oil increases the overall fuel costs for the vessel. Using low sulphur fuels, an already scarce commodity, will increase, rather than decrease, the ship’s environmental impact for CO2 and the very dangerous PM<2.5.
At CROE, we’ll continue helping our clients by speeding up yard work, reducing processes to the maximum. To this end, our new designs can be installed outside of the ship’s funnel and allow for greater prefabrication prior to the ship arriving at the site.
Since the beginning of this century, marine scrubbers have delivered on their promise to achieve compliance while offering a lower-cost, higherprofit alternative the VLSFO. They are helping make momentous advances in the war against deadly emissions by reducing shipping’s contribution to air pollution –and all this while maintaining the industry profitable. Nothing wrong with that.
For more information, contact:
Dominique Philibert
President & COO
Tel: +1 (973) 455-0005 ext. 123
Email: dphilibert@croceanx.com croceanx.com
GAC Ireland and Green Biofuels Limited UK (GBF) have celebrated the debut lifting of biofuels from Ireland’s first clean fuels terminal.
The company has been appointed to operate and maintain GBF’s Cork Terminal from March 2023. The first 39,000-litre lifting of Gd⁺ fuel, which is made from renewable feedstocks and dramatically reduces harmful emissions by up to 90%, was completed in April under the supervision of Kenneth Long, GAC Ireland’s Cork Terminal Manager. It was heading for Mullingar in central Ireland, where it will be used for several applications.
Previously, GBF leased tanks in the UK through third parties. The beginning of operations at its own facility is a major milestone for them – and it has selected GAC as its partner to provide the manning and oversee day-to-day terminal activities.
Under the agreement, GAC provides terminal management services at the site, including providing terminal operators, loading masters and jetty operators, who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of
Alternative fuels are powering ahead across the industry as partnerships are forged to deliver these new propellants
the terminal, discharging fuel from vessels and overseeing the loading of fuel on to trucks for delivery.
Alex Azadegan, GBF’s operations manager, says: “We awarded GAC the management of the terminal due to the experience and expertise of its people and its superb safety, environmental and reliability ethos. We believe these are the principal ingredients required to successfully deliver a visionary, new facility.”
In 2021, Ireland imported more than eight million litres of Gd+ HVO from the UK, and GBF is seeing significant growth to this figure as industries turn to greener alternatives to fossil fuel. Ireland has committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. GBF is in the business of introducing low-carbon, drop-in replacement fuels to the UK and Irish markets, and even powered the BBC’s coverage of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest
Kenneth Long says: “I am personally very proud to be part of this journey in making
renewable fuel accessible here in Ireland on a large scale.”
Nicholas Browne, managing director of GAC UK & Ireland, says: “Together with GAC Bunker Fuels, we are committed to facilitating the growth of biofuels as an alternative fuel of the future throughout the UK and Ireland. It is fantastic to support GBF and to work with the Port of Cork on this project.”
The Cork terminal currently only handles Gd⁺ but options to store other clean fuels there are being explored. The current capacity of 38m litres is set to increase to 53m with further development.
The beginning of operations marks the beginning of a long, successful partnership in the journey towards net zero.
Maran Dry Management (MDM), the dry bulk shipping arm of the Angelicoussis Group, recently took delivery of two newcastlemax bulk carriers – Ubuntu Unity and Ubuntu Community, both from Shanghai Waigaoqiao Ship Building Co (SWS). The two DNV-classed vessels are the first LNG-fuelled bulk carriers to join the MDM fleet.
The 190,000dwt vessels, registered with the Greek flag, are the first dualfuelled bulk carriers in the Greek market, and will sail using liquefied natural gas (LNG). The use of LNG will lead to significant reductions in CO2 and nitrogen oxides, while almost eliminating sulphur oxides and particulate matter emissions. With a combination of dual-fuel, hull optimisations and energy efficiency measures, the vessels have a very advantageous and low energy efficiency design index rating, much lower than the baseline.
“MDM is committed to decarbonisation and embraces sustainability initiatives to optimise its fleet environmental performance,” says Captain Babis Kouvakas, managing director at MDM. “We are delighted to have collaborated with DNV and SWS on the design and development of these modern and environmentally friendly ships. Both vessels incorporate the latest technology, aiming to reduce carbon emissions.”
“We are very pleased to have been involved with the charterer, owner, yard and designers from the outset of this project,” says Morten Løvstad, vice president and global business director for bulk carriers, DNV Maritime. “These highly efficient and innovative vessels, with dual-fuel engines, and an optimised hull design, show MDM’s commitment to meeting environmental regulations not just today but over the long term.”
The vessels are 299.80m long, 47.5m wide and 24.70m deep, with a design draft of 18.25m and a design draft speed of 14 knots. They can use both LNG and conventional fuel and are equipped with two type-C LNG fuel tanks. The capacity of the LNG tanks
means that the vessels could operate for 20,000 nautical miles powered by gas, allowing the vessels to complete two round-trip routes from China to Australia or one round-trip route from China to Brazil.
“The delivery of these vessels is another milestone in the close cooperation being forged between the Angelicoussis Group and DNV,” says Ioannis Chiotopoulos, senior vice president, and regional manager south east Europe, Middle East and Africa, DNV Maritime. “These new vessels clearly show the group`s commitment to driving sustainability in the bulk segment and are great examples of how the maritime community is taking up the challenge of reducing our environmental footprint through innovation. We thank MDM for its trust and welcome Ubuntu Unity and Ubuntu Community to DNV class. May they enjoy smooth sailing for many years to come.”
The Ubuntu vessels are on charter to global mining company Anglo American.
Purus Marine has placed an order for four 45,000cbm medium-sized gas carriers from Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in South Korea. The vessels, delivering in 2025 and 2026, will be dual-fuel ammonia-ready and fitted with shaft generators and scrubbers.
Purus has also secured options for two additional vessels. The vessels are expected to primarily carry ammonia.
Maritime Protection, a brand of global survival technology solutions provider Survitec, has secured an order for a set of nitrogen systems for installation on a liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered cruise ship.
The company, which has hailed the contract as significant, has welcomed the opportunity to support the cruise industry with its transition to alternative fuels, in particular, to offer expertise on the implementation of inert gas (IG) systems as an important safety measure.
Mark Clegg, managing director, fire systems, Survitec, says: “This order signals Survitec as a trusted partner to the cruise industry. While our IG systems have already gained widespread use in other ship types, the passenger ship sector has only recently begun to explore the technology. From our standpoint, a cruise ship is no different from any other vessel.
“Nevertheless, this latest contract win allows us to expand our market, and we anticipate more orders as more passenger vessels shift towards cleaner fuels.”
The scope of supply is for two nitrogen generators, feed-air compressors, valves, and control cabinets. Scheduled for delivery in 2025, the 51,950gt newbuild is the first cruise ship for this Japanese owner to be built in Europe. There is an option for a second vessel.
About 10 LNG-fuelled cruise ships are currently in operation, with a further 25 set to join the global fleet over the next five years. Engines operating on LNG, ammonia, and methanol, in particular, require an N2 system for safety reasons.
Rune Moseidjord, sales manager, maritime protection, explains: “Nitrogen is used to purge the fuel gas system before and after engine start-up or when any maintenance work is carried out. It creates a safer, more stable environment.
“It is crucial for any passenger ship going down the alternative fuel route to have a low maintenance, reliable, affordable N2 system. The benefit of our IG systems is that each one is engineered to order, designed to meet the requirements of each individual ship.”
Maritime Protection’s nitrogen systems are easy to install and fully automatic with programmable logic control. Furthermore, the system can be supported by the brand’s remote assistance offer, which enables support services, such as technical support and troubleshooting, to be delivered remotely.
Commenting on the cruise sector’s wide acceptance of LNG bunkering, David Welch, shipyard sales manager (global cruise), Survitec, says: “We’re seeing an increase in passenger ship operators specifying vessels with engines capable of running on LNG. The sector is really pushing the green agenda as some destinations are now limiting the size and number of ships burning heavy fuel oil, but shipowners must consider the fire risk.
“The consequence of a fire from these alternative fuels can be substantial. This requires a higher focus on fire prevention through the use of inert gas systems and very early detection through the monitoring of gas pressures and temperatures,” he said.
“Our Head Start initiative was designed with this in mind: we support ship owners and work with them from first designs to scope their requirements and design a total fire protection and safety management package. We can help them to set up their vessel for a lifetime of safety at sea.”
Survitec also supplies nitrogen IG systems to cruise and ropax ferries running on LNG as a marine fuel, having recently secured orders from shipyards in Poland and Turkey.
“These new vessels are great examples of how the maritime community is taking up the challenge of reducing our environmental footprint”
Baseblue is a leading provider of marine energy solutions. It was formed through the merger of three pioneer bunkering companies: Bunkernet, BMS United and SBI Bunkering BV. Baseblue has more than 30 years of industry experience and combines the expertise and resources of these companies to deliver agile and innovative solutions to customers worldwide.
The company offers a wide range of services, including alternative fuels, emissions trading and digital optimisation. It is dedicated to helping customers navigate the transition to cleaner, more sustainable operations
in the maritime industry. Baseblue has offices in Greece, Argentina, Cyprus, Hong Kong, and the Netherlands, and its team consists of more than 80 specialists with global expertise.
With a strong commitment to customer care and building strong relationships, Baseblue provides dependable marine energy solutions that drive sustainable growth. The company’s services include holistic and integrated bunkering and lubricant solutions, risk management consulting, quality testing, surveying and postfixture services for end-to-end coverage.
Baseblue’s team of more than 80 experts stays updated on upcoming
legislation, the availability and supply of alternative fuels and other industry trends. Through its post-fixture team and digital tools, customers receive constant input and the ability to track their vessels’ progress in realtime, reducing potential issues and waiting time.
At Baseblue, our bunkering services are designed to provide our customers with a seamless and efficient fuelling experience. We understand the critical role that bunkering plays in the smooth operation of vessels and we strive to deliver exceptional service at every stage of the process.
What sets Baseblue apart is our comprehensive and cohesive approach to bunkering. We go beyond just providing fuel – we offer end-to-end support and care for all post-fixture procedures. From the initial inquiry to the final delivery, we ensure transparency, competitive pricing and timely updates on the progress of every bunkering operation. Our proactive follow-up guarantees that everything remains aligned with the agreed supply, providing peace of mind, and eliminating potential issues.
To further support its customers, Baseblue provides 24/7 post-fixture service, with timely updates for every bunkering operation. This ensures that clients have continuous support and transparency throughout the fuelling process. Additionally, Baseblue offers leading insurance coverage for product liability and professional indemnity, providing added peace of mind to customers.
Moreover, our team of bunkering specialists comprises industry experts with extensive experience worldwide. We leverage this diverse knowledge base to offer comprehensive guidance and support. We understand the challenges of navigating the maritime industry and are dedicated to helping our clients manage change, seize opportunities and achieve greater resilience and sustainability.
In addition to its core services, Baseblue is actively helping businesses meet emissions reduction targets by providing guidance on alternative fuels and other sustainable operations. The company has exclusive partnerships and trials with leading suppliers of transitional and future fuels, including liquefied natural gas, methanol, biofuel and ammonia. These alternative fuels are viable options for reducing carbon emissions and enhancing the shipping sector’s environmental sustainability.
Baseblue is at the forefront of providing alternative fuel solutions to the maritime industry. The company recognises the importance of transitioning towards cleaner and more sustainable operations and actively supports its customers in meeting their emissions reduction targets.
Baseblue leverages its in-house experience of future fuels to provide
valuable insights to its clients. The company has already worked with pioneering clients in various vessel categories, such as offshore supply vessels, heavy lift and specialised vessels. Moreover, it actively collaborates with other vessel types, including container ships and car carriers, to advise on their future fuel strategies. The company’s dedicated alternative fuels team is well-versed in the advantages and drawbacks of each fuel type.
The company’s strong financial backing and attractive credit facilities enable smooth and cost-effective fuel procurement. Baseblue ensures competitive and reliable supply sources for alternative fuels through allied suppliers and exclusive partnerships.
Baseblue’s global coverage extends to nearly all commercial ports and anchorages worldwide. This extensive network allows the company to facilitate the efficient bunkering of alternative fuels, ensuring customers can access them wherever their vessels operate.
Furthermore, Baseblue assists its clients by offering recommendations and support in navigating new regulations and legislation related to alternative fuels. The company is well-versed in handling claims on quantity and quality and even assists in third-party claim handling. This comprehensive support allows customers to navigate the complexities of the maritime industry while focusing on their core operations.
With its expertise in alternative fuels and commitment to sustainable practices, Baseblue is a trusted partner for businesses embarking on their decarbonisation journey. By leveraging its global network, extensive market knowledge and collaborative approach, Baseblue helps customers make informed decisions, adopt cleaner energy solutions and drive sustainable growth in the maritime sector.
Baseblue also offers comprehensive and reliable lubricant solutions to enhance the performance and longevity of your machinery and equipment. Our lubricant specialists work closely with you to understand your requirements and challenges. We assess your equipment types, operating conditions,
and performance goals to recommend the most suitable lubricants for your needs.
With a wide range of high-quality lubricant products from trusted manufacturers, Baseblue provides customised lubrication solutions designed to optimise the performance and reliability of your machinery.
Our robust logistics network and strategic partnerships with global shipping providers ensure the timely and efficient delivery of lubricants. Baseblue can deliver lubricants worldwide to nearly all commercial ports.
With Baseblue’s lubricant services, you can optimise your vessel’s performance, efficiency and durability. Our comprehensive solutions, expertise and commitment to quality ensure that your vessel operates smoothly and reliably. Whether you need lubricants for marine vessels, industrial machinery, or other applications, we deliver reliable lubricant solutions tailored to your specific needs.
Baseblue’s success in bunkering stems from our strong foundations, agile thinking and collaborative approach. We have built our company on a solid framework that ensures we consistently deliver the right products, services and solutions. Our agility allows us to adapt quickly to changing market dynamics, innovate and continuously provide value to our customers. We break down silos and foster a culture of collaboration, focusing on finding solutions and making our clients stronger.
Overall, Baseblue aims to navigate its customers towards solid energy solutions, offering complete, dependable and reliable marine energy services that deliver greater peace of mind effectively, consistently, and competitively.
For more information, visit: base-blue.com
The European Parliament recently outlined new biomethane production targets in its recently updated REPowerEU plan. It aims to boost biomethane production to 35Bcm/year by 2030, from around 3.5Bcm now. Much of this biomethane could be liquefied into bio-LNG and used as a zeroemission marine fuel. While the targets are ambitious, they are realistic. The European Parliament has already put money behind this ambition, offering subsidies for liquefaction plants. As a result, bio-LNG production and usage continues to scale.
In the US, the Inflation Reduction Act brought into law at the end of 2022 also supports biomethane supply, extending tax credits to all biogas sectors, including wastewater treatment, farming, the food sector, renewable energy, renewable natural gas and renewable heat. While the financial incentive to produce biofuels is clear, the feedstock is important. Qualified feedstock includes any lignocellulosic matter – plant dry matter, also known as
biomass – that is available on a renewable or recurring basis.
For bio-LNG to be a zero-emission fuel, it must be produced from sustainable biomass feedstocks, for example feedstocks that do not compete with food, fibre or fodder production. This generally means waste streams, residuals from agricultural or forestry residues, as well as dedicated non-food energy crops grown on marginal land unsuitable for food production. Fortunately, this is not a challenge to bioLNG supply as these feedstocks are plentiful widely distributed.
Currently, the main way to make biomethane, or bio-LNG, is through a process called anaerobic digestion. Here you put waste biomass into a digester where it produces something called biogas. This biogas is then cleaned to remove impurities resulting in streams of pure biomethane and CO2. The biomethane is then liquefied into fuel and the bio-CO2 can be valorised, for example, by being sold to make carbonated drinks or used in greenhouses to promote
crop growth. Biomethane can also be produced from the thermal gasification of biomass, but this technology is still maturing.
Note, methane is naturally produced alongside CO2 when agricultural waste is spread in its unprocessed form as fertiliser on the land – biological matter breaks down and methane is emitted into the atmosphere.
Biomethane production captures the methane that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, resulting in a negative-emissions fuel.
Additionally, by assisting with the reprocessing of waste, bio-LNG can support the circular economy and help with yet another global concern: waste management. But how do we trace the source of bio-LNG and certify that it’s sustainable?
While the traceability of bio-LNG supply chains and resulting certification is an international challenge that will require collaboration, the EU does already have standards in place. Namely the revised Renewable Energy Directive (EU) 2018/2001 (RED II). Certification schemes like the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification EU (ISCC EU) are compliant with this standard and are recognised by the European Commission. These certification schemes ensure that bio-LNG can be traced back to a sustainable source.
Shipowners can simply check if their bio-LNG suppliers are ISCC EU certified. Certified suppliers will, in turn, only buy from, or partner with, organisations that are certified by a European Commission-recognised scheme such as ISCC EU. Accounting for supply-side production emissions relates to a broader theme that SEALNG has been advocating for years –analysing emissions on a full lifecycle, well-to-wake basis.
Bio-LNG is already being used in the shipping industry and there are countless examples of it being bunkered today. Looking at SEA-
LNG’s membership, Gasum, Shell, TotalEnergies and Titan have already supplied bio-LNG to major shipowners. Looking at the supply-side, and again just focusing on a few examples from SEA-LNG members, Titan has announced it will build the world’s largest biomethane liquefaction plant in the Port of Amsterdam. Bio-LNG production is expected to commence in 2025, with the plant ultimately producing 200,000 tonnes-per-year.
To put this in context, if blended as a 20% drop in fuel with LNG, the output of this plant alone could enable almost 25 14,000TEUs container ships to be compliant with FuelEU Maritime’s decarbonisation trajectory for 2040.
Titan has also commenced work on another plant. The project, dubbed FirstBio2Shipping, will produce around 2,400 ton/year of bio-LNG. Located at the Attero facility in Wilp, the Netherlands, it will also supply the shipping industry.
Gasum is consecutively constructing five large new biogas plants in southern Sweden. The construction of the first will begin during 2023. The plants will use 1.8m tons (750 GWh) of different kinds of waste streams for feedstock and produce 55,000 tons of liquefied biogas per year.
“Shipowners can check if their bioLNG suppliers are ISCC EU certified. Certified suppliers will, in turn, only buy from, or partner with, organisations that are certified by a European Commissionrecognised scheme”Bio-LNG compliance with FuelEU Maritime GHG intensity limit
Gasum has also announced a new plant in Vormstad, Norway. It said the plant would treat up to 500,000 tons of organic waste per year and produce up to 150GWh of biogas, which will be directed to trucks and ships.
Most recently on the demand-side, Mitsui OSK. Lines has partnered Japanese chemical company Air Water to study and trial the use of bio-LNG in its LNG-fuelled vessels. The bio-LNG will be produced from cattle manure in Hokkaido. The project – conducted as part of a bio-LNG technology research and development programme approved by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment – will see bio-LNG used in the first half of 2023.
These industry investments reflect the growing understanding of the decarbonisation pathway offered by LNG. It is supported by the very latest research on bio-LNG’s role in maritime decarbonisation.
An independent study –commissioned by SEA-LNG and conducted by the Maritime Energy and Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence at Nanyang Technological
University Singapore (NTU Singapore) – explored questions around fuel availability, cost, lifecycle emissions and logistics. It provides an overview of the potential for bio-LNG as marine fuel and the viability of the wider LNG pathway to decarbonisation using LNG, bio-LNG and renewable synthetic e-LNG.
The findings, based on conservative figures, show that bio-LNG could cover up to 3% of the total energy demand for shipping fuels in 2030 increasing to 13% in 2050. If used as a drop-in fuel blended with fossil LNG, bio-LNG could cover up to 16% of the total energy demand in 2030 and 63% in 2050, assuming a 20% blending ratio.
Bio-LNG production will also benefit from economies of scale and learning. The report forecasts that the average cost for delivered bio-LNG will fall by 30% by 2050 compared to today’s values, mainly driven by the reduced cost of producing biomethane in largescale anaerobic digestion plants. This makes bio-LNG one of the cheapest sustainable alternative marine fuels, compared to bio-methanol and electro-fuels, including e-ammonia and e-methanol.
The entire LNG pathway to decarbonisation also benefits from existing infrastructure. BioLNG can be used as drop-in fuel in existing LNG-fuelled engines without any modification and can also be transported, stored and bunkered in ports using the established infrastructure. As a result, LNG currently offers the lowest cost pathway to zero-emissions.
To conclude, bio-LNG production and supply are scaling up supported by regulation. Progress has already been made on supply chain traceability and certification, which ensures bio-LNG is zero-emissions.
Based on the latest availability, cost and emissions research, bio-LNG can play a significant role on the shipping industry’s decarbonisation today and as it strives to meet emissions reduction targets in the future.
The bottom line is, bio-LNG is a key part of the LNG pathway to decarbonisation – a pathway that offers a low-risk, low-cost and incremental route to zero-emissions –starting now.
“Bio-LNG can be used as drop-in fuel in existing LNG fuelled engines without any modification and can also be transported, stored and bunkered in ports using the established infrastructure”Research shows bio-LNG availability figures
The maritime industry faces significant challenges as it charters a path to decarbonisation: volatile fuel prices, increased regulation and the urgent need for cleaner energy sources.
Marine energy solutions providers are crucial in driving the adoption of alternative fuels, helping shipowners to navigate the change through clear counsel, innovation and partnership
The maritime industry faces a crucial turning point amid the global call for sustainable solutions and reduced carbon emissions. Stricter regulations and increased environmental awareness create an opportunity for innovative advancements in shipping’s alternative fuels, allowing owners and operators to embrace the benefits of change.
Shipping is vital to our global economy by delivering 90% of goods and is the most sustainable mode of transport. But it does emit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – approximately 940m tons of CO2 are released annually, accounting for 2.5% of total emissions. Transitioning to alternative fuels is crucial in reducing shipping’s global emissions and presents an opportunity for the industry to lead on improving sustainability in the supply chain. Immediate action is needed, and we are dedicated to driving change through support for innovative fuel solutions, partnerships and advocating industry-wide adoption of sustainable practices.
Biofuels – such as fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) – are considered viable short-term fuel options at present for shipping. These biofuels derive from sustainable feedstocks – crops, waste and residues – and can be categorised into three generations based on their sources. Currently, biofuel availability for marine applications is limited globally
1 https://kpioceanconnect.com/sustainability/alternative-fuels/short-term-alternative-fuels/
2 https://carnivalsustainability.com/pioneering-lng
but can be found in select locations. For example, KPI OceanConnect has supplied biofuels to a customer in Rotterdam, showcasing industry adoption. Blending biofuels with conventional fuels or using them as a drop-in replacements enables significant immediate GHG emissions reductions without the need for engine or infrastructure modifications. Biofuels have the potential to decrease CO2 emissions by 65-95% based on wellto-wake life cycle assessment (LCA), where second-generation feedstocks offer the highest CO2 reduction (85-95%).1 While biofuel availability is currently limited, it is expected to expand in ports due to stricter emission regulations and customer preference for biofuels. Economic incentives and supportive policies are crucial for wider biofuel adoption in shipping.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a proven transition fuel that significantly reduces emissions – 100% SOx and Particulate Matter (PM), and around 90% NOx. This is backed by multiple examples of investment in the fuel – for example, the world’s largest cruise liner Carnival Corporation has invested in LNG-powered ships since 20152. Incorporating drop-in renewable fuels like bio-LNG or e-LNG can further enhance LNG’s environmental benefits, contributing to greater carbon emissions reductions. Depending on engine technology, LNG can save 8% to 23% of CO2 emissions over its lifecycle, while bio-LNG derived from waste can achieve up to 90% CO2 reductions.
While a small amount of unburnt methane, known as methane slip, is
emitted during combustion, 2-stroke engines emit less than 4-stroke engines, with ongoing improvements. LNG is widely available worldwide, with established networks in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and much of Asia. Its availability is expected to expand to Panama, the Middle East, and the US West Coast by 2025.
Methanol, ammonia and hydrogen are other viable alternative fuel options for marine vessels, offering varying emission reductions compared with conventional fuels. Methanol, derived from bio-waste and renewable energy, offers environmental advantages. While not widely adopted, methanol has been used in limited capacity and stored in conventional-style tanks with advanced coatings onboard methanol carriers since 2016. A methanolcapable engine in needed for burning. Safety considerations include its low flashpoint and high toxicity if ingested or inhaled. Bunkering availability is limited, but dedicated supply chains are developing in Northwest Europe.
Ammonia and hydrogen offer carbonfree alternatives. However, hydrogen is highly flammable, making it more suitable for smaller coastal vessels such as ferries. Ammonia can be produced from natural gas with carbon capture or through electrolysis using renewable electricity, reducing CO2 emissions. However, ammonia is highly toxic and corrosive, requiring doublewalled tanks for storage which are larger than conventional fuels. Specially designed engines and pilot fuels are necessary for burning ammonia, and exhaust gas cleaning systems may be required to abate rogue NOx emissions. Green and blue ammonia supplies are currently limited, but developments are expected in the US Gulf Coast, Northwest Europe, Middle East and Oceania in the next decade.
By embracing diverse alternative fuels, shipping can adapt fuel choices to operational conditions, ensuring a smooth transition towards a greener future.
Technological advancements in alternative fuel production, storage, and utilisation will enable sustainable shipping. Innovation drives change in alternative marine fuels with more bunkering facilities expected to promote their adoption.
LNG bunkering is a prime example, with 185 ports worldwide offering infrastructure3, giving bio-LNG and renewable synthetic e-LNG an advantage. Singapore’s MASH Energy Hub supports the growing demand of methanol-fuelled vessels4 by providing storage, blending and distribution. Safety risks associated with ammonia bunkering are being addressed by organisations such as ABS5. And India plans to establish green hydrogen availability at 12 major ports by 20356, demonstrating their commitment to low-carbon marine fuels.
These case studies highlight the pivotal role of marine energy solutions providers in promoting sustainable practices and inspiring others to embrace similar approaches. We are advising clients on optimal strategies for carbon-neutral future fuel adoption. Our diverse team of maritime experts is committed to finding innovative solutions, helping customers achieve more sustainable and efficient fleets. We value transparency, partnership, and driving positive industry change.
Shipping’s adoption of alternative fuels has benefits and challenges. Existing issues being addressed include infrastructure development, costs, regulations and industry collaboration. By working together, we drive innovation, overcome obstacles and showcase sustainable fuel choices.
This collective effort demands investment, policy support, partnerships and knowledge sharing
among shipowners, fuel suppliers and policymakers.
KPI OceanConnect assumes a pivotal role in fostering collaboration and transitioning to greener energy. We connect fuel providers with markets and buyers, leveraging our experience, resources, and global networks. This enables tailored fuel solutions for shipowners, promoting cross-sector collaboration and a sustainable maritime industry. Our focus on green strategies ensures compliance, costeffectiveness and a competitive edge for clients.
By working closely with customers, we co-create fuel procurement solutions that match their fleet’s requirements. With our market intelligence, we empower customers to make informed decisions and achieve sustainability goals.
As a global marine energy solutions provider, we drive innovation and spearhead clean fuel adoption. Multiple alternative fuels will coexist, supported by varying infrastructures. We monitor these advancements and provide expert guidance to clients as they navigate the evolving future fuel landscape.
Adopting alternative fuels is vital for a sustainable maritime future. Collaboration and embracing their positive impact can bring environmental, economic, and social benefits, including reduced emissions, improved air quality, enhanced energy security and new job opportunities.
Continued innovation, investment, and collaboration are crucial for a carbon-neutral shipping industry. Our aim is to guide customers through the changing marine fuels landscape, empowering them to reach sustainability goals and meet decarbonisation targets.
For more information, visit: kpioceanconnect.com
3 https://sea-lng.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2023_A-view-from-the-bridge_SINGLE-PAGES_APRIL-2023.pdf
4 https://splash247.com/worlds-top-bunkering-hub-prepares-for-methanol-future/
5 https://shipandbunker.com/news/world/529475-abs-sets-sights-on-the-ammonia-bunkering-safety-problem
6 https://shipandbunker.com/news/apac/234119-india-to-set-up-hydrogen-bunkering-at-12-ports-by-2035
If not adapted and changed at the same time, the wrong lubricant combined with the wrong fuel may lead to catastrophic engine damage, putting seafarers at risk and resulting in downtime, loss of earnings and repair costs, says Dr Cassandra Higham, Castrol
While most decarbonisation discussions tend to focus on the properties and availability of new fuels, it should be remembered that the right choice of lubricant will be critical as fuels and engines evolve throughout the decarbonisation transition.
Lubricants perform several essential functions: they provide optimal protection against corrosive and mechanical cylinder wear and they provide the right formulation of detergency and base number to lubricate engines for protection.
Shipowners will therefore need to consider choosing the right lubricants as they seek decarbonisation solutions for their fleet based on available equipment choices and the operational profile of their ships. It will then be important to monitor performance on an on-going basis using tools such as used oil analysis data, test kits and expert condition monitoring advice.
Many shipowners take this approach already, but clearly the maritime industry is
undergoing a profound and transformative period of change as decarbonisation and digitalisation challenge conventional ways of thinking and working in the sector. In this era of multi-tiered and complex regulations, increased focus on health and safety, mounting demand for reduced downtime, costly part failures and everevolving environmental performance requirements, lubricants must be viewed as a lever of change and not just as a commodity.
Shipowners need to collaborate with lubricant manufacturers with deep knowledge of lubricant and equipment interaction, one that can keep their operations completely in sync with all the latest OEM recommendations and environmental legislation.
Meanwhile, lubricant manufacturers should endeavour to meet the needs of evolving engine designs, such as MAN Cat II performance levels introduced in 2020 and
the ongoing testing of low viscosity fuels such as methanol.
As a recent example, Castrol collaborated closely with MAN Energy Solutions (ES) on its Cyltech 40 XDC cylinder oil, which can be used for ships operating on liquefied natural gas and methanol, as well as conventional fuels. The cylinder oil achieved Category II Status from MAN ES after extensive field testing. MAN ES introduced the new performance category for Mark 9 and above twostroke engines after these engines were recognised to require cylinder oils with excellent overall performance and a special focus on cleanliness. Castrol Cyltech 40 XDC is now available in key shipping hubs across Europe and Asia.
This practical approach to lubricant evolution is required to ensure suitable lubricants are developed alongside alternative fuels and new engine technologies. Close collaboration also helps to maintain and even improve crew safety measures, reliability standards, and best practises as the marine industry goes through unprecedented changes. Best practices around condition monitoring and oil analysis, for example, are ever-important as alternative fuels are deployed.
Changes in the marine industry with digitalisation and decarbonisation trends increased requirement for oil analysis and condition monitoring –and the substantial digital and human intelligence that can assess and underpin these activities – is needed to protect engine assets.
Oil analysis can identify contaminants early, helping protect assets and allowing owners and operators to make informed decisions. With easy access to the necessary information for an accurate picture of the state of the system in real time, operators can often be forewarned when issues arise. They may then be able to take preventive action before catastrophic damage occurs. Digital monitoring, predictive maintenance and remote data analysis using the latest technology such as artificial
intelligence are increasingly important for this.
Despite the move towards digitalisation, technology alone cannot always be relied upon to effectively interpret data. This requires human intelligence and the benefits of knowledge combined with experience to realise the greatest reliability and efficiency gains.
As demands upon a ship’s crew continue to increase, and general operational complexity grows, the value delivered by expert partners has become more pronounced.
Ideally, condition monitoring requires multiple sets of eyes and consistency to accurately determine the benchmark by which to measure wear. Monitoring results enables trends to be observed when wear accelerates over time, or if there is a sudden surge of damage. Actions such as increasing the feed rate can be taken to provide greater protection, or if wear is severe, new cylinder liners or piston rings can be installed. Replacement cylinder liners and piston rings are not only costly for many operators and owners, but may have a long wait time.
Through proactively monitoring the condition of the engine and having a continuous stream of data to refer to, through tools such as online sensor technologies or onboard testing, shipowners can identify the early warning signs of potentially catastrophic damage. They will also have the evidence they require to demonstrate to their insurer that they have taken steps to mitigate the issue, thereby safeguarding any financial claim.
Proper application of sophisticated online sensor technology available today can enable operators to plan maintenance requirements with the least possible impact on operational schedules and cost.
The need for advanced condition monitoring and oil analysis services is only set to increase as the use of off-specification fuels, often unknown to the shipowner and operator, adds to an already complex and changing bunker landscape. A 2022 research paper entitled Testing Times by Lloyd’s
Register and Thetius estimates that more than one million metric tonnes of off-specification or non-compliant fuels are detected each year, costing ship operators between $27,000-$50,000 per incident. Fuel testing is an obvious means of protection against bad bunkers, but the careful monitoring of lubricants also holds the potential to reduce damage to assets that could result in downtime, loss of earnings, and operators being stuck with the costs of repair.
The maritime industry is undergoing a profound and transformative period of change as a result of the decarbonisation and digitalisation challenges. Marine engines are critical to shipping’s decarbonisation journey, but they are also vulnerable because the optimal pairing of fuel and lubricant is a complex decision in today’s landscape.
Ship operators should consider technical changes within the engine room in terms of training, hardware, and software, as well as fuels and lubricant procurement and application, with new pressures causing more operational strain on crews and vessels.
No single player or organisation can achieve this transition alone, and it requires collaboration and partnerships within the industry to build the necessary momentum and support needed for the transition. Shipping must remain flexible and foresee future changes, particularly on an operational level.
More than ever, the right choice of lubricant is an operational and technical issue. We must therefore reframe the consideration of fuels and engines to ensure that we include lubricants.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Sub-Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response met at the end of April to debate a number of issues relating to environmental protection. The SubCommittee approved revised guidelines for the control and management of ships’ biofouling to minimise the transfer of invasive aquatic species, following a comprehensive review of the guidelines. Ballast water is one means by which harmful organisms can be transferred from one part of the world to another.
Good biofouling management can help protect marine biodiversity by preventing the transfer of invasive aquatic species. Keeping a ship’s hull clean can also reduce the ship’s greenhouse gas emissions by improving fuel efficiency.
The 2023 guidelines, which expand on advice previously issued, will be submitted to the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80) for adoption.
The Sub-Committee also agreed to develop guidance on in-water cleaning
at a future session. The Sub-Committee recommended to MEPC 80 that the target completion year for the guidance should be extended to 2025, and that it should be renamed as “Development of guidance on matters relating to in-water cleaning”. The Sub-Committee invited concrete proposals on the separate guidance.
Member states and international organisations are being advised to submit relevant information on best practices for biofouling inspections and cleaning actions to the IMO as these become available in the future.
The Biofouling Guidelines were first adopted in 2011. The MEPC 72 session (2018) decided to initiate a review, to take into account best practices and experience as well as the latest research. In implementing this review, PPR 8 (2021) agreed that the guidelines should be revised.
The Sub-Committee agreed to a draft protocol for verification of ballast water compliance monitoring devices, to be submitted to MEPC 80 for approval.
New guidelines have been developed to support the effective implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention – and new innovations are ensuring the guidelines can be met
This protocol is an important tool to support effective implementation of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention by enabling the use of devices for a variety of purposes that satisfy a common level of quality. These include commissioning testing of ballast water management systems, port state control inspections, and ships’ self-monitoring.
The development of the protocol follows intensive work in the SubCommittee, including in a dedicated correspondence group, over a number of years.
Additionally, the Sub-Committee agreed to a draft unified interpretation to the form of the International Ballast Water Management Certificate (IBWMC) and regulations B-3.5 and B-3.10 of the BWM Convention, regarding the “date of construction” for a ship which has undergone a major conversion in order to implement the BWM Convention. The unified interpretation will be submitted to MEPC 80 for approval.
The risks to the marine environment from plastic pellets have been highlighted by incidents, including the X-Press Pearl in 2021, during which
11,000 tonnes of plastic pellets were spilled off the shore of Sri Lanka.
The Sub-Committee agreed a draft MEPC circular on recommendations for the carriage of plastic pellets by sea in freight containers. The draft text will be submitted to the Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC 9, which meets 20-29 September) for input.
The Sub-Committee approved the revised 2023 guidelines for the development of the Inventory of Hazardous Materials, following amendments to the Anti-Fouling Systems (AFS) Convention to include controls on cybutryne. The 2023 Guidelines will be submitted to MEPC 80 for adoption.
The Sub-Committee also continued its work to further develop the draft guidelines on goal-based control measures to reduce the impact on the Arctic of black carbon emissions from international shipping. It further considered potential control measures, in conjunction with discussions on measurements methods and a standardised sampling, conditioning and measurement protocol.
The Sub-Committee agreed the final draft of the Operational Guide on the Response to Spills of Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS), for submission to MEPC 80, with a view to approval and subsequent publication.
The guidance is for first responders and decision-makers in preparation for and during a maritime incident at sea or in port, when such an incident involves HNS.
The importance of the ratification, implementation and enforcement of the Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention was the focus of a national workshop in Apia, Samoa in March .
Through presentations, group discussions and role-play exercises, government officials were made aware of the actions Samoa should take at a national level to ratify, implement and enforce the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004.
Key outcomes from the workshop were increased awareness and
understanding of the ratification, implementation and enforcement process of the BWM Convention, its compliance monitoring and enforcement elements, as well as a bigger network of trained experts in ballast water management and control.
The workshop was delivered through the International Maritime Organization’s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme, with support from the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.
Optimarin is establishing a manufacturing base in China to boost the availability of ballast water treatment system (BWTS) for the Asian shipbuilding market as the company seeks to win further retrofits work for the existing fleet.
The company is pursuing partnerships with several Chinese suppliers to focus on high-quality production of BWTS components at reasonable cost for delivery to regional yards.
Optimarin says it is keeping its “dual-supplier strategy” in place to mitigate the risks of potential delivery issues, and make sure it can get systems and components to customers on time.
Optimarin believes it is well-placed to secure newbuild orders for its BWTS “as the flexible modular system can be easily installed on all types of vessels – with installation costs in many cases around half of other systems – and typically has minimal commissioning issues”.
The so-called Optimarin Ballast System (OBS), which can be delivered as a compact skid-mounted solution, comes with a full documentation package and verified compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Ballast Water Management Convention, as well as with US Coast Guard type approval.
The shipbuilding industry has seen a resurgence of ordering activity as global trade has rebounded in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, with an increasing shift towards green-fuelled newbuilds due to new environmental regulations.
Lower-cost Asian yards – mainly in China, South Korea and Japan – have secured 70% to 80% of orders for vessels in various segments including containerships, bulkers, tankers and liquefied natural gas carriers that are currently under construction, with scheduled delivery in the 202527 timeframe.
These newbuilds will have to be delivered with an IMOcompliant BWTS installed to meet regulatory requirements.
Optimarin says China has emerged as the dominant player among the big three shipbuilding countries, having secured nearly half of all newbuild orders in recent years.
“We believe having a local supplier presence in China will give Optimarin a big market advantage in terms of competitive price and short delivery time for yards, while we also provide expertise in the project development phase and can assist with a ballast water management plan.
“The main priorities for yards with a BWTS supplier are the ability to deliver on time and at the lowest cost. But we are also seeing a growing tendency where shipowners determine which system they want installed due to historic reliability issues they may have had with other systems.
“Furthermore, having in place a global after-sales network for BWTS maintenance and support is also an increasing priority for shipowners to ensure operational uptime.
Consequently, Optimarin is now taking orders in the newbuild market where, especially, European owners are looking for reliable systems with low operational cost and a strong service network.”
Optimarin’s BWTS has a two-anda-half-year service interval, while onboard maintenance can also be performed by crew due to the simple construction of the intuitive and easyto-operate system.
“A lot of work has gone into enhancing OptiLink, our cloud-based digital application that enables realtime monitoring of the BWTS, data generation for improved planning of ballasting operations and remote connectivity for online software
updates of the system, as well as datasharing for compliance.
“We are still focusing on the busy retrofit market where we aim to sell as many as 700 systems over the next two years, backed up by a fasttrack delivery model to meet the IMO deadline,” the company says.
BBIO-UV Group has announced that a Bio-Sea Ballast Water Treatment System (BWTS) for the United States Navy (USN) completed Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) at the production facility in France. The company now has approval to ship the system to a USN facility for testing.
BIBIO-UV Group is working with The Columbia Group, a US-based engineering partner, and TSG was awarded a contract in 2021 to develop a military version of Bio-Sea’s United State Coast Guard (USCG)-approved ultraviolet light (UV) ballast water disinfection system to equip future USN ships. Contract awards were open to international vendors based on a competitive proposal process.
Completion of FAT is a critical step in the multi-year design and development project. The overall program has been developed to meet the US government objective to provide naval vessels with a treatment option to manage ballast water, pending successful completion of the contract in 2026.
BIO-UV Group works as part of a team with USN scientists and engineers, and TCG engineers in support of this objective.
“This is a major milestone and not only represents the quality and efficiency of Bio-Sea engineering and technology, but it is also indicative of the success of the partnership we have with the USN and TCG in designing a custom-made BWTS capable of meeting the most stringent requirements of the U.S. military” says Laurent-Emmanuel Migeon, CEO of BIO-UV Group.
The tailor-made system developed for the USN is a robust, filtration and UV-based BWTS capable of dealing with flow rates up to 300m3/h and plans include the manufacture of a system capable of up to 1,000m3/h.
cleaner, greener shipping industry
Mechanical sail provider Norsepower has recently secured €28m in its latest Series C fundraising round. French asset manager Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Management dedicated to sustainable investment, led the fundraising through its impact private equity Mirova Environment Acceleration Capital fund1.
Additional participants in the round included The Finnish Climate Fund (Ilmastorahasto), OGCI Climate Investments, Nefco – The Nordic Green Bank, Tesi, and Power Fund III. The aim is to enable Norsepower to scale up production and expand the reach of its fuel-saving and emissions-reducing technology.
According to Norsepower, there are currently 30,000 vessels on the water today that can benefit from windpower provided by its product range, thus reducing emissions.
The Norsepower Rotor Sail is a modernised version of the Flettner rotor. It uses a minimal amount of the ship’s electric power to rotate cylinder-shaped rotors on the ship’s deck. Rotation together with wind
generates powerful thrust – saving fuel and reducing emissions.
Data showing fuel consumption savings of 5-25% has been measured and analysed independently by Lloyd’s Register, Norsepower says.
The new funding will help accelerate Norsepower’s scale of production and help to meet increasing global demand. It will also strengthen Norsepower’s product research and development, marketing, recruitment, and sizeable intellectual property portfolio.
Commenting on the funding, Tuomas Riski, CEO, Norsepower, says: “Our goal is simple – to cut the emissions of large ships by saving fuel with our proven Norsepower Rotor Sails. We are going to bring a modern spin to wind propulsion technology. We empower the industry to use our product alongside other technologies to achieve zero-carbon, cost effective sailing.
“With more than 30,000 vessels globally that can benefit from our product, our scale-up ambitions are bold, but realistic.
Exciting developments in wind power put it in prime position to have a huge effect on a
It’s a win-win for everyone, including the planet.
“The additional funding from one of the world’s leading sustainability investors is a massive leap in the right direction and a clear vote of confidence in our brilliant team, innovative technology, and the overall trajectory of our business.”
Youssef Belatar, investment director at Mirova, says: “With this first investment outside of France, the Mirova Environment Acceleration Capital Fund goes one step further to accelerate the scaling of innovative environmental solutions with a positive impact.
“We are thrilled to support Norsepower in their journey to empower the shipping industry towards reaching the goal of zero carbon emissions, and together play an active role in the environmental transition.”
Paula Laine, CEO at The Finnish Climate Fund (Ilmastorahasto), says: “The world needs to limit greenhouse gases as soon as possible to combat climate change, and decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors such as shipping will play a key role.
“Shipping faces international regulatory and public pressure to adopt more sustainable practices, and we recognise the importance of technology in tackling this challenge and Norsepower’s rotor sails are an immediately available solution, especially for emissions-intensive ocean tankers. A key factor in our decision-making is impact and Norsepower’s ability to cut CO2 emissions by 5-25 % or even more in good wind conditions.”
Iain Fergusson, a board member of Norsepower and general counsel of Climate Investments, adds: “There’s a pressing need to facilitate more deployments and funnel investment into decarbonising shipping where, as Norsepower is demonstrating that innovation is already delivering meaningful fuel and emissions savings for global operators.
“ We are delighted to expand our backing of Norsepower and look forward to driving further adoption, expansion and impact.”
Wind propulsion leader Airseas has confirmed the completion of an important technical milestone in the sea trials of its Seawing, with the successful validation of traction flights on Louis Dreyfus Armateurs’ vessel Ville de Bordeaux
Airseas has now demonstrated that the wind propulsion system is working as planned, providing its first tonnes of traction that will help reduce the ship’s fuel consumption and emissions.
With automated take-off and landing also fully functional, the next phases of the sea trials will focus on testing dynamic flying, which allows the kite to maximise its traction power, as well as gathering performance data and fine-tuning the automated flight system.
The validation of traction flights is the latest achievement in the technology’s ongoing sea trials, which are taking place during the Ville de Bordeaux’s commercial operations between Europe and the US.
These trials aim to test the Seawing system, which was developed with expertise on flight control and automation from the aerospace sector, and validate its performance.
The thorough transatlantic trials are conducted by a team of Airseas
engineers on board, with the support of Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, which operates the Ville de Bordeaux, and Airbus, which charters the vessel to transport aircraft components.
The completion of this technical milestone also marks an important step towards the industrialisation of the Seawing, with planning well underway to build a factory in Nantes in 2026.
Airseas is scaling up its company to meet demand for the solution, with commitments from major shipping lines such as K Line, with whom Airseas has a 20-year agreement, with options for the Seawing to be installed on up to 51 of its vessels in total.
Vincent Bernatets, CEO and cofounder of Airseas, says: “We are immensely proud of the technical achievements that we have accomplished so far in our sea trials, and there is more to come.
“This latest milestone is a particularly important moment for the teams both on board and ashore, who have been working tirelessly to take this innovative system from concept to reality.
“Now we are moving forward with the renewed confidence that the Seawing works as planned, and we are excited to progress the trials and improve the kite’s performance in the coming weeks and months.”
Stéphanie Lesage, general counsel and corporate secretary at Airseas, says: “This major progress in wind propulsion for shipping demonstrates technology readiness at a crucial tipping point for maritime decarbonisation.
“With the International Maritime Organization and the EU both putting owners and charterers under ever greater pressure to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, the time to act is now.
“We are dedicated to helping the industry harness the free and widely available energy of the wind to help reduce the climate impact of shipping, helping them not only comply with regulations, but also do good for society and the planet.”
Efficient bunkering is just one of the areas that needs to be tackled by operators seeking to improve fuel efficiency, while new engine types and more proactive use of operational time are also important
Classification society DNV has announced that it has joined a working group on methanol bunkering, managed by the Standards Development Organisation at Singapore Chemical Industry Council (SCICSDO). The multi-stakeholder working group will develop a Technical Reference (TR) for methanol bunkering for Singapore, the world’s largest bunkering hub.
The SCIC, appointed as the Standards Development Organisation by Enterprise Singapore, formed the Working Group on Standard Development for Methanol Bunkering, in consultation with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). The working group, which includes government agencies, bunker suppliers, bunker craft operators, engine manufacturers, testing and certification bodies, shipowners and operators, terminal operators, as well as classification societies such as DNV, will be developing a TR for methanol bunkering for Singapore.
The TR will cover custody transfer requirements (quantity and quality) for the
delivery of methanol as a bunker fuel. It will examine all aspects of bunkering, from the bunker tanker to the receiving vessels, examining the operational and safety requirements for methanol bunkering, as well as crew training and competency.
“Initiatives such as the Working Group established by SCIC-SDO, are essential as the energy transition accelerates, and the maritime industry moves towards a multifuel future,” says Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, regional manager South East Asia, Pacific and India at DNV Maritime. “For methanol and other alternative fuels to continue to build traction within shipping, we need to build confidence and encourage a wider uptake. This can only be accomplished through standards that enhance safety, while providing a comprehensive and practical framework for all stakeholders.”
The announcement of the development of the TR comes alongside record-breaking orders for vessels capable of using alternative fuels. DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) platform, which tracks orders
and bunkering locations for alternative fuels, logged orders for 35 methanolfuelled vessels in 2022 – more than the 26 vessels currently in operation. Likewise for liquefied natural gas (LNG), the most popular alternative fuel to date, the newbuilding orders in 2021 and 2022 will more than double the fleet in service upon delivery.
“Interest in methanol is growing rapidly, gaining ground on the most widely adopted alternative option –LNG,” says Lukasz Luwanski, regional business development director at DNV Maritime. “Designs for methanolfuelled vessels tend to be less complex, which means construction is typically less expensive than a comparable LNGfuelled vessel.
“On the other hand, due to incoming greenhouse gas regulations, a switch to ’green’ methanol will be required much sooner than for a vessel that is LNG powered. This will make the Working Group’s TR a very timely and important reference point for the industry,” adds Luwanski.
DNV was the first classification society to release a notation covering every aspect of using low flashpoint fuels, including safe design, fire safety, control and monitoring. It has regularly built on these recommendations, including the Alternative Fuels for Containerships document, which was recently updated with a new chapter covering methanol and aims to provide neutral, fact-based and scientifically sound decision support for newbuilding projects in the segment. Currently, more than 70% of the 25 methanolpowered vessels operating are with DNV.
Technology group Wärtsilä has introduced a new radical derating retrofit solution – Wärtsilä Fit4Power – to extend the emissions-compliant lifetime of merchant vessels by providing the existing two-stroke fleet with leaner, healthier and more optimised engines.
This new advanced retrofit solution enables shipowners to reduce the bore size of two-stroke engines by 25% while significantly improving combustion efficiency, which in turn reduces both
fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. For owners, this will improve the efficiency of their existing fleet, ensuring compliance with Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) regulations, and future-proofing assets against future environmental measures.
Wärtsilä 2-Stroke Services successfully completed the pilot installation of Wärtsilä Fit4Power onboard a container ship with a largebore two-stroke main engine last year. The results proved that a vessel with this kind of main engine, which is now oversized for today’s operating patterns, can save 2,000 tonnes of fuel and reduce at least 6,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually thanks to this retrofit solution. Fit4Power received certificate of product design assessment from American Bureau of Shipping in 2022.
Ole Pyndt Hansen, managing director at Wärtsilä 2-Stroke Services, says: “With the International Maritime Organization’s CII now in force, operators of merchant vessels need cost-effective solutions that can assure the long-term fitness of their existing fleet.
“Radical derating gives mid-life engines a new lease of life, with a power output and emissions profile that can take them through the early years of CII and prepare them for the most efficient use of new fuels needed to reach later emissions targets.”
While conventional derating merely tunes engines for operation at lower loads, Wärtsilä Fit4Power involves reducing the bore diameter of engine cylinders and introducing a new combustion chamber design, enabling the engine to run at optimal loads and with state-of-the-art fuel efficiency. The higher compression ratios and firing pressure achieved mean that the modified engine offers far greater efficiency than either conventionally derated engines or unmodified engines run at much lower loads.
Analysis from Wärtsilä shows that without modification, more than 80% of the global merchant fleet could fall into the lowest CII rating by 2030, requiring mandatory corrective action and risking losing business to more efficient vessels. Improving engine
efficiency and optimisation with solutions such as Fit4Power is one of the simplest and most cost-effective means of reducing emissions.
The solution is also a step towards the economical use of alternative fuels to meet future emissions reduction targets. It is designed to be compatible with Wärtsilä Fit4Fuels (Wärtsilä’s Two-Stroke Future Fuels Conversion Platform), a cost-effective retrofit solution enabling vessels to use liquefied natural gas, methanol and ammonia fuels.
By improving efficiency in line with CII requirements ahead of this next step, radical derating extends the CII compliant lifetime of the vessel by three to five years, giving shipowners valuable breathing space ahead of making a commitment to a future fuel – potentially more if owners opt for low or zero-carbon drop-in biofuels.
By substantially renovating mid-life engines, radical derating also benefits operators by both reducing ongoing maintenance costs, lubricating costs and extending the lifecycle of the main engine. Radical derating is currently available only for RT-flex96C engines.
Africa’s abundance of solar, wind and thermal energy across the continent can place the country at the core of the global decarbonisation of maritime transport, the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) conference on Low-Carbon Shipping in Africa heard at the beginning of May.
Speaking at the conference, held in In Mombasa, Kenya and co-organised with the Kenya Maritime Authority, Xiaojie Zhang, director, technical cooperation division, IMO, reminded delegates that 2023 is a critical year for maritime decarbonisation, with member states at the 80th session of IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in London the first week of July set to adopt IMO’s 2023 greenhouse gas (GHG) Strategy.
Zhang called on African nations “to make your voice heard and to unlock the great potential the phase out of greenhouse gas emissions of international shipping can generate in Africa.
“When IMO adopts this July a revised GHG Strategy with a clear phaseout
How prepared is the industry to tackle decarbonisation?
There has been a good deal of research on the technological issues, as well as the availability of low-carbon fuels
date of greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping, the global shipping industry will actively look at providers of alternative shipping fuels and African ports could become future energy hubs for low carbon shipping fuels,” Zhang said.
He emphasised the importance of carbon revenues that could be generated through an IMO economic measure – such as a fuel levy – for financing port infrastructure, retrofitting capacity, or bunkering facilities across Africa.
This theme was echoed by Ambassador Nancy Karigithu, special envoy on blue economy, Kenya, who highlighted the range of range of financing mechanisms, such as public-private partnerships, climate funds, and green bonds, to support the transition to low-carbon shipping. She emphasised, too, the need for the transition in maritime to low-carbon shipping in Africa to consider the socioeconomic dimensions of the challenge.
“The transition needs to be inclusive and equitable,” she said.
Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, minister of transport, Ghana, echoed the call for Africa’s participation at IMO meetings, “to ensure our needs and concerns are addressed and also indicate our support or otherwise for global maritime regulations”.
“Africa is the key to speeding up global climate action on the decarbonisation agenda. With its young and growing workforce, vast lands and various natural resources, the continent has the potential to make an important contribution to tackle climate change. These assets could be crucial in driving global efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, while creating new economic opportunities,” Asiamah said.
The IMO conference on LowCarbon Shipping in Africa focused on “Overcoming challenges by unlocking opportunities and investments”. It included panel sessions on:
» Setting the scene: global climate action and IMO’s efforts to reduce GHG emissions from shipping
» Shipping as enabler of climate action and energy transition
» IMO’s future framework and partnerships enabling the global take up of low- and zero carbon future fuels
» National co-ordinated action enabling maritime decarbonisation
» Unlocking green maritime jobs in Africa
Common themes throughout the panel session were the opportunities for Africa as a continent, in terms of producing low- and zero-carbon future fuels. The challenges were highlighted, as well as the need for technology transfer and financing –and for the transition to be just and equitable transition.
Projects already underway and planned were outlined, including those being facilitated by IMO’s Department for Partnerships and Projects, including through the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre for Africa (MTCCAfrica) such as the IMO-NORAD TEST Biofouling project and the EU-funded Global MTCC Network Project (GMN).
Country representatives from Angola, United Republic of Tanzania, South Africa and Kenya outlined their ongoing work to green their ports.
Many delegates who spoke voiced the need for IMO to give clear direction through its revised climate strategy. In his final remarks, Roel Hoenders, head, air pollution and energy efficiency, IMO, agreed that “setting an ambitious GHG reduction target at MEPC 80 will send a strong signal to the market and investors that maritime is ready to decarbonise – and this will bring new investments and new jobs to Africa”.
Closing the conference, Shadrack Mwadime, principal secretary, state department for shipping and maritime affairs, said that the discussions held during the conference “will better help African countries to prepare for the upcoming Marine Environment Protection Committee meeting in July, and for African countries to have a common approach on how we want the international community to address greenhouse gas emissions”.
A study on the readiness and availability of low- and zero-carbon ship technology and marine fuels, commissioned by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) under its Future Fuels and Technology for Low- and Zero-Carbon Shipping Project (FFT Project), has been submitted to the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 80).
Among the key findings, the study suggests that achieving a more ambitious decarbonisation pathway than business as usual is feasible, with a strengthened level of ambition and implementation of further greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction measures.
The study was completed by Ricardo-AEA and DNV, under the first phase of the FFT project. The project was launched in September 2022, to support GHG emissions reduction from international shipping. It provides technical analysis to the IMO in support of policy discussions held in the Committee and its subsidiary bodies.
On the basis of the identified stateof-play and projections on global uptake and dissemination of low- and zero-carbon marine technology and fuels, the study assesses different decarbonisation scenarios for international shipping.
The main findings, including a summary report of the study, have been submitted to MEPC 80 (MEPC80/ INF10), in order to help inform member states as they work towards the revision of the Initial IMO GHG Strategy by providing a feasibility analysis on possible strengthened levels of ambition.
The study was partly funded by the IMO GHG TC Trust Fund. The final report can be downloaded from the FFT project webpage.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Norway and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) signed a new MoU in March covering emissions. The signatories of the MoU will work together to exchange experience, knowledge and best practice, and undertake joint resource mobilisation with a view to co-operate and collaborate on actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships, and the activities of ships in ports.
This work will be carried out within the frameworks of the NextGEN Connect initiative, which aims to bring industry, academia and global research centres together to offer inclusive solutions for maritime decarbonisation for trials along shipping routes; and the GreenVoyage2050 Project, which supports developing countries, including Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), in their efforts to implement the IMO Strategy on the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships.
Kitack Lim, secretary-general of the IMO says: “IMO is pleased to combine the capabilities of the IMO-Norway GreenVoyage2050 project and the IMO-Singapore NextGEN Connect initiative to collectively implement green shipping activities, in particular those that can support development of low and zero-carbon fuels and related bunkering infrastructure.”
Sveinung Oftedal, chief negotiator of the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, says: “Joining
forces through this cooperation will strengthen the support to decarbonising the maritime sector in developing countries. We very much look forward to working together with Singapore in these supportive actions, as well as widening the co-operation with the IMO in its leading role to assist decarbonisation of the maritime sector in developing countries.”
Teo Eng Dih, chief executive of the MPA, says: “We are pleased to collaborate with the IMO and the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment to accelerate decarbonisation efforts in the maritime industry. This MoU is an important partnership that brings together our projects with the mutual goal to test solutions along shipping routes. This will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping in an inclusive manner and with the support of likeminded states, aggregate demand along the supply chain.”
The MoU signing underscores the commitment of the partners to work together to create a more green, sustainable and efficient maritime industry.
A proposal from the Lloyd’s Register (LR) Maritime Decarbonisation Hub for the “Development of a Route-based Action Plan Methodology based on The Silk Alliance” has been selected as the winner of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) NextGEN Connect Challenge.
Organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the IMO, the IMO NextGEN Connect Challenge aims to develop a robust methodology that stakeholders could use to develop specific, route-based action plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions between specific points along a shipping route in the Asia Pacific region.
The LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub’s winning proposal has been selected for pilot implementation in collaboration with the IMO. With the experience of initiating The Silk Alliance green corridor cluster, the LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub will also use its “First Mover Framework”
methodology and experiences from green corridor initiatives to work with the MPA and IMO on the NextGEN Connect Challenge.
The aim is to generate a spillover effect of knowledge, capability and investment into the wider region, contributing towards a just and equitable transition that also benefits Less Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in Asia Pacific.
Initiated by the LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, in collaboration with partners across the maritime supply chain, the Silk Alliance is a green corridor cluster initiative focused on a fleet predominantly bunkering in Singapore and trades across the wider Asia region. The Alliance identified a feasibility scenario for in scope container ships and continues to engage with key stakeholders to increase its impact to drive significant emissions-savings within the intra-Asia container trade.
Nick Brown, Lloyd’s Register CEO says: “This endorsement by the IMO NextGEN Connect Challenge judging panel is proof that the LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub’s green corridor methodology provides a clear focus in estimating the critical mass needed to drive much-needed infrastructure investments, such as port and fuel production infrastructure for alternative fuels, in preparation for shipping’s decarbonisation.”
Teo Eng Dih, chief executive of MPA says: “This proposal reaffirms the pragmatic and inclusive approach needed to accelerate the adoption of low- and zero-emission solutions through the development of green and digital shipping corridors. MPA looks forward to collaborating with Lloyd’s Register, IMO and other partners to implement the proposal to help decarbonise the maritime industry.”
IMO secretary-general Kitack Lim adds: “Maritime needs innovation and through trials and pilot projects, we can all learn and take on board best practices. IMO is supporting this through various projects, in partnership with many stakeholders.
“I am pleased that through the Singapore-IMO NextGEN Connect project we have seen exciting
proposals presented. I congratulate the winner and I look forward to receiving the results of the trials at IMO, to share with the Member States.”
Charles Haskell, director of the LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, comments: “With this pilot implementation, we not only aim to reduce emissions from the cargo trade in the region, but also incentivise the development of alternative fuel supply infrastructure in strategic positions, including those in the region’s developing countries.
“Once we are able to implement a successful green corridor within the intra-Asia route, we hope that the spill-over effect can provide the methodology and momentum needed for shipping to fulfil its 2050 zeroemissions goal.”
Drop-in sustainable fuels producer XFuel has engaged DORIS, a leader in energy engineering, advisory and project management to provide front end engineering and design support for its modular energy conversion facilities.
DORIS will support XFuel’s inhouse engineering team to scale up facilities that use XFuel’s unique modular mechanical carbon conversion technology (MECC). These facilities will produce sustainable drop-in fuels from waste feedstocks, while sequestering carbon as biochar, creating new decarbonisation pathways for hard-to-abate sectors across sea, air and road transport.
XFuel says DORIS has the expertise and experience to help it plan and prepare for applications to develop and construct its energy conversion facilities.
“XFuel’s sustainable fuels will compete directly with other fuels on the market on cost and use existing infrastructure as a seamless drop-in option,” the company says. “Rapidly scalable technology, like XFuel’s MECC facilities, will play a vital role in the energy transition, something the G7 recognised in its communique following its more recent meeting, when it expressed a commitment to the continued development of low-carbon
fuels across marine, aviation and road transport sectors.”
Dr Nicholas Ball, chief executive at XFuel, comments: “We are very pleased to be working with the team at DORIS. At XFuel, we are ambitious about producing carbon neutral fuels at a commercial scale. With DORIS’s deep knowledge and expertise in the energy industry and its front-end engineering support, we believe this is the beginning of us being able to deliver on this vision to provide costeffective sustainable fuels across a range of sectors.”
Christophe Sarri, chief commercial officer, DORIS, says: “Drawing on our decades of expertise enabling change across the energy sector, DORIS is fully committed to leading the energy transition and supporting businesses to develop innovative energy projects.
“We are delighted to be working with the XFuel team to support the delivery of low carbon sustainable fuel production facilities at a competitive price, safely and reliably.”
The Lloyd’s Register (LR) Maritime Decarbonisation Hub’s Zero-Carbon Fuel Monitor has found that although technology readiness is high, the formation of viable economic cases for each player in the supply chain is needed to scale up adoption of Onboard Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (OCCUS).
The research has found that technology readiness for OCCUS is significantly higher than its investment and community readiness, largely due to the development and usage of carbon capture technology outside of the maritime industry.
To see the potential benefits of OCCUS adoption, the readiness assessment highlights that regulations will need to be updated to address the practical challenges, including carbon accounting and how OCCUS aligns with MARPOL regulations.
There is also a need for significant infrastructure scaling and investment for onboard and offloading solutions to drive adoption. Additionally, safety and operational factors surrounding offloading of liquified CO2 as a result of the carbon capture process need to be considered.
Outlining the need for an increase in investment readiness for OCCUS, the report concludes that evidence is required to validate the real-world performance of onboard capture technology, to ensure adopters can be assured of the technology’s emission reduction credentials.
The research suggests the solutions could play a significant role in the shipping industry’s journey towards zero carbon emissions, with OCCUS considered as a mid-term step for ship operators and owners. OCCUS technology has potential for existing vessels where conversion to zero-carbon fuel is cost prohibitive, thus increasing the lifetime of an asset.
Charles Haskell, director of the LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub says: “The maritime industry needs solutions that reduce emissions in the short to mid-term, and carbon capture can be a transitional tool for operators and owners to do this.
“LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub’s research emphasises the need to focus on providing demonstrable evidence that OCCUS systems can help owners in meeting interim emissions regulations with existing vessels. The research also underlines the need for maritime supply chain stakeholders to come together, to ensure that the required infrastructure is developed and implemented to allow the industry to use the solutions which score high on technology readiness.”
The publication of the research followed the announcement that LR had been selected by the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) to carry out an industry first concept study into offloading liquefied CO2 as part of the carbon capture process, addressing the requirement for infrastructure and safety as part of the OCCUS process.
LR has also been involved in a number of other carbon capture projects, including the Approval in Principle for Value Maritime’s Filtree system and Rotoboost’s precombustion carbon capture solution.
Seaber.io, the Finnish maritime technology company, has announced a partnership with chemical bulk operator Ultratank. The Seaber solution will help Ultratank reach its environmental goals while increasing profitability, the company says.
Ultratank aims to reduce its emissions with 40% per cargo tonmile by 2030, compared with 2008 levels. The company is a part of the large and diversified shipping group Ultranav, who, like Seaber, is a part of the Call to Action for shipping decarbonisation launched by the Global Maritime Forum.
Initial results show that Seaber’s planning and schedule optimisation solution saves Ultratank 3% in operating costs, which amounts to 7,500 tons of CO2 annually. Cost-saving estimations are up to 5% in the future.
Seaber’s AI-assisted planning solution is designed for both cargo owners and shipowners, allowing them to maximise efficiencies in
planning and schedule optimisation and communications.
“With supply being very tight, optimising our fleet is extremely relevant. Seaber will be a helpful tool to support our scheduling process, save bunkers and most importantly CO2 emissions. We are happy to partner up with Seaber to help us reach our environmental goals,” says Michel Polette, chartering manager WCA at Ultratank.
“Ultratank shares our aspirations of being an environmentally friendly company. What they can achieve with Seaber’s software solution is only a start. We are excited to be selected by Ultratank and are looking forward to a close cooperation with their team,” explains Sebastian Sjöberg, CEO and co-founder of Seaber.
Technology company ZeroNorth is partnering with the Global Maritime Forum and is a mission ambassador for Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.
These partnerships highlight ZeroNorth’s role as an active and collaborative organisation that is committed to working together with wider industry stakeholders to reduce barriers to immediate emission reductions.
In its new role as a Global Maritime Forum partner, ZeroNorth is an active member of the organisation’s ShortTerm Actions Taskforce, helping to define a new roadmap to driving immediate emissions reductions that can be taken up by shipping companies, including helping to quantify the impact of speed and routing optimisation enabled by ZeroNorth’s vast data ecosystem.
The membership also strengthens the company’s commitment to the Global Maritime Forum’s Getting to Zero Coalition. Committing more resources to this powerful alliance of organisations across the maritime, energy, infrastructure and finance sectors which is committed to making commercially viable deep sea zero-emission vessels powered by zero-emission fuels operational
by 2030, driving towards full decarbonisation by 2050.
The company has also become a Mission Ambassador for the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping. In this role, ZeroNorth will utilise its deep knowledge on working with data and technology at scale to drive immediate emissions reductions to enable the green transition.
Speaking on the two new partnerships, Lora Jakobsen, chief purpose activist, ZeroNorth says: “These new partnerships with the Global Maritime Forum and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping demonstrate ZeroNorth’s dedication to driving real impact across the sector.
“The road to net zero may be paved with good intentions, but we have a shared responsibility to match that ambition with action. By forging partnerships, the shipping industry can work together to find solutions to the challenges holding back decarbonisation and collaborate on initiatives that will accelerate the green transition.”
Together with 123Carbon and its partners AllChiefs and Verifavia, NORDEN will begin to issue carbon inset tokens through 123Carbon’s newly developed platform to support the decarbonisation of customer supply chains.
With the platform, NORDEN will now be able to tokenise CO2equivalent reductions made on biofuel voyages and allocate them to industry customers who are looking to reduce their maritime Scope 3 emissions.
Adam Nielsen, head of logistics and climate solutions at NORDEN, says: “Carbon insets are not new to the market, but are in their early days in the shipping industry. However, we believe that carbon insetting will play a major role in accelerating the uptake of low-carbon fuels by connecting the demand for green freight with the supply, while bridging availability constraints.”
Today, the supply of low-carbon fuels, such as biofuel, is limited both in terms of production and geographic availability. With the platform, the intent is to connect emission reductions made by NORDEN with customers that due to trading routes or other constraints are not able to bunker low-carbon fuels, but are still looking to decarbonise their operations or supply chains.
Jeroen van Heiningen, managing director of 123Carbon, added: “It is critical for industry leaders like NORDEN to become early adopters of innovations that will ultimately drive the agenda for carbon insetting. We are here to empower organisations to make a real difference within their own supply chains and accelerate the decarbonisation of transportation. This partnership demonstrates the value of having high quality and transparent solutions that people can rely on.”
The platform support auditing companies such as Verifavia, a global verification auditing body specialised in transport, to thoroughly verify all underlying documents online, after which immutable tokens are issued on blockchain.
Nicolas Duchêne, general director of Verifavia, says: “Carbon insetting differs from carbon offsetting in that carbon emissions are reduced directly within the shipping value chain, rather than somewhere outside of and unrelated to the industry.
“Unlike carbon offsetting, the entire chain of custody for the insetting process is independently verified – as well as the reductions corresponding to an intervention –enabling genuine transparency over carbon reductions supported by reliable certification.”
Every token guarantees complete ownership to the buyer and provides full transparency and chain-ofcustody with regards to the biofuel interventions, emission calculations, assurance and risks mitigations.
A joint UK-EU project to develop retrofit carbon capture solutions and other technologies for ships to reduce their emissions and fuel consumption is underway.
Although existing waterborne vessels provide the lowest contribution to the total European transport GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, international regulatory bodies such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO) aim to reduce waterborne emissions further.
The Green Marine project, led by the Cyprus Marine & Maritime Institute (CMMI), brings together 10 partners from industry and academia from all over Europe and UK, including the University of Strathclyde’s Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean and Marine Engineering, who share the vision of providing the wider maritime community with effective and efficient ways of onboard retrofitting solutions leading to the decarbonisation of the maritime industry.
The project will run until January 2027 with EU/UK funding of almost €5m.
The Green Marine team will develop
retrofitting protocols and solutions to enable the future of shipping to be energy and fuel efficient, capture the carbon it emits to deacidify oceans and have closed air circulation systems that are virus free.
To aid the different stakeholders in their decision making, a software tool catalogue will be made that gathers knowledge on these and other solutions. The project will demonstrate these tools and the innovative solutions onboard Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) vessels.
Dr Iraklis Lazakis and Professor Evangelos Boulougouris will lead the project from Strathclyde, contributing to all technical work packages, especially in the demonstration of retrofitting existing fleets of ships and the exploitation and dissemination activities of the project.
The project objectives are as follows:
» Develop and validate retrofitting protocol tools suitable for adapting engines, flue gas carbon capture and utilisation, and integrated energy saving solutions for ships worldwide.
» Develop and validate a software tool containing an up-to-date catalogue of suitable solutions for a wide variety of ship types and operation scenarios.
» Tailor a (nano) particle and virus removal solution suitable for gaseous steams.
» Tailor commercially available gasgas separating membranes for CO2 and water capture.
» Develop and implement a carbon capture solution based on an alkaline solution with Ca- and Mg from sea water.
» Replicate project learnings to all stakeholders; stimulate software tool use and further enrich its data; co-operate with the global marine community of ship owners, operators, shipyards and equipment providers.
» Firmly position the retrofitting, software tools as a sustainable solution, offering a realistic and competitive new alternative in the Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) market.
Dr Lazakis says: “Shipping contributes a small extent to carbon emissions globally. Therefore, if we can develop solutions that can capture these emissions, we can accelerate the climate neutrality of existing fleets.
“As part of Green Marine, different technologies will be tested and verified onshore first for their marine application and, based on the results, a demonstration of the technology will be performed onboard one or more CalMac vessels. This will take place towards the end of the project, including a full process and consultation period with Classification Societies on the feasibility and risk assessment and qualification of their application onboard the vessels.”
The other partners in the project are:
» Cyprus Marine & Maritime Institute
» Smart Material Printing
» Wind plus Sonne
» University Polytechnic of Marche
» BlueXPRT
» SINTEF
» PDM
» CalMac Ferries
» Carbon Capture Machine.
Seabed mapping will play a crucial role in helping protect the UK’s climate, oceans and coastal communities, according to Sally-Ann Hart, Member of Parliament for Hastings and Rye.
Speaking at the recent UK Centre of Seabed Mapping (UK CSM) showcase event in London, Hart said building a community of maritime industry stakeholders that acquire, share and harness hydrographic data collaboratively, rather than working in isolation, was key to tackling climate change.
“Whatever we do to help protect and preserve our climate, our oceans and our coastal communities, it is clear that seabed mapping is a critical part of the infrastructure we need,” Hart said. “To that end, the UK Centre for Seabed Mapping is an exciting step forward to better harness and coordinate the rich expertise within our nation.”
The UK CSM was launched in 2022 to enable UK government organisations involved in seabed mapping to build a community where members coordinate efforts to collect and share data. This information is crucial to maritime trade, informing sustainable environmental and resource management decisions and supporting national security and infrastructure.
Hart said that climate change was a significant threat to the UK’s economy and well-being that could, if not managed properly, lead to devastating consequences such as rising sea levels, more frequent and severe storms and increased temperatures. This would subsequently compromise the UK’s infrastructure, agriculture, health and security.
However, she added that managing climate change was an untapped opportunity for economic growth in the UK. “The transition to a low-
“The UK Centre for Seabed Mapping is an exciting step forward to better harness and coordinate the rich expertise within our nation”Sally-Ann Hart speaking at the recent UK Centre of Seabed Mapping showcase event
carbon economy can create new jobs, drive innovation and stimulate economic growth. For example, investing in renewable energy technologies, such as wind and solar power, can create new jobs in manufacturing, construction, and installation.”
The ocean will play a critical role in helping manage climate change and unlocking opportunities for economic growth in this area, said Hart, who chairs the All Parliamentary Group for the Ocean (APPG), which supports and promotes ocean research and awareness.
During her speech, Hart discussed some of the findings from the APPG’s The Ocean: Turning the Tide on Climate Change report, which calls for the UK government to prioritise and facilitate investment in blue carbon and ocean-based initiatives to combat climate change. The report suggests several recommendations, such as:
» Include blue carbon habitat mapping within the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
» Re-align and restore 20% of the UK’s saltmarsh and seagrass habitats by 2030. The UK has lost more than 90% of its seagrass meadows since the 1930s, making those remaining saltmarsh and seagrass habitats an essential blue carbon habitat on UK coasts.
» Establish “Highly Protected Marine Areas” and ban harmful practices, particularly bottom trawling and dredging, across all existing UK Marine Protected Areas.
» Include more aspects of marine carbon storage and sequestration, specifically saltmarsh and seagrass, in the UK’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
» Create a Minister for the Ocean to coordinate all ocean issues under one direct and exclusive ministerial responsibility.
The UK CSM showcase, held at the International Maritime Organization’s headquarters, brought stakeholders from across the UK maritime industry together to explore the benefits of sharing and harnessing seabed mapping data.
Global renewable energy company, e1 Marine, has been commissioned to build an S Series 130 methanol to hydrogen generator by Current AG for the development and evaluation of techniques to capture waste heat and CO2 from the exhaust stream created during the reforming process.
If the lab-based tests are successful, the additional heat and reduced CO2 emissions will improve the overall economy and environmental footprint of the methanol-to-hydrogen reforming process. This knowledge will then be incorporated into existing plans to construct commercial vessels with methanol to hydrogen reformers so that hydrogen can be used to power fuel cells for generating electricity on e-vessels or hybrid vessels.
The S Series S130 Hydrogen Generator is a modular system designed for ease of use on board vessels as part of a quiet, low-vibration, low-emission power solution for luxury boats, or as a range extender supporting battery-centric power solutions on workboats.
The technology can integrate with proton-exchange membrane fuel cells as part of an efficient and highly reliable renewable power solution.
Robert Schluter, managing director at e1 Marine, says: “Our methanolto-hydrogen generators are already providing an accessible, safe and commercially viable low emission power solution for use in ports and on a range of vessels. The technology
is already proving to be effective to slash total emissions, including the full removal of particulate matter, SOx and NOx.
“Although our generators already enable vessel owners to meet the incoming carbon reduction regulations, we are delighted that companies like Current AG are working to explore how we can help customers get closer to zero carbon emissions.”
Current AG is supporting the shipping industry with solutions to accelerate shipping decarbonisation. Methanol-based hydrogen used for electric propulsion is an alternative to using methanol direct in internal combustion engines. It reduces emissions and boosts efficiency.
Current AG will partner with Institutt for Energiteknikk (IFE), a leading scientific institution, for the testing, which will take place in a secured laboratory environment. After an educational stay at Element 1 with two engineers from IFE, the methanol-tohydrogen reformer will be sent to IFE for further testing and development.
Per Sandven, managing director at Current AG, comments: “We recognise the potential of e1 Marine’s ground-breaking technology to chart a clear pathway to decarbonising the shipping industry. The technology dramatically cut the carbon intensity of marine power for ships in our inland waterways, at sea, or at berth. We look forward to working with e1 Marine to drive further efficiency and emissions reductions with its technology.”
safety is the main priority
Technology group Wärtsilä has recently completed rigorous large-scale fire safety testing of its GridSolv Quantum energy storage system (ESS).
The large-scale fire testing exceeds the mandatory testing requirements of existing testing standards (such as UL 9540A) and was designed to simulate a worst-case scenario. Overseen by Wärtsilä’s fire safety partners and stakeholders – including Fire and Risk Alliance (FRA), Energy Safety Response Group, and Energy Security Agency – the testing was completed at a facility in Piqua, Ohio, and run by the Energy Safety Response Group.
Fire safety is a major priority for the energy storage industry and Wärtsilä’s ESS is designed to meet and exceed stringent safety and quality standards.
The testing involved intentionally igniting a fire within a Wärtsilä’s GridSolv Quantum to reveal important information about how the system would react in a highly unlikely event of a catastrophic failure and demonstrate that, even in the
worst-case scenario, a fire in a GridSolv Quantum unit would not spread to neighbouring enclosures.
Under the test conditions, a fire was ignited within a ventilated unit and was allowed to free-burn for more than eight hours. The results showed that a fire would remain contained within the initiating unit, doors would remain closed, and the fire would not result in unit-tounit propagation.
This kind of bespoke, self-directed testing programme assesses the unit as an integrated system to provide a more complete understanding of fire risk than what could be achieved through mandatory testing alone, which largely assesses individual components.
The testing helps ensure that Authority Having Jurisdictions (AHJs), the fire service, and other stakeholders have a complete understanding of the potential risk.
As part of the testing, the FRA captured plume gas data to assess the potential
Energy storage solutions have to be all the more effective given the current need to ensure that inefficiency is kept to a minimum and, as ever,
environmental impact of the smoke emitted by an ESS fire. FRA’s analysis concluded that the smoke from an ESS fire is no worse in terms of environmental impact than fires involving normal consumer products.
“It is crucial that the industry treats fire safety as its priority,” says Darrell Furlong, director of energy storage product management and hardware engineering at Wärtsilä.
“Volunteering to complete testing beyond the minimum requirements provides confidence to key stakeholders that risks are being actively managed. We are proud to set a new fire safety standard and we remain committed to safety as our top priority.”
Noah Ryder, managing partner, FRA, says: “Wärtsilä’s bespoke testing is the ideal way to demonstrate that a fire will not propagate between ESS enclosures or from string to string. This outcome illustrates that with minimal or no response from the fire service or other responders, a fully involved fire is unlikely to spread beyond the initiating unit.”
“As the risks posed by energy
storage systems become better understood by AHJs, the desire to incorporate even more data into the safety analysis requires greater scale and evolution in testing,” says Nick Warner, principal, Energy Safety Response Group.
“Test results such as those from large-scale fire tests help inform this process, which overall allows for better analysis and satisfaction of code requirements. In the case of Wärtsilä, once the system was fullyinvolved [fully on fire], the risk to neighbouring units was minimal and could be managed by a well-trained fire department with proper planning and support.”
Wärtsilä’s GridSolv Quantum is a fully integrated modular and compact ESS that offers the lowest life cycle costs, fastest deployment times, highest quality control and maximum flexibility.
By design, GridSolv Quantum solves many fundamental safety challenges such as thermal management, fire detection, short circuit handling and interconnection communication.
Wärtsilä will be supplying the reliquefaction system for a retrofit project on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier vessel converted to operate as a floating storage unit (FSU). The vessel, the Energos Grand, is owned by Connecticut- based operator Energos Infrastructure, and is being chartered by New Fortress Energy.
The Wärtsilä system allows the boiloff-gas (BOG) from the LNG onboard to be reliquefied and returned to the cargo tanks rather than being wasted. The solution contributes to a significant reduction in emissions and creates cost savings, as well as optimising the LNG cargo level.
“Wärtsilä’s experience and expertise in LNG reliquefaction and gas handling are well known and we had no hesitation in selecting its equipment and services for this project,” says Tim Twomey, senior vice president fleet technical, Energos Infrastructure.
“We are therefore glad to again team up with Wärtsilä as a critical partner for our conversion projects, and view their reliability and robust
technology as an important factor to proceed with this project.”
Pål Steinnes, head of sales and business development midstream, Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, says:“This project shows New Fortress Energy’s and Energos’ commitment to improving the environmental profile of their fleet, and we are happy to once again be shown the trust of these partners in this conversion project. Our robust and reliable Compact Reliq technology is a perfect match for such applications. It combines cost-efficiency with low maintenance to deliver a solid environmental and commercial return.”
The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery during the second half of 2024.
Wärtsilä has also been selected by Origin Energy to deliver the first phase, 460 megawatts (MW) and 920 megawatt hours (MWh), of what will be one of Australia’s largest energy storage projects.
The Eraring battery will be installed at Origin’s Eraring Power Station. Origin may elect to expand the battery to 700MW and 2,800MWh in the future.
The companies have signed an engineered equipment delivery (EEQ) contract with a total value of slightly more than 300 MEUR, Wärtsilä’s largest single energy storage deal to-date. The order is expected to be booked latest in the third quarter of 2023 and equipment delivery is expected to occur from October 2023 to September 2024.
The Eraring battery will be connected to Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) and support energy security and reliability in the state of New South Wales as the penetration of variable renewable energy supply increases.
“With significant solar and wind resources, Australia is in a unique position to rapidly decarbonise its energy sector. Flexible capacity, provided by energy storage projects like Origin’s Eraring battery or grid balancing engines, will be vital to achieving that as the share of renewables increases.
The scale of this project positions Wärtsilä at the heart of that trend, delivering gigawatt-scale energy
storage projects in each of our key markets around the world,” says Håkan Agnevall, president and CEO, Wärtsilä.
“Eraring is a strategic site with high quality connection infrastructure enabling us to deliver energy into major demand centres. Development of the Eraring battery is a key next step as we look to transform the Eraring site for the future, given our intention to exit coal-fired generation by as early as August 2025. We look forward to working with Wärtsilä and key contractors to deliver the Eraring battery safely and expeditiously,” says Greg Jarvis, head of energy supply and operations at Origin Energy.
Wärtsilä’s energy storage system is designed with the potential to switch operation into grid-forming in the future, with the capability to supply a variety of system strength and system restart ancillary services. This will deliver stability and resilience for NEM
as a higher proportion of renewable energy sources penetrate the grid, helping to facilitate Australia’s clean energy transition.
Wärtsilä’s GEMS Digital Energy Platform is a critical aspect of the system, which monitors and controls the flow of energy, enabling these projects to provide grid support during periods of instability.
With Wärtsilä’s Storage+ Solution, the projects will provide firming capacity to balance Origin’s generation portfolio in support of its retail customer load. The project includes Wärtsilä’s GridSolv Quantum, a fullyintegrated modular and compact energy storage system that offers the lowest lifecycle costs, fastest deployment times, highest quality control and maximum flexibility.
GridSolv Quantum is a certified UL-compliant design fitted with several safety features.
Singapore-based ship builder Strategic Marine has commissioned a study to compare the efficiency of traditional dieselpowered and hybrid-powered crew transfer vessels (CTVs).
The study, conducted by the Maritime Energy and Sustainable Development Centre of Excellence (MESD CoE) at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), aims to help the company expand its knowledge and expertise of sustainable solutions for the sector.
Jointly funded by the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI) and NTU, MESD CoE works to support Singapore’s strategic maritime needs through research and capacity development.
Chan Eng Yew, CEO, Strategic Marine, says: “ We are happy to bring our expertise in building specialised vessels for offshore crew supply to support MESD CoE’s work in sustainable solutions through this partnership.”
Associate professor Jasmine Lam, centre director, MESD CoE, NTU Singapore, says:
“We are honoured that Strategic Marine has chosen MESD CoE to conduct this study, demonstrating its commitment to knowledge and the promotion of sustainable solutions. We are pleased to support our maritime community as it transits towards a lowcarbon future.”
The study will assess the difference in energy and emissions profiles between the company-built diesel-powered and hybridpowered CTVs. Researchers will conduct joint sea trials with Strategic Marine to collect the CTVs’ operational data.
It will adopt established MESD CoE’s methods for fuel consumption and emission assessments across varying speeds, profiles, and distances. Strategic Marine believes that the study will serve as a valuable benchmark for shipowners to evaluate their fleet’s energy and emissions performance across various operational profiles. This will translate into informed decisions when selecting alternative lowcarbon energy fleets that meet green regulatory requirements.
Hybrid systems and vessels are key to the maritime industry’s transition to more a more sustainable way of doing business
Strategic Marine develops and builds hybrid CTVs, particularly in the offshore windfarm sector. Its latest success includes deals for firm contracts and options to build 10 hybrid CTVs for UK-based offshore vessel owner-operator HST Marine.
Chan says: “Our hybrid vessels adopting technology that will help reduce maritime industry greenhouse gas emissions are gaining popularity, and we are glad that they can also contribute to research on sustainability solutions for the industry.”
Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Port of Ipswich, the UK’s leading grain export port, welcomed the maiden call of the Vertom Cyta, a brand-new hybridelectric shortsea general cargo ship.
The Vertom Cyta is the second in a series of four new Vertom vessels fitted with a diesel-electric propulsion system, which provides a more sustainable option for shipping operations with increased efficiency and reduced emissions.
The ship was officially launched with a ceremony at the Thecla Bodewes Shipyards facility in Kampen, Netherlands earlier this year. Following final fittings, the vessel departed the Port of Harlingen in the Netherlands on Monday 1 May, and sailed in ballast to the Port of Ipswich.
While at the Port of Ipswich, Clarkson’s Port Services loaded the vessel’s very first cargo, 7,000 tonnes of wheat, which is due to be shipped to Portugal for her first delivery of commercial cargo.
Andrew Harston, regional director, Wales and short sea ports, ABP, says: “We are delighted to welcome the Vertom Cyta to the Port of Ipswich for her maiden cargo voyage. The Port of Ipswich has a proud heritage as one of Britain’s oldest trading ports, and ABP is pleased to continue its important trade heritage, while also having an eye to the future by welcoming vessels designed to be more efficient and environmentally friendly.
“Vertom is a leading European ship owner, which is building a fleet of new vessels designed to anticipate future
trends with the capacity to convert methanol fuel or hydrogen power.
“ABP is focused on supporting the energy transition and achieving net zero by 2040 through our new sustainability strategy, ‘Ready for Tomorrow’, and it’s great to see hybrid ships such as the Vertom Cyta working alongside electric cranes and electric vehicles at our ports to keep Britain trading sustainability.”
Vitol’s Singaporean bunker operations company, V-Bunkers, has recently announced that it will be taking delivery of its first electric-hybrid bunker tanker, Marine Charge Classed by Bureau Veritas (BV), the electric-hybrid bunker tanker features advanced energy storage and charging technologies that will help curb greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from port operations in Singapore.
V-Bunkers placed an order to build two of these vessels in 2021, with the second tanker, Marine Dynamo, scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2023. These electric-hybrid bunker tankers are designed to significantly reduce carbon emissions in port locations and will be deployed for harbour operations within Singapore.
The vessels have been built by Zhejiang Shenzhou Sunshine Heavy Industry and were designed by a Singapore-based designer. The BV-classed bunker tankers are built with BV’s Electric-Hybrid notation and feature state-of-theart energy storage systems (ESS) technology, comprising Lithium-ion batteries and a highly automated Power Management System (PMS), to achieve an estimated 10% reduction in GHG emissions.
The design configuration enables the auxiliary engines to operate at the most optimal specific fuel oil consumption, while the ESS performs peak shaving during low power consumption periods for usage of stored energy during high consumption periods.
The ESS has recharging capabilities, and while onshore power supply is currently unavailable, the bunker tankers are ready for when charging
infrastructure and facilities become available in Singapore.
BV’s Electric-Hybrid notation addresses the complexity of electric hybrid system implementation, defining requirements for storage, power distribution, control, and instrumentation, as well as tests that must be carried out to validate power management and critical safety considerations, such as thermal runaway.
BV is continuously working towards the development of a standardised safety framework for on-board batteries, which is crucial as the industry explores various options to achieve carbon-neutral shipping.
David Barrow, vice-president
South Asia and Pacific, Bureau Veritas Marine and Offshore, comments: “BV is committed to supporting the safe development and deployment of batteries within the maritime sector, and it is heartening to see the industry embrace sustainable solutions to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency.
“V-Bunkers’ electric-hybrid bunker tankers are a positive step towards building a greener and more sustainable future for Singapore’s port operations.”
The launch of these electrichybrid bunker tankers is a significant milestone for V-Bunkers and demonstrates its commitment to sustainable shipping practices.
By deploying these vessels in Singapore’s port, V-Bunkers aims to reduce carbon emissions and pave the way for a more sustainable future in the maritime industry.
Mike Muller, head of Vitol Asia, says: “We are delighted to be the first to bring ESS technology to the local bunker craft sector and thus contribute to the reduction of emissions in the port of Singapore, the world’s largest bunkering port. We shall continue to support Singapore’s aspirations, led by the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore, to be a leader in maritime decarbonisation. We consider deployment of these two electric-hybrid bunker tankers to be an important step forward in Singapore’s decarbonisation journey.”
There is an ever-increasing range of innovative products that meet anti-fouling requirements –and new ways to make their application easier
Nippon Paint Marine is expanding its coatings production to Vietnam, in response to the growing market demand for its marine coatings, following Vietnamese government investment in the country’s shipbuilding sector.
Vietnam’s maritime industry has been declared a priority sector by the Vietnamese government and is on track to become one of the largest shipbuilding and ship repair hubs in Asia. The demand for marine coatings across both domestic and foreign shipping fleets that are dry-docked in Vietnam is projected to grow significantly over the next few years.
Over the past two years, drydock capacity has doubled in response to demand shifting from China due to covid-19 lockdowns, plus the growth of the country’s own domestic fleet.
“We have expanded our footprint in Vietnam to include marine coatings,” says Ee Soon Hean, general director, Nippon Paint Vietnam. “Continued growth in the maritime sector is resulting in the expansion of all
the major shipbuilding and repair hubs in the country. There are six large yards in the north, the same in the south and two in central Vietnam. Our research indicates that there are approximately 4,000 vessels that will require coatings, including newbuilds and existing tonnage.”
Nippon Paint Marine (Vietnam) has already secured coatings contracts with several Vietnamese shipowners, including Vietnam Ocean Shipping (VOSCO), Truong Nguyen Transport Import Export Trading, Sellan Gas Company and its group, VIMC Shipping Company (Vinalines.)
Nippon Paint’s established facilities in industrial zones in the north, south and central regions of Vietnam will begin producing the company’s range of marine anti-corrosion and protective coatings imminently, with hull and antifouling products set to be added to production lines in the 2024/5 period.
“We estimate that the total demand for marine coatings from domestic owners alone could be worth US$35m in the medium term
and even more when you consider the opportunity for foreign ship maintenance and repair in Vietnam, which continues to grow. We anticipate a 15-20% market share of the marine coatings market within the next five years,” Soon Hean says.
He adds: “With our technical expertise and a local talent pool of more than 1,000 people, now is the right time to invest in Vietnam’s rapidly expanding maritime industry. We are ready to serve this market and the shipyards and owners here know us well.”
Do Quoc Vinh, marine coatings business manager, Nippon Paint Vietnam, says: “Vietnamese shipowners and yards can benefit from our locally produced, locally supplied coatings technology that is proven to save fuel, reduce emissions and increase service time while reducing idle time, application time and minimising operational and maintenance costs.”
Although parent company Nippon Paint has had a presence in the country since 1989, producing decorative and automotive coatings from production plants outside Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, the Vietnamese maritime industry has, until this year, been served by Nippon Paint Marine Singapore.
Bringing on a dedicated, Vietnambased team will enable Nippon Paint Marine to deepen its roots in the local market and grow its marine coatings business in the region.
Drydocked at Vietnam’s Pharung shipyard, VOSCO’s 9101dwt container ship Fortune Freighter applied Nippon Paint Marine’s nanodomain structured self-polishing antifouling Fastar XI®, in October 2022 for the first time.
A Fastar I coating has also been applied to Truong Nguyen Sky, a 24,000dwt new-builds bulker that Pharung shipyard is building for the Truong Nguyen Transport Import Export Trading. The VIMC bulkers VMIC Mighty and VMIC Brave have also had a Fastar I coating applied.
Coatings company Hempel showcased its new solution, SeamFlow, for the first time in Asia at Sea Asia in Singapore recently.
“With our technical expertise and a local talent pool of more than 1,000 people, now is the right time to invest in Vietnam’s rapidly expanding maritime industry. We are ready to serve this market and the shipyards and owners here know us well”Nippon Paint Marine (Vietnam) seminars
The world’s first seam fairing solution for ship hulls is designed to reduce friction on the underwater area of vessel hulls and can reduce fuel consumption by up to 2.5%. Over one five-year dry-docking cycle it can also save up to 12,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and $1.8m in fuel costs.
SeamFlow is a complete system of coating, application tools and dedicated service, designed to reduce the friction created as a ship’s hull sails through water. By smoothing the welding seams created when the steel sheets of a ship’s hull meet, friction can be significantly reduced.
A ship’s hull has around five kilometres of weld seams, and although the welds protrude by only 3-9mm, their dragging effect on a vessel’s operation adds up to a significant amount.
Mads Raun Bertelsen, marine data and technology director at Hempel, told the Sea Asia event: “SeamFlow has been available for application on vessels since last year and, with the positive results seen on all applications until now, Hempel is delighted to share with Sea Asia the possible positive impact of SeamFlow. By reducing the drag created by the welds on a ship’s hull, we are able to deliver considerable fuel savings to industry and also support owners’ and operators’ emissionreduction pathways.”
SeamFlow is applied during routine dry-docking after the hull has been coated with one coat of anti-corrosive primer. Two SeamFlow applicator teams then apply the modified epoxy using specially developed equipment to the welding seams.
Hempel-approved experts are on site to guide the application and carry out quality checks. After 10-12 hours, the specialised epoxy coating will be dry and ready for the final tie-coat and top-coat as usual. Hempel also offers in-service performance monitoring to help quantify the customers’ return on investment.
Nikhil Lakhiani, SeamFlow solution owner at Hempel, comments: “SeamFlow is a smart and simple solution for ship owners to reduce costs and meet environmental targets without the need for any significant additional downtime. The application can be easily accommodated in the drydocking schedule, and if planned well, becomes a smooth and integral part of dry-dock operation.”
SeamFlow is compatible with all Hempel products, which offer further efficiencies and costsaving opportunities.
The latest guidance on national planning and implementation issued by the GloLitter Partnerships project has been published by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The two newly launched guides are designed to help countries in their efforts to prevent and reduce sea-based marine plastic litter (SBMPL).
The GloLitter Partnerships is a project between the Government of Norway, IMO and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) aiming to reduce marine litter. The global project supports developing countries, including Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), in identifying opportunities for the prevention and reduction of marine litter.
The Guidance Document on the Country Status Assessment on SBMPL focuses on how to prepare a detailed Country Status Assessment on marine plastic litter. The guide includes an overview of the international legislative frameworks that prevent and reduce SBMPL from ships and wastes as defined by MARPOL Annex V and the London Convention/ Protocol (LC/LP), as well as the relevant FAO codes and guidelines.
The FAO – a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger – is a GloLitter Joint Implementing Partner.
Advice on how to prepare a National Action Plan (NAP) to reduce and prevent marine plastic litter is contained in the Guidance Document on Development of National Action Plan on SBMPL.
The document is designed to help a country prepare an NAP tailored to its circumstances by addressing gaps, priorities and needs to better prevent and reduce MPL from the maritime and fisheries sectors identified in the Country Status Assessment.
The integration of digital company SEDNA and freight management concern Veson Nautical has been upgraded to enhance voyage management. SEDNA users can now access additional voyage and shipment data from the Veson IMOS Platform straight into their email inbox.
With a more comprehensive view of critical information, shipping operators and maritime professionals can optimise voyages faster and improve customer service to increase their competitive advantage.
Other new features include a pop-out email composer, additional ways to filter and prioritise incoming inbox messages, and improvements to recognising emails from trusted sources.
SEDNA, which connects email with core systems to make the inbox the central hub for business intelligence, and Veson Nautical recently announced a significant update to their maritime integration offering. The update is set to transform the way that maritime professionals can action and
There is a vast range of digital solutions to fulfil tasks that were previously labour intensive. These greatly improve operational efficiency, as well as saving time and cutting costs
advance the status of multiple voyages at any one time, ultimately simplifying the shipping process and enhancing commercial maritime operations.
For SEDNA, the Veson IMOS Platform (VIP) integration will now provide mutual clients with access to more extensive data – such as voyage number, vessel code, voyage status, ETA, fuel on departure, vessel details and cargo details – for an increased number of voyages all from within the SEDNA platform.
Presenting an expanded, centralised hub of data gives shipping operators, as well as vessel owners and charterers, the safety of knowing that they have the latest voyage details from the comfort of their inbox and can therefore quickly and efficiently enrich their outgoing emails with this detailed information.
For example, through real-time tracking and surfacing of critical voyage data such as itinerary changes and fuel on departure from VIP, operators can now optimise their voyages through sharing ship position
updates and operational reports straight from within their SEDNA inbox.
By bringing key data from SEDNA and VIP into one space, the improved integration can save significant time, enabling speedier decision-making and more efficient operations. The integration also reduces the risk of human error that could otherwise occur when copying and pasting information across platforms, meaning mutual clients can have full confidence in the accuracy of their data as they work at speed on simultaneous maritime operations.
Altogether, this has the potential to enable faster and better responses, which can lead to increased revenue opportunities and profitability for users through enhancing commercial operations and improving customer service and satisfaction.
Bill Dobie, founder and CEO, SEDNA, says: “Today, maritime professionals have to process more complex information than ever before, so we need our digital platforms to be as easy and efficient to use as possible –working for us and not the other way around. This means having immediate access to important, real-time data to deliver on voyages and enhance shipping performance.
“With their global leadership in maritime freight management, I am delighted that we are expanding our partnership with Veson Nautical to advance our shared vision to use the power of technology to push maritime operations forward. Through this enhanced partnership, the shipping sector can further its leading role driving world trade and the global economy.”
CEO and co-founder of Veson Nautical John Veson explains: “We are pleased to be collaborating with SEDNA on these enhanced integration capabilities. Providing our clients with data-driven decision support where, when, and how they need it is a key priority for us. By breaking down barriers between our clients’ critical systems, we can create a more streamlined and contextual experience that supports optimised workflows.”
SEDNA first collaborated with Veson Nautical in July 2021, launching an
integration that could utilise data from the Veson IMOS Platform from within SEDNA to enable organisations and team members within the maritime sector to work more effectively.
At present, maritime clients already using the current integration include Norvic Shipping, MOL Chemical Tankers, Western Bulk, Ardmore Shipping, Bunge, NORDEN, and others.
Technology company ZeroNorth has recently signed a long-term strategic partnership with energy and commodity leader Vitol. The deal will see Vitol gain full access to the ZeroNorth platform, and ZeroNorth customers will in turn gain access to Vitol’s carbon reduction solutions and bunkering services, through the subsidiary Vitol Bunkers.
The announcement means that Vitol will use the ZeroNorth platform to optimise operations in a number of key business areas, including voyage, vessel, bunker and emissions optimisation, vessel reporting, and vessel selection.
Holistic access to the ZeroNorth platform’s full suite of capabilities will benefit profit and planet, improving Vitol’s bottom line and delivering better environmental outcomes.
In the short term, ZeroNorth will use learnings from the collaboration to support the rollout of its new global electronic bunker delivery note (eBDN) solution. The deal will also support Vitol’s continued regulatory compliance with maritime environmental regulations, and help the organisation manage its EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) exposure by ensuring verified data quality and consolidation for more accurate emissions reporting.
The reciprocal agreement will enable ZeroNorth to tap into Vitol’s experience to the benefit of all customers using the platform, both as a prominent vessel charterer and owner, as well as an experienced provider of high quality carbon reduction solutions, establishing a new deep collaboration as the industry manages the energy transition.
By improving operational transparency between cargo owners
and shipowners, ZeroNorth will be able to strengthen the platform’s ability to support emissions reductions in a wider scope.
Søren Meyer, CEO at ZeroNorth, says: “We are delighted to be able to announce this new strategic partnership and full platform deal with Vitol. The news aligns with our ambitious strategy in two key areas.
“First, we are once again able to prove our platform’s pedigree to key industry players and bring them into our ecosystem, to the benefit of their business and the planet. Second, and more importantly, it enables us to deepen our collaborative ties with true commodities experts, powering up our teams and capability to deliver the products and services needed for a profitable and decarbonised maritime industry.”
Ian Butler, head of energy transition for shipping at Vitol, adds: “Driving efficiencies is key to addressing emissions in shipping. As a major participant in shipping markets, we are exploring a range of solutions to facilitate the company’s management of the energy transition.
“Our partnership with ZeroNorth will enable us to optimise our vessels, access valuable data, provide critical insight and allow us to evolve new, more efficient ways of working.”
In order to comply with the new Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) regulations coming into effect January 2024, onboard VHF systems may require updates to their frequency channels and/or firmware.
Marine VHF radiotelephones must be capable of displaying four-digit channel numbers, a requirement that older models may not be able to meet. To ensure readiness for the new regulations, it is important to evaluate and update VHF equipment as necessary.
In accordance with MSC.1/ Circ.1460/Rev.3, all VHF models for SOLAS vessels must comply with the latest ITU Radio Regulations which requires new channels and expanded TX frequency range up to 161.600MHz from 161.475MHz.
These changes do not affect the GMDSS, but the use of other frequencies for VHF meteorological, navigational, and urgent marine information broadcasts, port operations, and Vessel Traffic Service (VTS).
Starting from January 1, 2024, all fixed VHFs on board must comply with the requirements of Appendix 18 of the Radio Regulations, as per the new regulation. This includes the availability of four-digit channels and must be demonstrated during the first Radio Survey after this date. .
To comply with the new channelling scheme, marine VHF radiotelephones should be able to show four-digit channel numbers. A lot of older models cannot be updated to display channel numbers in four digits.
Classification society Bureau Veritas has taken a significant step forward in the delivery of digitally optimised machinery maintenance with the launch of a new capability that enables its Machinery Maintenance Application (MMA) to connect directly to a vessel operator’s own maintenance management system, K-Fleet from Kongsberg Digital.
This capability allows the vessel operator to directly transfer the required Machinery Maintenance data to Bureau
Veritas. The first such connection between BV’s MMA and a vessel owner’s Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) went live in April, using K-Fleet software from technology group Kongsberg.
Kongsberg Digital has released this connector allowing ship operators to easily push their Planned Maintenance Survey System (PMS) data to BV’s MMA. This enables the first use of this connection by one of the leading Swedish shipping companies, Furetank.
This new connector serves as a communication channel between ship operators and Bureau Veritas. Based on the data, Bureau Veritas can prepare the periodical audits with greater speed and efficiency.
Using this new connector, the vessel’s list of equipment (LOE) is sent with a click and the maintenance report data is pushed automatically from Kongsberg K-Fleet. When the Machinery Maintenance Audit is requested by the vessel operator, the Bureau Veritas Surveyor will log into BV’s Machinery Maintenance Application and generate the maintenance report for the time period in question with the latest data received, ready for review. K-Fleet will then continue to update with new data on a regular time schedule until a new request for annual, occasional or renewal audit is received.
Laurent Hentges, digital solutions and transformation vice president at Bureau Veritas Marine and Offshore, says: “This is a significant step forward in supporting shipowners, operators and managers with their machinery maintenance requirements. Jointly developed by Bureau Veritas and Kongsberg, it is a great example of how two leading digital solutions can be integrated to meet the needs of vessel operators.
“This collaboration with Kongsberg also highlights our ambition to take advantage of new technology and data exchange to advance the digitalisation to support class surveys, as well as support our clients with their digital transformation.
“Our aim is to replicate this first connection done with Furetank with other shipowners and CMMS. Data
acquired will also open the door for data analytics and optimised maintenance models in the future.”
Sanna Tovar, technical coordinator at Furetank, says: “We continuously strive towards utilising new technologies and developments that make our ship operation safer and more efficient. The possibility to share the information from the vessels’ PMS directly with Bureau Veritas class surveyors will improve our work towards safer shipping and optimise our onboard surveys as the surveyor can come onboard better prepared, thus allowing the survey to focus on items not available through the system.”
This new solution builds on BV’s MMA, which was launched in 2022. This digital tool connects directly to ship operators’ CMMS and helps them transition to optimised machinery maintenance schemes.
In order to sail safely, all vessels must undergo regular surveys of their machinery equipment and systems. However, most modern ships have more than 300 separate pieces of machinery onboard, each with its own specific maintenance requirements. This poses a challenge for owners, operators, and managers on how to conduct machinery maintenance regularly, but also efficiently.
For normal machinery maintenance scheme, this process is done through an in-person survey of all machinery items by a BV surveyor once every five years, during the renewal survey. But today, a large part of the world’s fleet is using more optimised survey schemes such as CSM or a PMS.
Bureau Veritas’ MMA connects the ship operators’ maintenance system with BV’s own system, facilitating the development of a PMS plan with online guided booking. It collects data on the maintenance status of all machinery items, manages modifications to onboard equipment, and provides access to manufacturer manuals.
This enables ship operators and BV surveyors to get a clear and comprehensive overview of onboard machinery maintenance, efficiently prepare for surveys and assess the machinery maintenance conditions.
DNV has launched Emissions Connect, an emissions data verification engine and data management platform, designed to help the maritime industry accurately assess and work with emissions data. The solution provides a trusted, verified source of emissions data that can be shared securely with all relevant stakeholders along the maritime value chain.
“Reducing emissions and reporting on progress is becoming increasingly important for the maritime industry and is set to have an impact on business that goes beyond regulatory compliance,” says Knut ØrbeckNilssen, chief executive, DNV Maritime. “Through providing real-time verified emissions data that the entire maritime value chain can share, trust and act on, Emissions Connect can serve as an important enabler to help the industry achieve its decarbonisation goal.”
While designed to support with the operational impact of multiple regulatory requirements and decarbonisation trajectories, Emissions Connect specifically addresses the needs emerging from the introduction of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) to the maritime industry.
The EU ETS, due to be phased in from 2024, will require the Document of Compliance (DoC) holder – typically the ship manager – to surrender EU Allowances (EUAs) based on the annual level of emissions. Additionally, the CII rating measures how efficiently a vessel transports goods or passengers. The EU ETS will expose DoC holders to significant financial risk, as emission costs will be factored into contracts between stakeholders to ensure fair distribution.
CII is becoming a factor in charter terms, creating balance sheet risk and impacting shareholder value, access to capital, and commercial attractiveness. In this context, the collecting, managing, and sharing of accurate and reliable data will be crucial.
“Reliable, verified data is necessary at every stage of the value chain for operational control and accurate accounting of emissions in order to facilitate commercial agreements,” explains Pål Lande, digital business development director at DNV Maritime. “Annual aggregated data reports will no longer be sufficient to manage and control ETS allowance and CII performance. Transparency on a trusted and verified voyage statement based on daily real-time reporting of data will be an essential basis of commercial contracts.”
To offer commercial support for the whole maritime value chain, DNV has therefore created Emissions Connect, enabling all stakeholders to have a common source of verified emissions data.
Built on the Veracity Data Workbench that supports customers with a strong emissions data management solution, Emissions Connect offers a high-quality emissions data baseline that is digitally verified.
Furthermore, it provides verified voyage statements that can be used as a trusted basis for emissions accounting and to facilitate ETS allowance settlements. The tool’s emissions performance simulation allows for projections of a vessel’s future CII score and for planning of EU ETS allowances, facilitating informed decision-making.
High-quality emissions data provided by the shipowner is verified by DNV and shared with customers for self-service in settlement of transactions or other purposes such as compliance reporting, exporting and secure sharing with partners and third parties, including banks and insurance companies adhering to the Poseidon Principles.
“Emissions Connect enables all parties in the value chain to work on the same trusted, verified and standardised dataset, or a single source of truth, which eliminates many of the data governance and trust issues arising from the traditional method of exchanging data via email,” says Lande.
Orca AI, developer of an automated situational awareness platform, has partnered with Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) Group to enhance its fleet’s safety.
Following more than two years of collaboration, the NYK Group recently confirmed it will install the Orca AI platform across the NYK fleet, which includes bulk carriers, tankers and containerships. This deal further strengthens the relationship between NYK Group and Orca AI.
As one of the world’s leading shipping and transport companies, finding a safety system that could enable and empower NYK’s crews to make better real-time decisions while navigating congested oceans was the aim, according to Captain Jun Nakamura, manager of the autonomous ship team at NYK Group. The company also wanted to develop its understanding of navigational challenges facing the fleet and how they were being managed.
“Orca AI demonstrated that the safety of shipping operations can be improved by automating the task of target detection in low visibility in congested waters,” Captain Nakamura says. “The platform serves as an automated lookout and recognises dangerous targets and other vessels that may be overlooked by the human eye, reducing the probability of incidents at sea.”
Yarden Gross, chief executive of Orca AI, adds: “We are excited to partner with tech leaders such as NYK, deepening our collaboration with the company and supporting its ongoing aim to be a central player in the shipping industry’s digital revolution.”
The partnership began in August 2020 when NYK and MTI Co installed a trial version of Orca AI’s platform on a ship operated by the NYK Group. Since then, the NYK Group and Orca have also completed a successful autonomous voyage trial in congested waters near Japan’s east coast through the Designing the Future of Full Autonomous Ships (DFFAS) consortium, which includes 30 Japanese firms.
The NYK trial – known as the MEGURI2040 Project and supported by the Nippon Foundation – was carried out on Suzaku, a 749 gross tonne autonomous containership fitted with Orca’s artificial intelligence and deep-learning technology. Traveling from Tokyo Bay to the port of Tsumatsusaka in the Ise Bay, the vessel achieved 40 hours of navigation with complete autonomy for about 98% of the voyage.
The vessel automatically carried out 107 collision avoidance manoeuvres and avoided up to 500 ships using Orca’s safety navigation system. The platform provided realtime detection, tracking, and range estimation through 18 cameras with panoramic views operating 24/7 in any conditions.
Orca AI’s technology has already captured more than 10 million nautical miles of visual data and its team continues to innovate and develop the platform, including incorporating regulatory compliance such as CII into its interface.
DNV has enhanced its Alternative Fuels Insight (AFI) data platform as part of an effort to accelerate the decarbonisation of shipping. The upgrade includes the addition of new fuel types, improved fuel price monitoring supported by Argus, and a crowdsourcing feature to gain input from its users.
“Our recent upgrade of the AFI platform is intended to promote cross-industry collaboration and provide greater visibility on alternative fuel uptake. Our aim is to facilitate business decision-making that will support our customers and the industry on the journey towards zero-carbon shipping,” says Kristian Hammer, senior consultant in DNV’s Maritime Advisory business.
The AFI platform allows maritime stakeholders to evaluate and analyse uptake of alternative fuels and technologies for ships and bunkering facilities through the use of data visualisation tools.
The platform displays alternative fuels usage trends, including the number of vessels in operation, on order or contracted using said fuels. Overview and information on bunkering infrastructure and as data insights into the various fuel technologies are also available.
“Comprehensive and up to date information on the entire value chain is necessary to support investments by shipowners in alternative fuels and facilitate the development of bunkering infrastructure by fuel suppliers,” Hammer says.
The range of fuel types featuring on the platform has been expanded to include detailed insights for methanol, ammonia, hydrogen and LPG – in addition to the existing data on LNG, batteries and scrubbers – as these emerging low-carbon fuels
gain traction to meet the IMO’s goal to cut CO2 emissions from shipping by 50% by 2050.
Through collaboration with Argus on marine fuel prices, AFI’s fuel price module has been enhanced to provide new information on alternative fuel prices on a weekly and monthly basis with regional and benchmarking for comparisons with conventional fuels. Among the price information, overview for selected biofuels, including bio-methanol as well as green ammonia can be found.
“We are pleased to support DNV’s efforts to further enhance transparency for maritime stakeholders as they plan investments to manage the energy transition,” says Adrian Binks, Argus Media chairman and chief executive. “Argus is leading the way in assessing alternative marine fuels including marine biodiesel, liquefied natural gas, methanol and ammonia. Our biofuel prices are widely adopted by market participants for use in their physical indexation and in financial benchmarks for risk management”.
Until now, most of the information on the platform has been updated by DNV’s own team. However, by expanding the data provision and gradually increasing the scope of the data, the company sees the platform as a great enabler for industry collaboration. Through participating in crowdsourcing of information verified by DNV, contributing entities such as research institutes and universities will receive access to premium content on the AFI platform.
Hammer concludes: “We are further opening up the platform because collaboration and data transparency are essential in achieving cleaner, green shipping. As a digital and structured framework for collaboration and data sharing, we believe AFI can help the industry work together and take informed decisions. As we say about collaboration here at DNV, it is the fuel of the future.”
European shipowners, under the aegis of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) have given their seal of approval to the EU’s proposed Net-Zero Industry Act, which seeks to enhance Europe’s security and to support the energy transition of European industry.
However, ECSA says: “The new Act must properly recognise the strategic role of shipping for Europe’s security. The shipping industry is a cornerstone of European security: energy security, food security, security of supply of goods. This is a unique opportunity for Europe to foster the sector’s competitiveness.”
The new Industry Act aims to accelerate the decarbonisation of the European economy. As shipping is one of the most difficult to decarbonise sectors, the upscaling of affordable low- and zero-carbon fuels and technologies for the sector is key.
For this reason, renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) should be included within the Act’s definition of
Regulation to ensure that shipping moves to cleaner practices has been continuing apace, and there are many new deadlines and pieces of legislation on the horizon with which industry players will have to comply
“strategic net-zero technologies”, so that dedicated production capacity can be swiftly developed, the association says.
In addition, ECSA warmly welcomes the inclusion of offshore renewable technologies and carbon capture and storage in the list of strategic net-zero technologies.
“European shipowners believe that the Net-Zero Industry Act can be instrumental in supporting the competitiveness of European industry while accelerating the energy transition,” says ECSA’s secretary general Sotiris Raptis.
“The strategic role of shipping for Europe’s energy security, food security and security of supply of goods must be properly recognised.
“In this context, we welcome the support for the faster uptake of offshore technologies, for which shipping already plays a critical role.
“But the industry is still missing a clear plan for the development of a European supply chain for clean marine fuels and technologies,” he concludes.
Following the UK Chancellor’s Budget, the UK Chamber of Shipping has reacted to the news that from June 2023 for the first time in nearly 18 years an election window for UK Tonnage Tax will open, allowing companies to enter the regime. From April 2024, third-party ship managers will also be allowed to join.
A UK Chamber of Shipping spokesperson says: “Tonnage tax in the UK supports over 50,000 jobs in the shipping sector and hundreds of millions of pounds of tax revenue.
“The opening of an election window, for the first time in nearly two decades, alongside the ability for third party ship management companies to join is welcome news and will provide companies with a long overdue opportunity to join.
“To ensure our tonnage tax regime is world leading, attracting further jobs and investment into the UK, we do need to see further reform including greater flexibility around how companies are able to opt into the regime.”
The International Group of P&I Club’s Salvage Committee has drafted new guidelines jointly with the Joint Marine Claims Committee (JMCC) to help improve collaboration in the handling of shipping casualties. The protocol document seeks to promote more effective communication between the parties involved that will ensure the prompt deployment of emergency responses services to vessels in distress.
Amy Dallaway, who chairs the JMCC, says: “There is clearly a huge benefit to all parties by having effective early engagement between insurers and shipowners involved in major casualties, particularly where pressing decisions are required. There are many advantages in understanding the concerns of all interested parties and this collaborative approach will result in clearer lines of communication and will assist in the efficient management of claims.”
The Guidelines for casualty liaison between the JMCC and the
International Group establish a highlevel structure to facilitate initial contact between London Market underwriters and individual P&I clubs. They also outline minimum details that should be sought for each case.
Ben Harris, who chairs the IG Salvage Committee, says: “The guidelines are an important step forward, providing a clear framework for property underwriters and the International Group of P&I Clubs to work closely together in the interest of the assured in a casualty situation.
“By sharing information and knowledge we can ensure that all stakeholders are aware of what is happening and to the extent possible, there is joined up decision making that avoids delay and ensures the best possible response to a casualty, especially where there is a risk to life, property and the environment.”
Vahana Aryan, the flagship vessel of the Dubai-based Vahana Marine Solutions DMCC, has become the first jackup unit to receive DNV’s AbateReady notation. The Abate notation is designed to assist the owners and operators of offshore units to identify and implement measures that can lead to reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
While the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is implementing a range of regulations to reduce the carbon intensity of sea-going vessels, offshore installations are not currently covered by the same rules.
With stakeholder pressure high, the offshore industry is still seeking greater sustainability at its installations and is keen to explore different ways of achieving this. DNV’s Abate notation helps offshore operators reach these goals by providing a framework for operational and technical GHG abatement measures.
”At Vahana Offshore, we are committed to playing our part in achieving a sustainable future,” said Narish Nathan, chief executive of Vahana Offshore. “We recognise that reducing environmental impact requires collaboration with all stakeholders, and we will work closely with them to prioritise emission control. As part of this effort, we encourage everyone to adopt an ‘each one, teach one’ approach to reduce emissions,” he concludes.
“We are delighted to award the first Abate-Ready notation for a jackup unit to Vahana Marine Solutions and we are pleased to work with a partner that is so engaged and committed to achieving its climate goals,” says Torgeir Sterri, SVP and director of Offshore Classification at DNV. “Our Abate class notation is already proving to be a successful resource for offshore owners wishing to reduce GHG emissions and fulfil carbon reduction targets and we expect it to become a key part of the offshore industry’s carbon reduction commitments in the coming months and years.”
Bijali Nair, VP and regional offshore manager South East Europe, Middle East and Africa, DNV Maritime,
“There is clearly a huge benefit to all parties by having effective early engagement between insurers and shipowners involved in major casualties, particularly where pressing decisions are required”
comments: “It is encouraging to see such early adoption of the Abate notation by Vahana Marine Solutions. We hope its commitment to GHG reductions can inspire other regional offshore players and ultimately help us all achieve our climate goals.”
On 18 April 2023, the European Parliament adopted the final EPCouncil agreement for the revised EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) said it welcomes the inclusion of maritime in the EU ETS as part of decarbonising shipping. “Europe’s ports have consistently called for an ambitious maritime EU ETS that makes the green transition of maritime possible, whilst protecting the competitiveness of European ports.
While ESPO welcomes that a price tag is being put on the emissions produced by ships, the geographical scope of the EU ETS Maritime agreement could still lead to evasive port calls, where shipping companies can avoid paying into the ETS by adding a call to a port outside the EU, or by reconfiguring their routes.
Evasion from the maritime EU ETS is a serious concern that continues to pose a threat to the credibility and robustness of the EU ETS for maritime. ESPO is therefore calling for the Commission to start monitoring and ensuring effective prevention of carbon and business leakage from EU ETS Maritime.
“Any evasion will threaten the integrity of the ETS, leading to higher emissions from longer voyages while failing to push shipping companies to green their operations. It will negatively affect employment and business activity in certain ports in the EU, and undermine their strategic role as hubs of transport, renewable energy, and connectivity.
“Early action is crucial as changes in port traffic and the reconfiguration of shipping routes are almost impossible to reverse once they occur,” the organisation says.
“It is a positive signal that the political agreement takes the risks of evasion into account, and ESPO
appreciates that the Commission will monitor and report on the impacts of EU ETS Maritime on port traffic, port evasion and traffic shift of transhipment hubs. Europe’s ports strongly support that the Commission acts as soon as evasion is identified.”
ESPO also supports the colegislators’ efforts to introduce a definition of “port of call” which excludes stops in container transhipment ports neighbouring the EU.
“This will, however, not be enough to ensure that evasion cannot take place. The changes in traffic patterns and routes should not only cover the +65% transhipment neighbouring ports, but all non-EU neighbouring ports.”
Finally, ESPO calls for the strategic use of revenues from EU ETS, where the decarbonisation of the sector will require significant investments in green refuelling and recharging infrastructure in ports. ESPO says revenues from the maritime ETS will support maritime decarbonisation through dedicated calls under the Innovation Fund, and calls for a significant part of the ETS revenues to be invested in ports in the EU via dedicated EU and national calls.
“We believe that the EU ETS maritime can be an effective instrument to boost the decarbonisation of shipping. With the current scope we fear however that shipping lines still have the choice either to go green, pay, or to divert their journey to limit or avoid the ETS charge altogether,” says Isabelle Ryckbost, ESPO secretary general.
“This would have a reverse effect on emission reductions and would seriously harm the business of certain ports in Europe. The Commission must keep a serious eye on this from day one. If there is evasion taking place, the rules have to be adapted.”
The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) has launched its #FutureSAR initiative that will look to identify the key challenges the global maritime search and rescue (SAR) industry will face as a result of climate change and propose guidance
and best practices that will aid rescue operations in the future.
The initiative, which is being funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, is the world’s first SAR industry-wide response to the effects of climate change on the maritime SAR sector as coastal communities, maritime activity and the infrastructure that they depend on become exposed to increasing risks.
#FutureSAR will look at how SAR services may be able to deal with climate change-related challenges, such as new rescue scenarios such as storm surges, implementing new technologies such as alternative fuels, and protecting infrastructure such as lifeboat facilities.
“Climate change and the climate transition will have a major impact on maritime industries and communities. The #FutureSAR project will evaluate how SAR services will need to adapt to these profound challenges and provide a blueprint for future research and resources to help the SAR sector continue to serve the maritime community effectively,” says Caroline Jupe, CEO of the IMRF.
“SAR services operate in a changing risk landscape and must continually evolve to keep pace with the risks facing the communities they serve and their own operations, staff and volunteers. We are pleased to partner with the IMRF on the #FutureSAR initiative, which contributes to our mission of securing appropriate technical, operational and performance responses to climate change to enhance safety of life and property at sea,” says Jan Pryzdatek, director of technologies at Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
The IMRF will launch a working group, consisting of SAR organisations, technical institutes and engineering specialists that will produce a report on the Climate Transition for Maritime SAR Services in 2024 that will be freely available to SAR organisations around the world to implement best practices for climate change-related challenges.
The #FutureSAR initiative will also look at ways the global maritime SAR community can contribute to the wider shipping industry’s drive to decarbonise and achieve net zero.
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